Moving to Singapore With Pets: Licences, Microchips & Vet Care

Singapore's import clearance and everyday pet licensing are connected but distinct. Once your dog or cat is home and any quarantine conditions are complete, check the licence, the address attached to it and your local veterinary arrangements. Do not assume the importer or relocation paperwork has completed every owner-side step.

YOUR ARRIVAL CHECKLIST

Four steps to settling in

Use this as your action list. The timing below is a planning guide; legal deadlines depend on the authority and your pet’s circumstances.

1. 1Check PALS

   Promptly after arrival

   Find the existing licence if one was created for import; verify the pet, microchip, owner and Singapore address.

   KEEP AS CONFIRMATION

   Licence record matching the correct chip.

2. 2Finish licensing requirements

   Use the applicable AVS process

   Check the required course/documents, sterilisation information and whether the licence has an expiry or is one-time.

   KEEP AS CONFIRMATION

   Licence confirmation and actual renewal date, if applicable.

3. 3Choose a licensed vet

   Arrange an introductory visit

   Use AVS’s veterinary-centre list; share medical and import records and agree individual vaccination and parasite dates.

   KEEP AS CONFIRMATION

   Vet, emergency clinic and written care plan.

4. 4Make the home safe

   Before free access to the home

   Confirm housing conditions and suitable window/balcony protection. Keep identification and licence records updated after a move.

   KEEP AS CONFIRMATION

   Safe home setup and current PALS details.

Keep the chip record, local registration and veterinary plan together. Completing one does not automatically complete the others.

1. Check both dog and cat licensing

AVS requires pet dogs and cats to be licensed. Cat owners should be especially careful with older advice: the transition ended on 31 August 2026, and keeping an unlicensed pet cat became an offence from 1 September 2026. The current cat-licensing page explains the post-transition arrangements.

If a licence was obtained during import preparation, confirm that it is active, linked to the correct owner and microchip, and shows the address where the pet now lives. Do not create a duplicate merely because you have arrived.

2. Complete or update the PALS record

Use the AVS application and management guide and its link to the Pet Animal Licensing System, PALS. The process includes a microchip, the Pet Ownership Course for first-time applicants and supporting documents where applicable. Imported pets need their import permit; keep evidence of sterilisation as well.

Use PALS to manage changes of address, licensee and sterilisation status. Ask the vet to scan the chip if the number is unclear. An overseas microchip record or a private lost-pet database is not a substitute for the AVS licence.

3. Check the licence term rather than assuming annual renewal

Singapore offers different licence terms. Eligible sterilised cats and dogs can have a one-time licence valid for life; other licences have renewal dates. The AVS guidance also explains conversion of a three-year licence when sterilisation status is updated. Save the expiry shown on your actual record and keep contact details current even if no renewal fee is due.

Before settling into a flat, confirm that the species, number and—where relevant—dog breed are permitted by the housing rules, landlord and management. Specified dog breeds have additional AVS conditions, and some are prohibited from import. A tenancy approval does not override licensing rules.

4. Arrange a local vet and separate routine care from import vaccines

Book a first appointment with a local veterinary clinic and send your pet's full clinical and vaccination history, import permit and quarantine discharge documents where applicable. Ask it to confirm the next dates for routine protection, discuss parasite prevention and explain its emergency arrangements.

There is an important distinction on rabies: AVS says rabies vaccination is encouraged but not compulsory for pets living in Singapore. That does not waive the vaccination conditions applicable to import, or another country's requirements when your pet travels again. Do not describe an annual rabies booster as a universal Singapore pet-licence renewal requirement.

Ask the vet about core canine or feline vaccines and any additional protection appropriate to boarding, daycare or your pet's health. Confirm a boarding provider's admission conditions before paying a deposit; a valid AVS licence alone is not its vaccination record.

5. Make a high-rise home safe

The cat-licensing conditions require reasonable steps to protect cats from roaming and falls, such as appropriate mesh or barriers. Cats in public must be under physical control, for example in a carrier or harness. Check window and balcony safety before your cat explores the new home.

Keep a secure carrier and identification details ready, and take introductions to new surroundings at your pet's pace.

Useful resources: go straight to the right service

These links take you to the organisation responsible for the service. Commercial registries are options, not exclusive recommendations; check acceptance of your chip and current fees before paying.