Here's a surprise worth knowing: Greenland sets its own pet-import rules, and Danish mainland requirements do not carry over, even though Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Cooper and I nearly missed that distinction on our own planning, and it's the first thing that trips up most travelers here.

Pet import to Greenland is regulated by Grønlands Repræsentation (Greenland Representation in Copenhagen). The core requirements are summarized below: a microchip, a rabies vaccine within the right window, and a government-endorsed health certificate. Some destinations also require a titer test or short quarantine — those are flagged in the table.

Who sets the rules here

Greenland sets its own pet-import rules. The national rules of Denmark do not apply here.

Official source
sullissivik.gl
Relationship to Denmark
sets its own rules

How Greenland handles your pet

Key points

  • Who decides: importing a dog or cat to Greenland is governed by Danish legislation and administered by the Greenland Representation in Copenhagen, which issues the permit
  • Permit processing: the Representation states a processing time of about three working days
  • Municipal permit: you also need permission to keep a dog or a cat from your home municipality
  • Thirteen dog breeds are banned outright: possession, import and breeding are prohibited under section 12(2) of Inatsisartutlov no
  • 23 of 22 November 2011, and the ban extends to any crossbreed containing one of them
  • The police may require an owner to document their dog's breed, and a dog that cannot be documented may be removed
  • Where dogs may land: permits for dogs are issued only for the southern part of West Greenland, from Kangaamiut south to Kap Farvel
  • No permit is issued north of the 66th parallel on West Greenland, which rules out Sisimiut, Kangerlussuaq and everything north to Qaanaaq, nor for East Greenland east of 44 degrees west
  • Airports in practice: only Nuuk and Qaqortoq have international airports outside the sled-dog district
  • Narsarsuaq is no longer an international airport, and Ilulissat and Kangerlussuaq both lie inside the district, so neither can be used
  • This applies to dogs: the sled-dog district rules protect Greenland's sled dogs, and the Representation sets no equivalent geographic limit for cats
  • Cats, tapeworm and isolation: the owner must declare tapeworm treatment and 14 days of isolation before departure
  • Puppies: a puppy under 12 weeks may travel on its mother's vaccination if she was vaccinated at least 30 days before the birth and within the last 365 days
  • A puppy over 16 weeks must be vaccinated itself, at least 30 days before travel
  • Minimum age for vaccination: the authority refers to the vaccine manufacturer's own approval, so we do not publish a single figure
  • Documents travel with the animal: the permit, certificates and declarations must accompany it

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 2026-07-15
Microchip · Must be done before vaccination Yesverified 2026-10-09
Quarantine · Required Noverified 2026-10-03
Rabies titer test (FAVN) · Required Noverified 2026-10-03
Import permit · Required Yesverified 2026-10-03
Import permit · Issuing authorityGrønlands Repræsentation (Greenland Representation in Copenhagen)verified 2026-10-03
Sterilization · Certificate required Yesverified 2026-10-09
Health certificate · Issuerveterinarianverified 2026-10-03
Health certificate · Required Yesverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate · Endorsed byauthorised veterinarianverified 2026-10-09
Health certificate · Validity days14 daysverified 2026-07-15
Health certificate · Government endorsed Noverified 2026-10-09
Other vaccinations · Distemper Yesverified 2026-10-03
Other vaccinations · Parvovirus Yesverified 2026-10-03
Rabies vaccination · Required Yesverified 2026-07-15
Rabies vaccination · Booster required Yesverified 2026-10-03
Rabies vaccination · Waiting period after vaccination30 daysverified 2026-10-03
Rabies vaccination · Max vaccine age at travel12 monthsverified 2026-10-03
Tapeworm treatment · Required Yesverified 2026-07-15
Tapeworm treatment · Window max hours before arrival336verified 2026-10-03
Internal parasite treatment · Required Yesverified 2026-10-03
Internal parasite treatment · Timing notesTreatment by a veterinarian at the earliest 14 days before travel to Greenland.verified 2026-10-03

Other rules

Pets accepted Acceptedverified 2026-10-03

Timing chain

Day -90 microchip implant · Day -30 rabies vaccine deadline · Day -14 health certificate issued · Day 0 arrive at customs

Breed restrictions

Banned breeds: Pitt Bull Terrier, Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Central Asian Shepherd Dog (ovtcharka), Caucasian Shepherd Dog (ovtcharka), South Russian Shepherd Dog (ovtcharka), Tornjak, Sarplaninac verified 2026-10-09

Ports of entry (2)

  • Nuuk
  • Qaqortoq

verified 2026-10-09

Greenlandic law requires the microchip to be inserted before, or at the same time as, the first rabies vaccination given to the animal. A chip implanted after that first vaccination does not satisfy the requirement, even by a single day. Schedule the microchip for the same appointment as the first vaccine, or earlier, never later than that.
Only Nuuk and Qaqortoq currently have international airports located outside Greenland's sled-dog district, which otherwise bars entry for rabies-control reasons. Pets can only enter through one of these two specific airports, nowhere else on the island at all. Book the flight itinerary through Nuuk or Qaqortoq specifically, not through a different regional airport nearby.
A Greenlandic veterinarian must issue the health certificate no earlier than 14 days before the animal travels to Greenland, not further back than that. A certificate dated further out than 14 days does not meet the requirement at entry. Schedule the certificate appointment inside that 14-day window relative to the travel date, not sooner.
Here's what I wish someone had told me before assuming 'it's Danish territory' meant Danish rules applied: Greenland's own system, right down to which airports accept pets, is completely separate. Get a personalized plan from Pawgo to confirm the airport, the chip timing, and the certificate window all line up.
Get YOUR personalized plan for Greenland →

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.