French Polynesia is French, but its biosecurity rules are its own, and they are among the most demanding I have prepared for. Mochi needed a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at three months or older, and a positive rabies antibody test from an approved laboratory, which only becomes valid three months after the blood sample. Plan this one a season ahead, not a few weeks.

Pet import to French Polynesia is overseen by Direction de la Biosécurité de Polynésie française (DBS). Confirmed against an official source so far: a microchip, a rabies vaccination and a rabies titer test. Anything else — commonly a microchip, rabies vaccination and health certificate — is not yet confirmed for French Polynesia against an official source, so it's flagged in the table below rather than assumed.

Who sets the rules here

French Polynesia sets its own pet-import rules. The national rules of France do not apply here.

Official source
service-public.pf
Relationship to France
sets its own rules

How French Polynesia handles your pet

l’importation d’animaux âgés de moins de 3 moins est interdite en Polynésie française, sauf s’ils sont accompagnées de leur mère

Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Tap the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.

Health & documents

Microchip · Required Yesverified 2026-06-19
Rabies titer test (FAVN) · Required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Rabies titer test (FAVN) · Test validity months12 monthsverified 2026-07-20
Rabies titer test (FAVN) · Approved laboratory required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Rabies titer test (FAVN) · Waiting period after test days90 daysverified 2026-09-16
Import permit · Cost5500 xpf par animalverified 2026-07-20
Import permit · Issuing authorityDirection de la Biosécurité de Polynésie française (DBS)verified 2026-07-20
Flea treatment · Required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Flea treatment · Timing notesDANS les 30 jours avant le départ et au plus tard entre 16 et 19 jours avant la date de départverified 2026-07-20
Tick treatment · Required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Health certificate · Issuerofficial_vetverified 2026-07-20
Rabies vaccination · Required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Rabies vaccination · Waiting period after vaccination21 daysverified 2026-06-19
Rabies vaccination · Min age at vaccination12 weeksverified 2026-06-19
Internal parasite treatment · Required Yesverified 2026-07-20
Internal parasite treatment · Timing notesà faire DANS les 30 jours avant le départ et au plus tard entre 16 et 19 jours avant la date de départverified 2026-07-20

Other rules

Pets accepted Acceptedverified 2026-06-19
Carrier required Yesverified 2026-07-20

Service & assistance animals

Import rules modified Yesverified 2026-07-20
Documentation requiredUn certificat médical attestant du handicap du propriétaire ; Un certificat attestant de la qualité du chien d’assistance délivré par un établissement de dressage agrée par le(s) pays de provenance du chien.verified 2026-07-20

Timing chain

Day -90 microchip implant · Day -21 rabies vaccine deadline · Day 0 arrive at customs

Rabies vaccination cannot be given before three months of age, and immunity only counts from 21 days after the injection. The antibody test is best taken at least a month after vaccinating, and its result becomes valid only 3 months after the sample date, so a young animal cannot realistically travel to French Polynesia much before seven months old.
The application fee for the import file is 5500 XPF per animal, about 46.09 EUR, which is modest next to the rest of the budget. The real cost is time: the three-month wait after the antibody test fixes the earliest travel date, so a late test means rebooking flights to Papeete rather than paying any extra fee.
For French Polynesia, work backwards from the flight. Microchip, rabies vaccination at three months or older, the antibody test at least a month later, then three full months before the result is valid, then the online import file and its 5500 XPF fee. Mochi's paperwork took longer than the flight by a wide margin. Build the plan around that three-month clock.
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Glossary

ISO chip
ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
FAVN
Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
Brachycephalic
Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
AVIH
Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.