Traveling, Buying and Selling Animals Romania

Anyone travelling 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 type of animal is subject to its own requirements for transport, registration and documentation. At the same time, many pet owners wonder how they can move their four-legged companions through Romania safely and stress-free, whether as part of a holiday, a relocation, or a transport 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. These include the required documents, transport requirements, reporting obligations and possible restrictions. Good preparation not only ensures a relaxed process, but also protects against unpleasant surprises on the road or at the border.

Entering 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 required and is only valid 21 days after the primary immunisation. In addition, please 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 the animal's and owner's details, as well as the vaccinations.

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

Rules during your stay

• Bathing lakes: Especially during the bathing season, dogs are often only allowed in heavily frequented areas at certain times or in designated zones. Please pay attention to local rules.

• Muzzle or leash requirements and waste bags: Many cities often have a leash requirement. Outside the 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 travelling, you should find out which accommodations allow animals and whether there are any related restrictions or additional costs.

Entering 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 relevant veterinary authority in your home country beforehand about the exact regulations and any further steps that may be required, especially when transporting animals to sporting or recreational events. There are many contacts between animals there, and you should pay attention to safety precautions in advance.

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 one for your trailer. You can find more information on vehicle classes in our guide.

Staying with a horse

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

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

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

Tolls in Romania

An electronic vignette is generally required to drive on Romanian national roads with a motor vehicle. Motorcycles are exempt from this requirement. Motorhomes are tolled like cars, regardless of their maximum authorised mass (MAM). Since 1 October 2026, there have been four categories (A to D), with the price also depending on the Euro emission class. Goods vehicles over 3.5 t pay the distance-based TollRo toll instead of the vignette. 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 requires owners to provide food, water, shelter, medical care and species-appropriate housing. In terms of trade, this means that animals may only be transported or handed over in a healthy condition, with adequate care, and without suffering; violations may 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 vet. If you buy a dog, you should ask to see the chip number plus RECS proof, as well as the correctly completed health passport/Carnet de sănătate. Without these documents, there may be problems later with ownership, resale, or leaving the country.

Important regarding age: Puppies/kittens may 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 sterilisation and special housing requirements). If such a dog is sold, the sterilisation must be confirmed in the vaccination record.

EU rules apply to transport and (cross-border) trade: dogs, cats and ferrets travelling within/from the EU need a microchip, valid rabies vaccination and EU pet passport. Anyone transporting animals commercially also needs veterinary authorisations 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 improved traceability. This was decided at EU level in 2025, and the concrete implementation is gradually starting in the member states. For Romania, this means that 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 ensure food, water, safe shelter, exercise and veterinary care. If an animal appears sick/malnourished or is obviously being kept in poor conditions: keep 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 vet). When buying, be sure to ask for:

• Chip number (sticker in the health passport)

• RECS proof / entry

• correctly completed Carnet de sănătate (health passport)

• When selling: ensure that the chip and 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 a sign of illegal trade or poor breeding (risk to health/socialisation).

4. "Dangerous"/aggressive breeds

Extra obligations apply to certain breeds (or crossbreeds):

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

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

5. Transport & departure / EU travel

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

• Microchip

• valid rabies vaccination

• EU pet passport. These EU requirements also apply in Romania.

Please note: the rabies vaccination is only valid for travel 21 days after the first vaccination (EU standard).

Additional veterinary authorisations are required for commercial transport/trade.

6. Sales contract (highly recommended)

Even for private sales: a short written contract with:

• Buyer's/seller's details (ID number)

• Animal details: species, breed/mix, colour, date of birth (or approximate), 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 coming later"

• No RECS entry (dog)

• Handover "quickly somewhere outside" (car park/motorway, etc.)

• Animal appears too young, sick, or apathetic

• 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 sanctioned primarily under two areas of law: the Animal Welfare Act Legea 205/2004 and OUG 155/2001 (which covers, among other things, chipping/registration requirements for dogs). If dogs are sold/handed over without a microchip or without an entry in the national RECS register, this is an administrative offence under OUG 155/2001, punishable by fines ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 Lei. If further violations occur, such as inadequate basic care, poor housing conditions, a health condition of concern, or similar animal welfare violations in connection with breeding/sale/transport, the contravenții under Legea 205/2004 apply, typically with fines of 1,000 to 3,000 Lei.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant journey!

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 about the toll in our guide. If you would like to find out about the general travel information or the traffic rules in Romania, feel free to check out our guide as well. You are also welcome to use our route planner to help you better plan your trip and see the relevant toll products displayed. If you have any questions, we are happy to help. Contact us via our email.