Traveling, Buying and Selling Animals Romania

Anyone traveling with animals or planning to buy or sell an animal must observe a number of regulations in Romania. Whether it's a dog, cat, horse, or farm animal, each species is subject to its own requirements regarding transport, registration, and documentation. At the same time, many pet owners wonder how to move their four-legged friends through Romania safely and without stress, whether during a holiday, a relocation, or when transporting the animal to a new owner.

To ensure animal welfare, legal certainty, and a smooth journey, it is important to find out about Romanian regulations in advance. This includes, for example, the required documents, transport requirements, reporting obligations, and possible restrictions. Good preparation not only ensures a relaxed process but also protects you from unpleasant surprises on the road or at the border.

Entry with pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets…)

The most important documents and regulations

• Identification: The animal must be clearly identified by a microchip.

• Vaccination: A valid rabies vaccination is mandatory and only becomes valid 21 days after the initial immunization. In addition, note that the animal must be at least 12 weeks old to be vaccinated.

• EU pet passport: The EU pet passport must be carried for the respective animal. It must contain all data about the animal and owner, as well as the vaccinations.

• Means of transport: Before traveling, find out about the specific rules for your pets with the respective mode of transport.

Rules during your stay

• Lakes for swimming: Especially during swimming season, dogs are often only allowed in heavily frequented areas at certain times or in designated zones. Be sure to observe local rules.

• Muzzle or leash requirement and waste bags: A leash requirement often applies in many cities. Outside of cities, there is usually no leash or muzzle requirement, but you should not leave your animal unsupervised.

• Road safety: While driving, you are required to secure your animal with a special travel crate or a safety harness.

• Accommodation: Before traveling, you should find out which accommodations allow animals and whether there are any related restrictions or additional costs.

Entry with horses

The most important documents and regulations

• Health documents: An official veterinary health certificate must be carried for transport abroad.

• Horse passport (equine passport): A valid horse passport must be carried.

• Vaccinations: A valid rabies vaccination is mandatory.

• Transport: The accompanying person must carry a written declaration that the transport is not for the purpose of sale or change of ownership.

• Contact: You should contact the responsible veterinary authority in your home country beforehand regarding the exact regulations and any further steps that may be required, especially for transport to sporting or leisure events. There will be some contact between animals, and you should be proactive about safety precautions.

Vignette for the (horse) trailer?

If you want to travel to Romania with your car and an accompanying trailer, you only need a digital vignette for your car, regardless of the total weight, and not for your trailer. You can find more information on vehicle classes in our guide.

Staying with a horse

Romania is considered a true insider tip among riders. Especially in Transylvania and along the Carpathians, you'll find expansive riding areas with forests, meadows, hills, and little traffic – ideal for long rides or multi-day trail rides. Many regions still have a very rural character, and horses are a natural part of everyday life there. This often makes riding holidays feel authentic and unhurried: you ride through small villages, past pastures and old fortified churches, experiencing a landscape that in places still feels "like the old days".

The infrastructure for equestrian tourism has also grown in recent years – there are now several well-organized riding stables and providers offering rides for various levels (from relaxed day rides to sporty trails with lots of trotting/galloping). Most tours run during the warm season, roughly from May to October, when trails and weather are most stable.

The important thing is to plan realistically: some rides require solid basic fitness and confident riding in the terrain, as the ground can be rougher depending on the route. And if you were to bring your own horse, it's worth taking a close look beforehand at health and entry requirements as well as local animal welfare standards. But with a good, reputable provider, Romania is a wonderful mix of adventure, nature, and horse time.

Tolls in Romania

An electronic vignette is generally required to drive a motor vehicle on Romanian national roads. Motorcycles are exempt from this requirement. Motorhomes are tolled like cars regardless of their GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight). A total of eight vehicle classes (categories A-H) are distinguished. You can find more information on toll regulations in Romania and vehicle classes in our guide.

Buying/selling animals

In Romania, the handling of animals is primarily regulated by the Animal Welfare Act Legea 205/2004. It prohibits mistreatment, neglect, and abandonment, and obliges owners to provide food, water, shelter, medical care, and species-appropriate housing. In terms of trade, this means: animals may only be transported or handed over in a healthy condition, with adequate care, and without suffering; violations can be criminally relevant.

Dogs must generally be microchipped and registered in the national register RECS (Registrul de Evidență a Câinilor cu Stăpân). The chip alone is not enough. Registration is mandatory and is carried out by the veterinarian. If you buy a dog, you should ask to see the chip number + RECS proof as well as the correctly filled out health passport/Carnet de sănătate. Without these documents, there can later be problems with ownership, resale, or export.

Important regarding age: Puppies/kittens must not be separated from their mother and sold before 8 weeks of age. Reputable breeders adhere to this. An earlier offer is a real warning sign of illegal or poor trading practices.

Additional rules apply to certain "dangerous"/aggressive dog breeds (e.g. mandatory sterilization and special housing requirements). If such a dog is sold, the sterilization must be confirmed in the vaccination passport.

EU rules apply to transport and (cross-border) trade: dogs, cats, and ferrets need a microchip, valid rabies vaccination, and EU pet passport for travel within/from the EU. Anyone transporting animals commercially also needs veterinary authorizations and must comply with animal welfare transport standards.

In addition, the rules for breeding/sale (including online) are being significantly tightened EU-wide, including mandatory identification, registration of breeders/dealers, and better traceability. This was decided at EU level in 2025, with concrete implementation gradually starting in the member states. For Romania, this means stricter controls can be expected in the coming years, especially for online offers.

Checklist: buying/selling animals in Romania

1. Basic rules

• Animals must not be mistreated, neglected, or abandoned.

• Owners must provide food, water, a safe place, exercise, and veterinary care. If an animal appears sick/malnourished or its housing is obviously poor: stay away / report it.

2. Mandatory identification & registration (dog)

• Every dog must be microchipped.

• After chipping, the dog MUST be registered in the RECS register (done by the veterinarian). Be sure to ask for the following when buying:

• Chip number (sticker in the health passport)

• RECS proof / entry

• correctly filled out Carnet de sănătate (health passport)

• When selling: make sure the chip + RECS entry are transferred to the new owner.

3. Age & handover

• Do not take over/buy puppies/kittens before 8 weeks of age. "Too young" offers are often illegal trade or poor breeding (risk to health/socialization).

4. "Dangerous"/aggressive breeds

Additional obligations apply to certain breeds (or crossbreeds):

• Sterilization is mandatory; it must be confirmed in the passport.

• additional housing/safety requirements (e.g. leash/muzzle in certain situations).

5. Transport & export / EU travel

If the animal is to leave Romania (e.g. to go to Germany):

• Microchip

• valid rabies vaccination

• EU pet passport (Pet Passport) These EU requirements also apply in Romania.

Note: Rabies vaccination is only valid for travel 21 days after the first vaccination (EU standard).

For commercial transport/trade, additional veterinary authorizations are required.

6. Purchase agreement (highly recommended)

Even privately: a short written contract with:

• Buyer/seller details (ID number)

• Animal details: species, breed/mix, color, date of birth (or approx.), chip number

• Price, date, place of handover

• Assurance: the animal is not stolen / origin known. This makes later disputes and border crossings much easier.

7. Red flags (warning signs)

• No chip / "chip is coming later"

• No RECS entry (dog)

• Handover "quickly somewhere outside" (parking lot/highway, etc.)

• Animal appears too young, sick, or listless

• Seller avoids questions about the mother animal/origin. Very high risk of illegal trade.

What penalties exist for illegal animal trade?

In Romania, "illegal animal trade" is primarily sanctioned under two areas of law: the Animal Welfare Act Legea 205/2004 and OUG 155/2001 (among other things, concerning chip/registration requirements for dogs). If dogs are sold/given away without a microchip or without an entry in the national RECS register, this is a regulatory offense under OUG 155/2001; fines of 2,000 to 5,000 lei may apply. If further violations occur, such as lack of basic care, poor housing, a health-compromising condition, or similar animal welfare violations related to breeding/sale/transport, the Contravenții from Legea 205/2004 apply, typically with a fine of 1,000 to 3,000 lei.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant trip!

We wish you and your animals a pleasant trip to Romania. Don't forget to find out about the country's toll regulations. You can find more information on tolls in our guide. If you would like to learn about the general travel information or the traffic regulations in Romania, feel free to check out our guide as well. You are also welcome to use our route planner to better plan your trip and see the relevant toll products displayed. If you have any questions, we are happy to help. Contact us via email.