Bringing your dog or cat from Australia to Singapore: AVS licences, HDB rules and no quarantine

Short answer: because Australia is rabies-free, your dog or cat can walk out of Changi without quarantine, as long as every document lines up and your new home allows it.

The short version

• Australia is on Singapore's Schedule I list, so dogs and cats from Australia need no rabies vaccine, no blood test and no quarantine if they meet all the conditions [1].
• You need a Singapore dog or cat licence first, then an AVS import licence (S$50, or S$100 express), valid for 90 days [1].
• Parasite treatments must happen 2 to 7 days before the flight, and an Australian government vet must endorse the health certificate [1].
• Book your pet's inspection at least five days before arrival. Turn up without one and it's S$133 an hour [1].
• HDB flats allow one dog from a list of 62 approved small breeds and up to two cats. Several large breeds can't be imported at all [1][3][4].

Check this first: can your pet live where you're going?

Do this before you book flights or sign a lease, because it's the part you can't fix with paperwork.

Banned breeds

Singapore won't let some dogs in at all. The list includes Pit Bull types (American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and American Bulldog), Akita, Boerboel, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Neapolitan Mastiff, Tosa, Perro de Presa Canario and crosses of any of these [1]. That catches plenty of Aussie family dogs, especially Staffy crosses.

For cats, first to fourth generation Bengal and Savannah crosses are banned. Fifth generation and later are fine with documentary proof [1].

Where you can keep your pet

HDB's approved list has 62 breeds, mostly small dogs such as Maltese, Shih Tzu, poodles and terriers [3]. A Labrador, kelpie or golden retriever won't be allowed in an HDB flat. Most Australians rent condos or landed homes, where size isn't regulated by the government, but the building's management corporation can still set rules. Ask the agent for the by-laws in writing.

Cats are a newer story. Under AVS's Cat Management Framework, pet cats must be microchipped and licensed, and the transition period ended on 31 August 2026; keeping an unlicensed cat is now an offence [5]. HDB households can have up to two cats [4]. HDB's own pet page has historically said cats aren't allowed, so if you're renting an HDB flat, confirm with the landlord and HDB.

What it costs in fees

These are the Singapore government fees. Your bigger costs are the vet work in Australia, the government export endorsement, the IATA crate and the flight itself. Pets travelling as manifest cargo usually go through a pet transport agent, and AVS publishes a list of recognised agents. Sterilising before you move makes the licence much cheaper [2].

The steps, in order

1. Check the breed and your housing against the lists above [1][3][4].
2. Microchip. The chip must be ISO 11784 or ISO 11785 Annex A, and its number must appear on every vaccination and treatment record [1]. Most Australian chips meet this, but get your vet to scan and confirm.
3. Check age. Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old at export [1].
4. Get the Singapore licence. Apply on AVS's Pet Animal Licensing System (PALS) before the import licence [1].
5. Apply for the import licence through the GoBusiness Licensing Portal. It's issued two working days after complete documents (one day for express) and lasts 90 days [1]. Mixed-breed dogs need a colour photo showing face and body [1].
6. Book the border inspection at least five days before arrival, with the import licence, flight details and a phone number [1].
7. Parasite treatments 2 to 7 days before export. Your vet treats for internal and external parasites and completes Sections I to III of the health certificate [1].
8. Government endorsement. Section IV must be endorsed by an official government vet from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry [1]. Australia also has its own export process, so check the department's requirements for Singapore and book the endorsement early.
9. Check-in. The Schedule I captain's declaration, signed and endorsed by the airline, is handed over at check-in [1].
10. Arrival. Your pet is inspected at the Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine Station at the Changi Airfreight Centre, not in the passenger terminal [1].

Crates and cabin travel

Crates must meet the IATA Live Animal Regulations. Crates larger than 82 cm long, 64 cm high and 58 cm wide must be collected in person, and uncollected crates go to an AVS-assigned transporter at extra cost. If your pet flies in-cabin or as excess baggage, use a rigid IATA crate; soft bags aren't accepted for the transfer to the inspection station [1].

What's different from home

• Licensing is national, not council-based. Your licence comes from AVS, not a local council, and it's linked to your address.
• Rules on cats are strict. In public, cats must be under physical control, such as in a carrier or on a harness, and owners must stop them roaming, for example with window mesh [5]. Fines for breaking cat-keeping rules can reach S$5,000 [5].
• Heat. Singapore is hot and humid all year. Walk dogs early or late, and talk to your vet about heat stress, especially for flat-faced breeds.
• Dogs aren't allowed everywhere. Many parks welcome leashed dogs, but MRT trains, most buses, malls and many restaurants don't. Pet-friendly cafés exist, but they're the exception.

Taking your pet home again

This is the part to plan before you leave, not after. Coming back to Australia from Singapore is much easier than from most of Asia, because Singapore is in Australia's Group 2 of approved countries. That means no rabies blood test, but your pet still needs an import permit and a stay at the post-entry quarantine facility in Mickleham, Victoria. Our guide on bringing your pet home to Australia covers permits, timing and quarantine fees.

If you move on from Singapore to a non-approved country before heading home, the process becomes far harder, so think about your pet's route home before your next posting.

Want recommendations for vets, pet-friendly condos or dog runs near Bukit Timah? Ask in Cooee Singapore, our Facebook group for Australians in Singapore.

Sources

1. Importing dogs and cats – Animal & Veterinary Service, NParks
2. Dog and cat licence fees – Animal & Veterinary Service, NParks
3. Keeping pets in an HDB flat – Housing & Development Board
4. Limits of ownership – Animal & Veterinary Service, NParks
5. Cat owners reminded to license their cats by 31 August 2026 – NParks

Keep reading

• Moving to Singapore from Australia: the complete guide
• Renting in Singapore as an Australian
• Bringing your pet home to Australia
• Leaving Australia: the checklist before you go