Traveling with Animals, Buying and Selling Animals

Anyone travelling through Slovakia with a dog, cat or horse, or planning to buy or sell an animal, should know a few rules. Since Slovakia is an EU and Schengen member, entry with animals from other EU countries is generally straightforward. However, stricter requirements apply when entering via the border with Ukraine (the country's only non-EU border).

Entry with pets (dogs, cats, ferrets)

• Identification: a microchip is mandatory (a tattoo is only sufficient if it was applied before 3 July 2011)

• EU pet passport: must be carried fully completed

• Rabies vaccination: must be valid, with the initial vaccination at least 21 days before entry

• Puppies under 12 weeks without a rabies vaccination, or aged 12–16 weeks with incomplete vaccination protection, may still enter under certain conditions

• Maximum number: up to 5 animals per person (more only with proof for an exhibition/competition)

• Special case for the border with Ukraine: since it is not an EU country, a rabies antibody test may also be required – be sure to clarify the border crossing with the Slovak Veterinary and Food Administration (ŠVPS) beforehand

• Observe species protection rules (CITES) for exotic animals

Rules during your stay

• Leash and muzzle requirements vary by region, with many municipalities requiring leashes in town centres and at lakes

• Securing animals in the car (crate or seatbelt) is mandatory

• Check pet-friendly accommodation in advance, as options are often limited, especially in the High Tatras

Toll

Using motorways and expressways in Slovakia requires a digital vignette, regardless of whether an animal is travelling with you. It applies to vehicles with a permissible total weight of up to 3.5 t, as well as to cars and motorhomes registered as cars regardless of weight, and is sold exclusively in digital form – a sticker vignette is no longer needed. Motorcycles are exempt from the vignette requirement. Other vehicles over 3.5 t gross weight instead pay a distance-based toll via an on-board unit rather than the vignette. On 1 January 2027, Slovakia will switch its distance-based toll to a new system: anyone currently using an on-board unit from the operator SkyToll must re-register their vehicle (with the national provider CzechToll from 1 December 2026) and will receive a new on-board unit. Rates and the tolled road network will remain unchanged.

For a horse trailer, classification is based on the combined weight of the towing vehicle and trailer: if it stays at or below 3.5 t, the regular vignette for the towing vehicle is sufficient; if the 3.5 t limit is exceeded, the trailer also needs its own vignette at the same price. Only heavy trailers over 3.5 t gross weight, or towing vehicles over 3.5 t gross weight that are not registered as cars (class M1), are subject to the distance-based toll.

If you're travelling with your animal beyond Slovakia, for example on to Austria or the Czech Republic, it's worth checking our route planner in advance: it shows you directly which vignettes you need for your specific route, instead of having to look up each country individually.

Entry with horses

Anyone travelling through Slovakia with a horse, or attending a tournament there, also needs to observe certain formalities – from the documents to be carried, to transport requirements, to customs rules when crossing the border.

Documents and transport

• A horse passport must be carried at all times

• For journeys within the EU, the horse passport is generally sufficient; a separate health certificate is only additionally required for certain occasions (e.g. tournament participation)

• Transport must be gentle, well-ventilated and non-slip (requirements under the EU Animal Welfare Transport Regulation)

Customs regulations

Since Slovakia is an EU member, standard customs clearance does not apply when crossing the border from other EU countries. Only when entering from a non-EU country (e.g. via the Ukrainian border) is an official veterinary health certificate and, where applicable, a TRACES notification required – be sure to check with the veterinary office beforehand in this case.

Selling and buying animals

The trade in animals in Slovakia is governed by the Act on Veterinary Care (Zákon č. 39/2007 Z. z.) as well as the Trestný zákon (Criminal Code).

Private or commercial?

Anyone who breeds or sells animals regularly and with the intention of making a profit must register their business with the State Veterinary and Food Administration (ŠVPS). A single private sale (e.g. a litter of puppies) generally does not fall under this requirement, but should still be carried out with complete paperwork (chip, vaccination record).

Penalties for illegal animal trade

• Animal cruelty (§ 305a Trestný zákon, since the 2020 amendment): imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years

• Aggravating circumstances (§ 305b, e.g. multiple animals, public commission, particularly severe conduct, or a specially protected animal under the law): imprisonment from 1 to 5 years, in extreme cases 5 to 8 years

• Violations of the registration requirement under the Veterinary Act can additionally be subject to fines