Can You Bring Your Dog to Your Paris Apartment? Pet Travel Rules for US Buyers

Note: Since we first published this article in Spring 2025, the EU overhauled its pet travel framework. This article reflects the rules as they stand in June 2026.

If you are buying an apartment in Paris, you might be wondering whether you can bring your dog with you when you spend time there. The short answer is yes — Paris is one of the more dog-friendly cities in the world. Bistros set out water bowls. Pharmacies rarely turn a leash away. Apartment buildings, in most cases, cannot legally ban pets. What has historically been complicated is the paperwork side of the Atlantic crossing itself. And for Americans, and anyone that isn’t an EU-resident, that own property in Paris, the rules that applied even a year ago no longer apply today.

On April 22, 2026, the European Union replaced its 13-year-old pet travel framework with two new regulations. The change that will catch most American travelers off guard: the EU Pet Passport, which our earlier guide recommended obtaining from a French veterinarian, is no longer valid for non-EU residents entering the EU. Anyone who followed that advice and holds an EU passport for their pet should be aware that it will not be accepted at French customs.

While the new regulations will be more onerous for non-EU residents,  a new way to travel to Paris with your pet has emerged. Two private charter services, BARK Air and K9 Jets, now offer cabin-class flights specifically for dogs on transatlantic routes that include Paris. For Paris property owners with larger dogs these airlines could be a game changer.

What Changed in April 22, 2026

The EU’s new legislation, EU Regulation 2026/131 for non-commercial travel and EU Regulation 2026/848 for commercial shipments, took effect across all 27 member states simultaneously. The rules were designed to standardize enforcement between countries, reduce document fraud, and close gaps in the previous system that had been exploited by illegal animal transport operations.

The practical impact for Americans and non EU residents traveling to France with dogs, cats, or ferrets breaks down as follows:

• EU Pet Passports are now limited to EU residents. The passport system, which allowed travelers to collect vaccinations and vet records in a single booklet and reuse it across trips, is now restricted to people who actually live in an EU member state. The determining factor is residency, not citizenship. A US citizen who holds a valid French residence permit (titre de séjour) or long-stay visa and can provide proof of a French address can still obtain an EU Pet Passport from a French veterinarian, and it remains valid for repeat trips. If you split time between the US and Paris without formal residency, you will need a new document for each trip.
• For non EU residents, each trip now requires a single-use Animal Health Certificate (AHC). The AHC is a government-endorsed veterinary document confirming your pet meets EU entry requirements. Your USDA-accredited vet in the US issues it, and USDA APHIS endorses it. It is valid for entry into France within 10 days of that endorsement. Once your pet enters the EU, the certificate covers travel within EU member states for up to four months. The AHC must be obtained fresh for every transatlantic trip. The distinction between non-commercial and commercial travel determines which version of the AHC your vet prepares: non-commercial applies when you are traveling to France with your own pet and accompanying it yourself; commercial applies when a pet is being shipped without its owner, transferred to a new owner, or traveling as part of a group of six or more animals. For a Paris property owner bringing a dog on vacation or to their apartment, non-commercial is the correct category.
• The core entry requirements have not changed. Your pet still needs an ISO-compliant 15-digit microchip implanted before the rabies vaccination, a current rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel, and USDA APHIS endorsement of the health certificate.
• The AHC certificate format is updating in October 2026. This has no effect on your ability to travel. It is an administrative change to the template that veterinarians and USDA APHIS use. If you are traveling after October 1, 2026, confirm with your vet that they are using the updated non-commercial format.
• Enforcement is more consistent than before. Minor documentation inconsistencies that previously passed informally at some entry points may now trigger delays or refusal. Plan for stricter review.

If you visit Paris a few times a year, this means budgeting additional lead time before each trip. The APHIS endorsement process can take several weeks depending on your region. Starting the paperwork at least four to six weeks before departure is advisable.

One additional development worth noting: beginning in 2027, all dogs and cats crossing EU borders are expected to be registered in an approved EU database, with the microchip number as the primary identifier. The infrastructure for this varies by member state and is still being set up. It is worth confirming your pet’s microchip information is accurate in any existing records before that requirement takes effect.

Still Valid: What Has Not Changed

General rights and restrictions for pet ownership have not changed.

• Your rights as a property owner. As the owner of your Paris apartment, you have every right to bring a pet into your home. Building rules (the copropriété bylaws) may address nuisance-related concerns, but blanket pet prohibitions are unusual and difficult to enforce against owners.
• Long-term rental tenants and pets. Under French law, you generally cannot prohibit long-term tenants from having pets. For seasonal or vacation rentals, you retain the right to refuse pets, with the exception of Category 1 restricted breeds (described below), which can be prohibited in any rental agreement.
• Breed restrictions. France divides restricted dogs into two categories under national law. Category 1 dogs cannot be imported into France at all. This group covers dogs without pedigree papers that physically resemble pit bull types (American Staffordshire Terriers), boerbulls (a Mastiff-type breed), or Tosas (a large Japanese fighting breed). If your dog has no pedigree and looks like any of these breeds, entry is prohibited. Category 2 covers dogs that do have pedigree papers: registered American Staffordshire Terriers, Rottweilers, and Tosas. These dogs are permitted in France but require a behavioral evaluation by an authorized veterinarian, liability insurance, and mandatory muzzling and leashing in all public spaces. If your dog is or resembles any of these breeds, consult a veterinarian for a written breed assessment before making travel plans.
• Paris public spaces. Dogs have been permitted in most Paris green spaces without children’s play areas since January 2019. Leashing rules apply. Metro travel is permitted: small dogs in carriers ride free, larger dogs pay a child’s fare and must be leashed.
• Veterinary costs. Routine veterinary care in Paris continues to run significantly less than in comparable US cities. Many dog owners establish a relationship with a local vet during extended stays to maintain health records and update vaccinations, a practice that remains sensible even without the EU passport system.

A New Way to Cross the Atlantic: Pet Charter Airlines

Until recently, traveling to Paris with a large dog meant one of two options: the cargo hold of a commercial flight, or a full private jet charter costing $50,000 or more. Two services that launched in 2024 and expanded through 2025 and 2026 have opened a third: pay-per-seat private jet flights where dogs ride in the cabin, on scheduled transatlantic routes that include Paris.

BARK Air

BARK Air launched in May 2024 and operates as a public charter service, arranging flights on Gulfstream jets through licensed US carriers. Dogs travel in the cabin alongside their owners, without crates or carriers. For Paris-bound travelers, the service departs from New York (Westchester County Airport, HPN), arriving at Le Bourget (LBG) outside central Paris.

• One-way pricing: approximately $8,000 to $9,000 per seat, covering one passenger and one dog.
• Dogs travel cage-free in the cabin. No breed restrictions.
• Cats are welcome but must remain in a carrier for the full flight.

K9 Jets

K9 Jets operates on a similar pay-per-seat model. The primary US departure point for Paris is Teterboro, New Jersey (TEB), just outside New York City. Los Angeles-based travelers can also book through K9 Jets, but that routing connects through Teterboro rather than flying direct to Paris.

• One-way pricing: approximately $9,000 to $11,000 per seat, covering one passenger and one large dog (over 51 lbs), or two dogs each weighing 50 lbs or under.
• Dogs travel cage-free in the cabin. No breed restrictions.
• Cats must remain in a soft-sided carrier for the full flight.

Both services position themselves as alternatives for owners whose dogs are too large for commercial cabin rules, too anxious for cargo, or whose breeds are banned by commercial carriers. Neither service is inexpensive. But measured against the cost of a full private charter, or against the stress of cargo travel for a large or older dog, these services a gap that did not previously exist.

One practical note: flying private does not exempt your pet from customs and veterinary rules. Whether you board a Gulfstream or an Air France 777, your dog still needs the AHC, the microchip, and the current rabies vaccination. Neither BARK Air nor K9 Jets manages this paperwork on your behalf.

What to Do Before Your Next Trip

If you are planning to travel to France with a dog, cat, or ferret in 2026, the checklist looks like this:

• Verify your pet’s microchip. It must be a non-encrypted, ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15-digit chip, implanted before the rabies vaccination that will be used for travel. Confirm the chip number is accurately recorded with your veterinarian.
• Confirm your rabies vaccination is current. The vaccination must be administered at least 21 days before travel and must post-date the microchip implantation.
• Contact your USDA-accredited veterinarian at least six weeks before departure. Request an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) under the current format. Non-commercial AHC format updates take effect October 1, 2026, so confirm which version your vet will issue and when.
• Arrange USDA APHIS endorsement. For non-commercial travel (you and your pet traveling together within five days), your pet must arrive in the EU within 10 days of APHIS endorsement.
• Know whether an EU Pet Passport applies to you. If you hold a valid French residence permit and can show proof of a French address, a French veterinarian can issue an EU Pet Passport, which is reusable across trips as long as vaccinations remain current. If you travel to Paris without formal French residency, you will need a fresh AHC for each visit.
• Check USDA APHIS directly before each trip at aphis.usda.gov. Requirements can change, and the October 2026 certificate transition is a live deadline for anyone traveling later this year.

Paris remains one of the most dog-friendly cities in the world for daily life once you have arrived. If you’re considering buying property in Paris (or already own an apartment) and want to bring your dog with you when you visit, you can, the paperwork is just more involved than it used to be.

The regulations covered in this article reflect the rules as of June 2026. EU and French law in this area have changed before and will change again — confirm current requirements with USDA APHIS and your veterinarian before each trip.

Contact Paris Property Group to learn more about buying or selling property in Paris or to be introduced to a trusted mortgage professional.