Navigating pet travel through Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) requires strict, synchronized planning. China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) enforces standardized national entry policies, and because PEK is an officially designated port with customs animal inspection facilities, it is one of the primary gateways for bringing pets into mainland China or exporting them outbound.
Get the paperwork right and your pet can leave the arrivals hall with you on the same day. Miss a single requirement and you may face a 30-day isolation quarantine at your own expense, or even have your pet refused entry. This guide walks you through every GACC requirement, the customs workflow at PEK, airline policies, Beijing's local dog regulations, and the exit procedure for leaving China with your pet.
GACC Pet Import Regulations: Avoiding the 30-Day Quarantine
China allows each arriving passenger to bring only one pet (dog or cat) per entry. To qualify for direct release upon landing at PEK and bypass the mandatory 30-day isolation quarantine, your pet must satisfy all four of the following requirements.
1. ISO 11784 / 11785 Microchip
Your pet must be implanted with a 15-digit, ISO-compliant microchip. If the chip is not ISO-compliant, you must travel with a working, compatible scanner that can read it during the customs inspection. Implant the chip before or on the same day as the rabies vaccination your paperwork relies on, so that the vaccination can be linked to the chip number.
2. Two Rabies Vaccinations
China requires a documented history of at least two valid rabies vaccinations in the pet's lifetime. The latest shot must still be within its validity period and must be given on or after the day the microchip was implanted, as a booster following an initial vaccine.
3. Rabies Antibody Titer Test
A blood sample must be drawn after the second rabies vaccination and analyzed by a GACC-recognized laboratory. The result must show an antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/mL. The test is valid for 12 months from the blood-sampling date.
4. Official Veterinary Health Certificate
Issued by the official government veterinary authority of the exporting country (e.g. USDA APHIS for the US, APHA/DEFRA for the UK) within 14 days of arrival in China.
Arriving from a Designated Rabies-Free Country?
GACC keeps a list of designated countries and regions (such as New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Hawaii and Guam). Pets travelling directly from these places generally need only an ISO microchip and an official health certificate; the vaccination and titer test requirements do not apply. The list is updated from time to time, so check the current GACC list before you rely on this exemption.
Summary of Entry Status and Quarantine Outcomes
What happens to your pet at PEK depends entirely on which documents you can present. Here is how customs treats each situation.
ISO 15-digit microchip + two rabies vaccinations + passing titer test (0.5 IU/mL or higher) + government-issued health certificate.
Direct release after microchip scan and clinical checkMissing titer test report, a titer result older than 12 months, or an expired rabies booster.
30-day quarantine at a designated Beijing facility, at the owner's expenseNo valid official health certificate, no microchip, or a non-ISO microchip with no scanner to read it. Exceeding the one-pet limit also falls here.
Entry refused: pet returned to origin or handled per GACC directivesCertified guide dogs, hearing dogs and rescue dogs with official training documentation and microchips.
Quarantine-exempt, subject to on-site verification and health checkArrival & Customs Inspection Workflow at PEK
When your flight touches down at Beijing Capital International Airport, follow these steps to clear customs with your pet. If your pet travelled in the hold as checked baggage, collect it at the oversized baggage area first; pets shipped as air cargo are cleared separately through the cargo terminal, usually with the help of a customs broker or pet relocation agent.
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Red Channel Declaration
Do not use the green channel. You must declare your live animal at the red channel ("Goods to Declare").
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Document Presentation
Hand over the originals of the official government health certificate, the rabies vaccination records and the GACC-recognized laboratory titer report. Bring copies as a backup.
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On-Site Clinical Exam & Microchip Scan
Customs officers scan your pet's microchip to match the number against your paperwork and carry out a visual health inspection.
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Release
If all documents pass and the animal is healthy, customs completes the clearance and you can exit with your pet. If not, the pet is transferred under customs escort to quarantine, or returned, as described above.
Airline Policies for Flying to Beijing Capital (PEK)
Your choice of airline largely decides whether your pet can fly in the cabin or must travel in the aircraft hold. Policies change often, so confirm with your airline before you book.
- Cabin: Not permitted on international flights (a limited in-cabin pet programme exists on selected domestic routes only)
- Hold / cargo: Accepted as checked baggage or cargo
- Key rules: Max 32 kg (70 lbs) total for pet and carrier; brachycephalic (snub-nosed) and aggressive breeds are strictly banned
- Examples: Lufthansa, United, Delta, Emirates
- Cabin: Allowed on select routes, typically small dogs and cats under 8 kg including carrier (Emirates does not accept pets in the cabin, except falcons on some routes)
- Hold / cargo: Accepted on eligible aircraft with pressurized, temperature-controlled holds
- Key rules: Verify the aircraft's hold heating and ventilation capacity and book well in advance due to strict per-flight capacity caps
Local Beijing Municipal Regulations & Restrictions
Clearing customs at PEK is only the first step. If you plan to keep your pet within Beijing municipality, you must also comply with strict local laws:
- Strict breed prohibitions: Beijing's key management areas (broadly the urban core) ban large and aggressive dog types, including Mastiffs, Great Danes, Rottweilers and other listed breeds, as well as dogs exceeding 35 cm in shoulder height. Only one dog per household is permitted in these areas.
- Mandatory local registration: owners must register their dog with the local public security authorities within 30 days of arrival and complete annual local rabies vaccinations.
Exporting and Leaving Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) with a Pet
If you are departing from Beijing or relocating out of China with your pet through PEK, you must complete China's official exit quarantine and customs inspection procedures.
PRC Vaccination Immunity Certificate ("Red Book")
Your pet must receive a rabies vaccination at an officially designated animal hospital in Beijing, which issues the official Vaccination Immunity Certificate, known as the "Red Book". The vaccination must be given at least 30 days and no more than 12 months before departure.
Exit Health Examination
Within about 7 days before departure, book a formal health examination at a designated Beijing animal hospital (such as Guanshang Animal Hospital). After the clinical checks, you receive the Beijing International Companion Animal Health Inspection Form.
Customs Animal Health Certificate
Submit the Red Book, the health inspection form, your passport and your flight itinerary to the local customs authority to obtain the official international Animal Health Certificate required for exit.
Destination Compliance
Make sure your pet fully meets the import rules of the country you are flying to, such as destination-specific titer tests, microchip standards and parasite treatments. Some countries require a titer test months in advance, so start early.