Before booking, confirm current requirements with the Thai DLD, your airline and the destination-country authority.
Source check details
The regulated claims and authority links cited on this page were checked on 1 August 2026. Export rules — Thai DLD procedures, destination-country requirements and airline policies — change without notice. Use this as orientation, then confirm every current requirement with the DLD and the destination country's authority before booking.
The timeline — Thailand to China
Thailand follows the checked non-designated-origin preparation route. A pet seeking the quarantine waiver needs a qualifying Chinese Customs-accepted-laboratory titer report; a second vaccination is required when a new titer must be obtained, not universally.
Before certificationThai vet
If a new titer is neededThai vet + lab
Before bookingArrival-port Customs
Guidance withheldResponsible authority: confirm directly
Within 14 days before arrivalDLD AQS + vet
On arrivalGACC customs
One accompanied dog or cat per person per entry. GACC source; Thailand-specific Customs source.
Thai-side export documents
| Thai-side document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Guidance withheld | Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source. |
| Destination import rules | Attach the destination authority’s import requirements (NOC, import licence, SPSIC, etc.) so the Thai health certificate matches. |
| Identification, vaccinations and tests | Carry the records required by the destination and the responsible AQS. |
| Guidance withheld | Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source. Source retained for disclosure, not approved guidance: DLD source. |
All of this sits on top of the Thai export process — the DLD health certificate and export permit — which your pet must clear on the way out. The two sets of paperwork have to agree.
Quarantine waiver vs mandatory quarantine
GACC classifies origin countries into designated and non-designated. Thailand is non-designated. Pets that meet all waiver conditions (microchip, valid titer above 0.5 IU/ml from an accepted laboratory, official certificates and successful on-site inspection) may enter without the 30-day isolation period.
If waiver conditions are not met, the pet must enter through a port with quarantine facilities and complete 30 days at a customs-designated station. The checked source does not establish a live universal port list, so obtain written arrival-port confirmation before booking.
For Thailand, current Shanghai Customs guidance says no local laboratory is approved by Chinese Customs. Confirm the authority-approved sample route and do not assume private serum submission will qualify. GACC source; Shanghai Customs source.
Common mistakes
- Starting with Thailand only — destination import permits and tests are usually the long pole.
- Expired vaccinations — a lapsed rabies shot can void import clearance.
- Microchip mismatch across Thai export papers and destination import forms.
- Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.
- Inventing a universal two-shot interval — current Thailand guidance requires a second vaccination only when a new titer is needed; apply the actual vaccine schedule.
- Titer from unrecognised lab — check GACC’s current approved laboratory list.
- Wrong arrival city — not every Chinese airport has quarantine facilities.
- Two pets, one person — GACC allows one dog or cat per person per entry.
If you came the other way, see our guide to From China (import).
Departing from Pattaya — confirm the port and DLD sequence
Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source. Source retained for disclosure, not approved guidance: DLD procedure; DLD AQS map.
Using an agent is optional
An agent cannot change government or airline rules. If you request assistance, obtain an itemised scope and verify each regulated requirement directly with the authority. PattayaPets has not independently measured agents’ prices, error rates or outcomes.
Official sources
China sources: GACC Announcement No. 5 (2019) — pet entry (English reference); Shanghai pet entry guide. Import mirror: bringing a pet from China.
Official sources to verify against: DLD Region 9 export procedure; UK pet travel; CDC animal import (USA); EU pet movement; Japan MAFF Animal Quarantine; Singapore AVS; UAE MOCCAE pet import; Australia DAFF; New Zealand MPI; India AQCS; Philippines BAI; China GACC pet entry; South Africa DALRRD import; Canada CFIA; Switzerland FSVO.
Frequently asked
Is pet import into China complicated?
The national framework requires one accompanied pet per person, a microchip, official health/quarantine and rabies certificates, and declaration for Customs inspection. The Thailand-specific Shanghai guide adds the accepted-titer conditions and a clinical examination within 14 days before arrival. GACC source; Shanghai Customs source.
Which Chinese authority handles pet import?
The General Administration of Customs (GACC) at your port of entry, with local animal quarantine inspection.
Will my pet be quarantined in China from Thailand?
If the pet cannot meet the non-designated-origin waiver conditions, including an accepted-lab titer above 0.5 IU/ml and a passed on-site inspection, the national rule requires 30 days of quarantine. GACC source.
How many pets can I bring into China?
One accompanied dog or cat per person per entry under the checked national rule. GACC source.
When should I apply for the Thai DLD export permit?
Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.
Can I fly my pet out of U-Tapao?
Confirm this step with the responsible DLD station; Thai procedural guidance remains withheld. Guidance limits and reviewed English source.
How should I plan the transfer to the departure airport?
Use a vehicle that accepts the animal and crate, confirm the airline’s check-in cut-off and leave route-specific contingency time.
Should I stay near the departure airport?
Decide from the confirmed examination appointment, airline check-in time and road conditions. This guide has no evidence for a universal recommendation.