Your pet to Czechia: chip, passport, and since July 2026 the central dog register

Your dog, cat or ferret may come to Czechia without quarantine and without a titre test. Within the EU a chip, a valid rabies vaccination and the European pet passport are enough. Once in Czechia, three Czech rules are added. A rabies jab only counts there if your dog is chipped. Since July 2026 there has been a central dog register, and your dog must be in it at its next rabies jab at the latest. And your municipality can levy a dog tax, up to 1,500 crowns a year, and up to 200 crowns if you are over 65.

What does your animal need for the journey?

The Czech veterinary service, the Státní veterinární správa, lists these requirements for dogs, cats and ferrets from another EU country:

• a chip meeting ISO standards 11784 and 11785, implanted before the rabies vaccination and before the passport is issued. A clearly legible tattoo only counts if it was applied before 3 July 2011;
• a rabies vaccination from twelve weeks, which is valid for travel 21 days after the last jab of the primary vaccination, or immediately if a booster was given within the validity of the previous one;
• the European pet passport.

If you travel with more than five animals that are not taking part in a competition, exhibition or sporting event, the rules for trade in animals apply, with a veterinary certificate.

May a puppy or kitten come along?

To Czechia, yes. Czechia is one of the countries that admit young animals that are not yet, or not yet long enough, vaccinated against rabies. An animal younger than twelve weeks may come with its mother if she was vaccinated before the birth, or from eight weeks without the mother with a signed declaration that it had no contact with wild animals that can carry rabies. An animal of twelve to sixteen weeks that is already vaccinated may come with the same declaration, even if the 21 days haven't passed.

Back to the Netherlands only later. The Netherlands is on the list of countries that don't admit a young animal that isn't fully protected yet. If you take a puppy to Czechia, it can only come along on a family visit once its vaccination is valid. And if it goes on from Czechia to another EU country, it must already be validly vaccinated before leaving.

What changes once you live in Czechia?

Rule	What Czechia requires	Consequence if it's not right
Chip	compulsory for every dog; puppies by three months at the latest	fine up to 50,000 Kč
Rabies jab	only counts if the dog is chipped	the jab is invalid
Central dog register (CEP)	older dogs at the next rabies jab at the latest	registration in a private database doesn't count
Dog tax	only if your municipality introduces it	up to 1,500 Kč a year; up to 200 Kč over 65

The register, the Centrální evidence psů, has been run since July 2026 by the Czech Chamber of Veterinary Surgeons. It is the only official register. The vet enters your dog at your request, usually at the rabies jab, and you are responsible for correct details. Whoever has their dog only in one of the private databases does not comply with the law.

Do you pay dog tax?

Possibly. The poplatek ze psů is a municipal levy that the municipality introduces and sets itself, within the limits of the law: up to 1,500 crowns per calendar year for a dog, and up to 200 crowns if the keeper is over 65. For each further dog the rate may be up to half as much again. Whoever turns 65 during the year only pays the low rate from the following year. Ask your municipality whether the levy applies there and when you report it.

What do you arrange before departure, and what after?

Before departure: have your Dutch vet check chip, vaccination and passport, and note the date of the last rabies jab. After arrival: find a Czech vet, have your dog entered in the central register at the next jab, and ask your municipality about the dog tax.

The rest of the move is in your household goods to Czechia. The order on your date is in the step-by-step plan for Czechia.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 3 of 5 of the journey, step 3.3: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Czechia or go straight to step 3.3 in the open plan.