What does a dog need to enter Montenegro? The rulebook requires identification, a passport, a rabies vaccination, an antibody titre test, treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis and a veterinary health certificate. Check the requirements with the Administration before you travel.
Searches show what people want to know about pets: in Montenegrin "putovanje sa psom crna gora" (travelling with a dog Montenegro), in English "bringing pets to montenegro" and "requirements for pet travel montenegro", in German "einreise mit hund nach montenegro" (entering Montenegro with a dog) and "einreise mit hund von montenegro nach kroatien" (entering Croatia from Montenegro with a dog), and in Russian "ввоз собаки в черногорию" (bringing a dog into Montenegro) and "как перевезти кошку в черногорию" (how to bring a cat to Montenegro). The rules come from the Rulebook on the conditions for the non-commercial movement of pets and, since June 2026, from a new European Union regulation.
This article explains which pets may travel with their owner and how many, what the rulebook requires for dogs and cats, what changed for travel from Montenegro to the European Union and what applies to a pet in a rented flat and in a residential building.
Which pets and how many
The rulebook covers dogs, cats, mustelids, ferrets, invertebrates other than bees and crustaceans, ornamental tropical fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds other than poultry, and mammals, namely rodents and rabbits.
Non-commercial movement means moving up to five pets that are not intended for sale, accompanied by the owner or an authorised person, when entering, transiting, leaving or re-entering Montenegro. More than five pets may travel only if they are going to a competition, exhibition, sporting event or training, if the owner has written proof of registration and if the pets are older than six months.
Conditions for dogs and cats
A dog or cat may be moved non-commercially if:
| Condition | Note |
| It is identified in the prescribed way | Mandatory for dogs and cats |
| It travels with a passport | The passport travels with the pet |
| It is vaccinated against rabies | Older than 12 weeks on the day of vaccination |
| 21 days have passed since the first vaccination | Applies to the first vaccination |
| A rabies antibody titration test has been done | 30 days after vaccination and at least three months before travel |
| It has been treated against Echinococcus multilocularis | When entering or leaving Montenegro, in the prescribed way |
| It travels with a veterinary health certificate | For travel to the EU this is a certificate from a veterinary inspector |
The rulebook was adopted in 2016 and transposes the provisions of Regulation (EU) 576/2013 on the non-commercial movement of pet animals.
New from 19 June 2026: travel to the EU without a titre test
On 12 June 2026 the European Commission published Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1169, which puts Montenegro on the list of third countries from which dogs, cats and ferrets may be moved non-commercially into the European Union without proof of a rabies antibody titre. According to the announcement of the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs, the new rules apply from 19 June 2026. Every movement must still be accompanied by a properly completed certificate from a veterinary inspector, issued on the basis of the supporting documents, but without a titre test result.
The announcement concerns travel from Montenegro to European Union countries. For entry into Montenegro, the rulebook from 2016 lists the conditions in the table above, including the titre test; check with the Administration before you travel whether the titre is still required for a pet coming from your country.
A pet in a rented flat and in a building
- Renting. The lease provisions of the Law on Obligations do not mention pets, so the safest option is for the lease agreement to say so explicitly. Under the same law, the keeper of an animal is liable for damage it causes. What else to agree on in a long-term lease is covered in our article on how to find a long-term rental.
- Building. The rules on relations between owners govern, among other things, the conditions of use and the use of the common parts of the building, and they are adopted by a majority vote of the members present at the assembly. These rules are filed in a register kept by the local administration, and any interested person may inspect them. How the owners' assembly works is explained in our article on the building manager.
If you are just moving to Montenegro, the order of steps from residence registration to a permit is in our article on the first 90 days in Montenegro. You can find flats to rent in our real estate category.
Quick list
| Question | Answer |
| How many pets may travel with me? | Up to five, except for competitions, exhibitions and training |
| Is a rabies vaccination needed? | Yes, from 12 weeks of age, with 21 days of waiting after the first one |
| Is a veterinary certificate needed? | Yes, for every movement |
| Is a titre test needed to travel from Montenegro to the EU? | Not from 19 June 2026 |
| Is a titre test needed to enter Montenegro? | The rulebook lists it; check with the Administration before you travel |
Frequently asked questions
Is a titre test still needed to travel from Montenegro to the EU? No. From 19 June 2026 the rabies antibody titre is not mandatory, but the veterinary inspector's certificate still is.
How many pets can I take? Up to five in non-commercial movement. More are allowed only for competitions, exhibitions, sporting events and training, with written proof of registration and for pets older than six months.
How long after vaccination can a dog travel? After the first rabies vaccination 21 days must pass, and the dog must be older than 12 weeks on the day of vaccination.
Can I keep a dog in a rented flat? The lease provisions do not mention it; agree on it and write it into the lease agreement, and in the building follow the owners' rules. The keeper of a pet is liable for damage it causes.
Who issues the certificate for travel to the EU? A veterinary inspector, on the basis of the supporting documents for the pet.
Sources
The conditions for non-commercial movement are set by the Rulebook on the conditions for the non-commercial movement of pets (Official Gazette of Montenegro 42/2016, articles 2 to 4), adopted under the Law on Veterinary Medicine (Official Gazette of Montenegro 30/2012, 48/2015, 52/2016, 43/2018 and 92/2025, article 118). The change for travel to the European Union is described in the announcement of the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs of 16 June 2026 and introduced by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1169. The owners' rules in a building are governed by the Law on Property Relations (Official Gazette of Montenegro 19/2009 and 29/2025, article 191), and liability for damage caused by animals by the Law on Obligations (article 183). Fijaka is a classifieds platform and does not provide legal or veterinary advice; check the requirements with the competent veterinary service before you travel.