Andorra sits in the Pyrenees between Spain and France. Many visitors come for the mountains, hiking and skiing, or use it as a short stop when crossing northern Spain or southern France. It isn’t an EU member state, but under the European veterinary regime it has a special—and favorable—status for pet travel.
For a standard non-commercial trip with a dog to Andorra, the essentials are a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and the correct travel document. Andorra has no international airport of its own—you can only enter by land via Spain or France—so consider the whole journey together with your route.
Official information on companion animals is published by Govern d’Andorra. In practice, you should also follow the EU rules for the non-commercial movement of pets.
When planning the return home, focus on the rules of Spain or France, which you’ll almost always pass through on the way back.
This article covers a typical non-commercial trip with a dog traveling with their owner or an authorized person. If a dog travels as cargo, for sale, with a change of ownership, or in a larger group, different rules may apply.
Table of Contents
Why Andorra is different when traveling with a dog
Andorra is among the countries and territories that the EU classifies as having a simplified regime for the non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets. In practice, that means two key things:
- when returning from Andorra to the EU, a rabies antibody titer test is not required,
- entry from Andorra into the EU is treated much like movement between EU countries—there’s no requirement to enter via a designated point of entry for travelers.
So on a typical round trip from the EU to Andorra and back, you don’t need anything beyond what a dog needs to move within the EU.
Quick guide: what your dog needs for a trip to Andorra
If you’re traveling with a dog from the EU, you’ll generally need:
- a microchip, or an older readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011,
- a valid rabies vaccination,
- EU Pet Passport.
If the dog originally comes from a country outside the EU, what matters is what it had to meet for its first entry into France or Spain. Only then do you deal with the Andorra leg itself.
No tapeworm (Echinococcus) treatment is required to enter Andorra.
Interested in this destination? Would you like to visit it with your dog? Check the entry requirements directly in BorderCooler®.
Entry requirements for dogs coming to Andorra from the EU
If you’re coming to Andorra from another EU country, it’s one of the simplest trips outside the EU itself.
For entry, have ready:
- a microchip, or an older readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011,
- a valid rabies vaccination,
- EU Pet Passport.
After the first rabies vaccination, you must wait at least 21 days. If the dog has continuous, on-time boosters with no lapse, there’s no further waiting period.
Entry requirements for dogs coming to Andorra from outside the EU
If the dog originally comes from a non-EU country, what counts is what it had to meet for first entry into the EU—typically France or Spain.
That usually means:
- a microchip,
- a valid rabies vaccination,
- an EU animal health certificate for entry into the EU issued within 10 days before travel,
- for some countries, a rabies antibody titer test as well.
So for a dog originally from India, Armenia or another non-EU country, the practical difference is handled mainly at EU entry, not as an extra Andorran requirement.
Microchip
A microchip is a basic requirement for traveling to Andorra with a dog. It must comply with ISO 11784/11785 and be implanted before the rabies vaccination.
Before you go, check that:
- the dog’s microchip is readable,
- the microchip number is correctly recorded in the passport or certificate,
- the rabies vaccination and other entries belong to the same identified animal.
Rabies vaccination
A current rabies vaccination is one of the core requirements for travel to Andorra.
Before traveling, make sure:
- it’s still valid on the day of entry,
- it was administered after microchipping,
- it’s correctly recorded in the passport or certificate,
- at least 21 days have passed since the first vaccination.
The first rabies shot can be given at 12 weeks of age at the earliest. As you then need to wait 21 days, the minimum age for entry to Andorra is roughly 15 weeks.
When a titer test is required
For a standard trip from the EU to Andorra and back, a titer test isn’t required. Andorra is among the countries and territories for which the EU doesn’t require a rabies antibody titer on return.
A titer test only comes into play depending on the overall route. If the dog originally comes from an unlisted non-EU country, what matters is what it had to meet when first entering France or Spain.
If the dog normally lives in the EU and is just visiting Andorra and back, there’s no need to arrange a titer test. If Andorra is only one segment of a longer trip that includes entry from a non-EU country, the rules of the first EU country of entry will decide. Check in advance what your dog will need to return home. The BorderCooler® tool can also help: it tailors return requirements to your specific route.
Restricted breeds and transit rules
Andorra itself doesn’t publish a list of banned breeds. Because entry is via Spain or France, the restrictions of those countries apply.
Spain requires a muzzle when transiting with certain breeds: American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa and Akita.
France bans the entry of some breeds without pedigree papers, and prohibits certain types altogether. This mainly concerns Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Tosas and mastiff-type crossbreeds.
If you’re planning to transit France or Spain with a specific breed, check these rules in advance.
Andorra also has its own list of breeds considered dangerous or potentially dangerous. It includes 15 breeds: American Akita, Bullmastiff, Doberman, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux, Fila Brasileiro, Neapolitan Mastiff, American Pit Bull Terrier, Presa Canario, Rottweiler, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, Akita Inu and Tosa Inu. These dogs must be on a non-extendable leash (maximum 1.5 meters) and muzzled in public in Andorra.
Getting to Andorra with a dog by car or via nearby airports
Andorra doesn’t have a major international airport, so trips with dogs usually mean driving, or flying to Spain or France and finishing by road. The closest international airports are Barcelona El Prat and Toulouse-Blagnac, each roughly 200 km from Andorra.
If you’re driving from the EU, keep your dog’s documents handy. There may be customs checks at the Andorra–Spain or Andorra–France border, during which your pet’s documents may be checked.
Returning home from Andorra
Returning from Andorra to an EU country
Andorra is one of the countries and territories with a simplified regime; no titer test is required on return to the EU. The paperwork is usually straightforward—you’ll need a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU Pet Passport.
Returning from Andorra outside the EU, or continuing onward
If Andorra isn’t your final stop and the dog continues beyond the EU, check the rules of the next destination country. In that case, the entire onward route and any new entries into other states may determine the requirements.
Practical rules for staying in Andorra with a dog
For many travelers, Andorra means mountains, hiking, winter sports and short drives between valleys and small towns.
Always confirm accommodation directly. A “pet-friendly” filter in a booking engine isn’t enough. Check your dog’s size, any fees, rules for shared areas, and whether you can leave the dog alone in the room.
In winter, plan for snow, cold, cable cars and ski-area rules. In summer, think about hike length, water, shade and pacing the day at higher elevations. In towns and villages, dogs must be on a leash in public spaces. Dogs classed as potentially dangerous must also be on a non-extendable leash and muzzled.
When to start preparing
If you’re traveling from the EU and your dog already has a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU Pet Passport, preparation is usually straightforward.
Even so, check in advance:
- that the vaccine is still valid,
- that the microchip number matches across all documents,
- the rules for your specific breed when transiting Spain or France,
- and what your dog will need to return home.
Summary
Andorra isn’t an EU member, but it enjoys a favorable status in the European veterinary regime for pet travel. On return to the EU it’s treated similarly to Switzerland and other European states with a simplified regime—no titer test required.
For a typical EU–Andorra round trip, logistics are simple. The essentials are a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU Pet Passport. Remember you enter Andorra via Spain or France—and those countries’ rules, including any breed restrictions, are part of your journey.
Frequently asked questions about traveling to Andorra with a dog
Is Andorra an EU member?
No. Andorra isn’t an EU member state. For pet travel, however, it’s one of the countries and territories with a simplified return to the EU—no titer test required.
Is an EU Pet Passport enough for travel to Andorra from the EU?
In most routine cases, yes. If the dog is traveling from the EU, has a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination, an EU Pet Passport is usually enough.
Is a titer test required when returning from Andorra to the EU?
No. Andorra is among the countries and territories for which a titer test isn’t required on return to the EU.
Can you fly directly to Andorra with a dog?
No. Andorra has no international airport. You’ll fly into Spain or France and continue by road.
Is tapeworm (Echinococcus) treatment required for travel to Andorra?
No. Tapeworm treatment isn’t required to enter Andorra.
Are any dog breeds banned in Andorra?
Andorra itself doesn’t publish a ban on specific breeds. However, restrictions for some breeds apply in Spain and France, the countries you must pass through to enter Andorra—for some breeds a muzzle is mandatory, and some entries are restricted.