Why choose our Central London AHC service?
Straightforward pet travel paperwork, with convenient home visits and collection point options.
“Fantastic and reliable service from start to finish. Communication was clear, the vet was very thorough with the paperwork, and everything went smoothly through French customs. The home visit made the whole process easy and convenient.”
John, August 2026
✓ Often cheaper than local vets
✓ More convenient than collection-point-only services
✓ Documents checked before your appointment
Collection Point
The listed meeting point is the Imperial War Museum address on Lambeth Road. This is a pre-arranged meeting with our vet, not a walk-in veterinary clinic inside the museum.
Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London, SE1 6HZ
what3words: ///recall.bells.pits
Please bring every travelling pet and the requested original documents. Your vet must check your pet before completing the certificate; this is not a paperwork-only pickup.
Why choose our Central London AHC service?
Taking a pet across London is another task to fit around packing and departure. Where your address is covered, our home visit service brings the certification appointment to you. Our Lambeth meeting point is available for owners who prefer to travel to the vet instead.
Our service focuses on pet travel certification. We review your documents, prepare the AHC and complete the veterinary checks before signing. You can see the appointment options and price before payment, rather than trying to organise the paperwork without knowing what the service involves.
Home Visit & Collection Point Coverage in Central London
Our Central London service has a local home visit area and a meeting point in Lambeth. Availability and any travel charge depend on your postcode; the list below should not be read as a guarantee of one price throughout Central London.
Local home visits. Standard-priced appointments are available within the local included home visit area, subject to availability. Enter your postcode during booking to check your address.
Collection appointments for a wider area. Our Imperial War Museum collection point is also available to owners outside the home visit area. Choosing collection can avoid an additional home visit travel charge.
Extended home visits. A longer-distance visit may be possible for an additional travel fee, subject to availability. The following areas are a wider catchment; please check your postcode rather than assume home visit coverage:
- Battersea, Belgravia, Chelsea, Kennington, Lambeth, Pimlico, Southwark, Vauxhall, Victoria, Westminster
Outside the local home visit area? You can still choose a collection appointment. For a visit to your address, enter your postcode to check availability and the travel fee before paying. If no suitable option is shown, contact us before making a booking.
Nearby Animal Health Certificate services: West London, North East London, Surrey.
Getting an Animal Health Certificate in Central London
For pet owners travelling from Central London to the EU, an Animal Health Certificate records the identity and rabies details needed for the journey. It must be signed by an Official Veterinarian after the relevant requirements have been met.
The EU entry window is 10 days, counting the issue date as day 1. Rabies vaccination must be valid before certification, including the required waiting period after an initial or interrupted course. Tell us your EU arrival date, not only the date you leave home.
Please ask about journeys involving non-EU countries, a change of ownership or unusual travel arrangements before booking. Check the current GOV.UK pet travel guidance.
Your pet will usually need:
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A readable microchip
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A valid rabies vaccination
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Rabies vaccination given after microchip placement
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Proof of microchip date
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Proof of rabies vaccination history
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Travel details, including your EU entry country and planned travel date
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An AHC appointment within the correct travel window
Your Animal Health Certificate is valid for entry into the EU for 10 days after it is issued. Once you have entered the EU, it can also be used for onward travel within the EU and for re-entry to Great Britain, provided it remains within the permitted validity period.
How our Central London AHC service works
1. Book your appointment online
Enter your postcode and choose an available home visit or collection appointment. Select a date within the correct window before your pet enters the EU.
2. Send your pet’s supporting documents
Upload the microchip details, rabies vaccination history and travel information. Send clear copies so we can review the evidence before the appointment.
3. We review and prepare the certificate
We check the information and prepare your AHC in advance. If records are missing or a travel date needs checking, we will let you know what is required.
4. Meet your Official Veterinarian
Your Official Veterinarian visits your covered home address or meets you at Imperial War Museum. They scan each pet’s microchip, check the original records and complete the certificate when the requirements are met.
5. Travel with the completed paperwork
Keep the issued certificate and supporting records with you. Check that your EU entry is within its validity window and arrange any required treatments for your outward or return journey.
Animal Health Certificate prices in Central London
Standard Animal Health Certificate: from £139 for one pet
Eligible repeat Animal Health Certificate: from £119
Your appointment fee includes advance document review, certificate preparation and the Official Veterinarian’s final checks and certification. Additional pets, urgent appointments and treatments can affect the total.
The standard home visit price applies within the local included area. A travel fee may apply outside it; a collection appointment provides an alternative.
Choose the relevant options during booking to see the price before payment. Repeat pricing is subject to eligibility; contact us before booking if you are unsure which service to choose.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit my home in Central London?
Home visits are available within our local Central London service area, subject to availability. Enter your postcode to check your address and any travel fee before paying. The wider coverage list also includes owners who may use a collection appointment; it does not guarantee a standard-priced home visit everywhere listed.
Where is your Central London collection point?
Our collection point is at Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London, SE1 6HZ (what3words: ///recall.bells.pits). Appointments must be booked in advance. Bring every pet included on the certificate and the original documents requested during your record review; collection is not a paperwork-only pickup.
How much does an Animal Health Certificate cost in Central London?
Standard AHCs start from £139 for one pet, with eligible repeat AHCs from £119. The total depends on the number of pets, urgency and any additional treatments, plus any applicable home visit travel fee. Your booking total is shown before payment. Contact us first if you are unsure whether the repeat rate applies.
When should I book the appointment?
Book ahead, but choose a certification date within the 10-day EU entry window, counting the issue date as day 1. Your pet must also have completed the rabies waiting period before certification: at least 21 full days after the initial vaccination course, and longer for some vaccines. A booster without a break in cover does not start a new waiting period. Contact us before paying if the dates are close.
What documents do you need, and must my pet attend?
Send clear copies of the microchip date evidence, rabies vaccination record and relevant vaccination history, together with the EU entry country and date. We will tell you if further veterinary records are needed. Every pet included on the AHC must attend the appointment for a microchip scan. Have the requested original documents available for the final checks.
Can I use the same AHC for another EU trip?
You need a new AHC for each separate trip from Great Britain to the EU. The same certificate can cover onward travel between EU countries during the same trip, within the permitted validity period and while the rabies vaccination remains valid. Current GOV.UK guidance gives up to six months for onward EU travel and re-entry to Great Britain. Check the certificate dates for your own itinerary.
Do I need an AHC if my pet already has an EU passport?
For owners resident in England, Scotland or Wales, current GOV.UK guidance requires an AHC to enter the EU, even if the pet passport was issued in the EU. Do not rely on an existing passport without checking the rules for your circumstances. Tell us before booking if you live outside Great Britain or have a different residency situation.
Can you help with urgent travel?
Urgent appointments may be possible if an Official Veterinarian is available and there is time to verify the documents. Additional fees apply. An urgent appointment cannot shorten a rabies vaccination waiting period or waive an entry requirement. Contact us with the vaccination dates, EU entry date and postcode before making a short-notice booking.
Can one certificate cover more than one pet?
One AHC can include up to five pets on an eligible non-commercial journey, provided each pet meets the requirements. Choose the correct pet-number option when booking, send the records for every animal and bring them all to the appointment. Contact us before booking if the journey involves a sale, rehoming or more than five pets.
Does my dog need tapeworm treatment for Ireland?
Dogs travelling from Great Britain to Ireland need an appropriate tapeworm treatment administered by a vet and recorded in the travel document 24 to 120 hours before arrival. Finland, Malta and Norway also require it. Dogs returning to Great Britain from most countries need treatment in the required return window too. Tell us your itinerary so you can arrange the relevant appointment; this requirement is for dogs, not cats.
Can I book if I live outside the local home visit area?
Yes. You can book a collection appointment at Imperial War Museum even if your home is outside our local home visit area. A longer-distance home visit may also be possible for an extra travel fee, subject to availability. Check your postcode during booking, or contact us if no suitable option is shown.
Book your Animal Health Certificate in Central London
Choose the Central London appointment that works for you: a home visit where available, or a meeting in Lambeth. Upload your records ahead and leave the AHC preparation to us.
Have your EU entry date and pet details ready. If the rabies vaccination is recent or your itinerary is unusual, contact us before paying so we can check the appointment timing.