Balkans
Serbia
Entering "Serbia": what you need
Whether a titer test is needed to enter Serbia depends on the country of departure: it is NOT needed from Annex 1 countries (EU/EEA, Andorra, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Vatican, Gibraltar, Faroes, Greenland) or Annex 2 (which includes Russia, Belarus, Bosnia, North Macedonia, the USA, Canada, Japan), and IS mandatory from everywhere else.
Vaccinations
The animal must be at least 12 weeks old on the date of the rabies vaccination, and 21 days must have passed since the primary shot. The vaccine must be inactivated (at least one antigenic unit per dose) or recombinant — modified-live vaccines are not accepted. Serbian law sets no fixed validity: it is whatever the vaccine's marketing authorisation says, and a late booster counts as a primary vaccination. Puppies and kittens under 12 weeks (or 12–16 weeks without the 21 days elapsed) are admitted only from Annex 1 and Annex 2 countries, with an owner declaration of no contact with wildlife or accompanied by the vaccinated mother.
Rabies titer test
Required when entering from a country outside Annexes 1 and 2: a titer of ≥ 0.5 IU/ml, blood drawn no earlier than 30 days after the vaccination and no later than 3 months before travel, at an EU-approved laboratory (Council Decision 2000/258/EC); a certified copy of the lab report is attached to the certificate. No repeat is needed if vaccinations were kept up without a lapse after a satisfactory result. Note that Montenegro is on neither annex, so on the face of the 2019 rulebook a Montenegro → Serbia trip needs a titer — a counter-intuitive rule, and no amendment to Annex 2 after 2019 could be found, so confirm with the Veterinary Directorate (vetuprava@minpolj.gov.rs) before travelling.
Documents
From Annex 1 countries — an EU pet passport only; no separate veterinary certificate is needed. From Annex 2 and everywhere else — a veterinary certificate (Annex 7 of the rulebook) issued by an authorised veterinarian and endorsed by the origin country's competent authority; it is valid 10 days from issue until the border document check (extended by the crossing time for sea travel). Identification is a transponder or a clearly legible tattoo applied before 3 July 2011; the entry rules name no specific ISO standard. If a titer-exempt pet transits a country outside the lists, a separate declaration (Annex 6) is required.
Entry notes
At most 5 animals per trip; more only for competitions, exhibitions or sporting events, with written proof of registration and provided the animals are over 6 months old. Treatment against Echinococcus is not required to enter Serbia — the certificate has a valid "not treated" tick-box. There is no routine quarantine: if the requirements aren't met, entry can be refused, the pet returned to its country of origin, or quarantined at the owner's expense. Any border crossing may be used. No breed restrictions are set out in the entry rules (which is not the same as confirmed absence of any).
Leaving "Serbia": the paperwork
This is the country's general departure procedure — it doesn't depend on where you are heading. For arrival requirements, see the destination country's card or the From → To section.
Serbia is often described as "listed" for the EU — that is the fact which used to stand in place of its entry requirements and confused readers. It concerns the opposite direction: flying FROM Serbia to the EU, not entering Serbia. Check the country's current status on the EU's own lists before travelling, since they are revised periodically.
Sources: Управа за ветерину, Министарство пољопривреде (vet.minpolj.gov.rs); Правилник о условима за некомерцијално кретање кућних љубимаца, «Службени гласник РС» бр. 20/19 (чл. 12, Прилог 1, 2, 4, 7); Управа царина. Поправок к Приложению 2 после марта 2019 года найти не удалось (verified Aug 2026)
Official source ↗Official source 2 ↗
Verified: August 28, 2026
This information is for reference only and does not replace advice from an embassy, veterinary authority or airline. Rules change — always verify with official sources before you travel. Never give your pet a sedative or sleep medication before a flight without a veterinarian's prescription — pressure changes at altitude can make it fatal.
Hani Walk — walk tracking, a digital pet passport and vaccination reminders, always at hand in the app.