Note on source quality
Cambodia is one of the SE Asian countries where primary official documentation in English is genuinely sparse. The GDAHP / DAHP office in Phnom Penh issues import permits and veterinary inspection certificates by email and on paper, and routinely refers practitioners to a short list of veterinary clinics that handle filings. The detail below cross-references the Cambodian Trade Portal procedure listing, a regional Thai AQS reference document on the Cambodia route, WOAH country profile data and standard IATA carriage rules. Treat every concrete number as something to reconfirm with GDAHP before travel [1] [2] [3].
Who issues the rules
The General Directorate of Animal Health and Production (GDAHP, sometimes shown as DAHP, Department of Animal Health and Production) sits under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Headquartered in Phnom Penh, GDAHP issues both the import permit and the veterinary inspection certificate; inspection on arrival is carried out by veterinary inspectors at Phnom Penh or Siem Reap airport and the result is relayed back to GDAHP headquarters [1] [2].
Species
Dogs and cats only under the standard procedure. Cambodia is high-risk for canine rabies according to the US CDC [4].
Microchip
Your pet needs a 15-digit ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination. Cambodian inspectors do not always carry scanners, so travel with a copy of the implantation certificate and, ideally, a portable ISO reader [1].
Rabies vaccination
Vaccinate all dogs and cats over 3 months of age against rabies at least 30 days before arrival in Cambodia and within 12 months of arrival. Multi-year vaccines are accepted only if the certificate states the validity explicitly and the dose was given within 12 months [1] [2].
Rabies antibody titer
Cambodia does not formally require a FAVN or RFFIT titer for entry from any origin. However, since Cambodia is itself classified by WOAH as a high-rabies-risk country, owners planning onward travel to rabies-free destinations (Australia, New Zealand, UK, EU member states) should arrange a titer (at least 0.5 IU/ml, drawn at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination, performed at a WOAH-listed laboratory) before leaving the origin country [3] [1].
Other vaccinations
Recommended and routinely listed on the export health certificate: dogs, distemper, infectious hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis; cats, feline panleukopenia, viral rhinotracheitis and calicivirus. Although these are not always strictly enforced at Cambodian inspection, the airline and the origin country's export certificate normally require them [2].
Paperwork
1. Import permit application to GDAHP. Submit the application 2 weeks before arrival; processing typically takes 7 to 10 working days. Fees are around 20 USD if you apply directly at the GDAHP office; agents charge more [1]. 2. International health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian in the origin country within 10 days of departure, then endorsed by the origin country's government veterinary authority (USDA APHIS in the US, EU TRACES INTRA from your member state, DEFRA in the UK) [2]. 3. Owner's passport copy and a photo of the owner with the pet are typically requested by GDAHP at application [1].
Quarantine
Cambodia does not impose facility quarantine if paperwork is complete and the animal is clinically healthy on arrival. Inspectors at Phnom Penh or Siem Reap examine the documentation and the animal, and release it the same day. In edge cases (missing paperwork, sick animal, restricted species) inspectors retain the right to detain or refuse, at owner's cost [1] [2].
Banned or restricted breeds
Cambodia does not publish a national banned-breeds list. IATA CR82 reinforced-container rules still apply at the airline level for fighting breeds (Pit Bull and variants, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu, Perro de Presa Canario, Cane Corso). Some intra-Cambodia carriers refuse these breeds entirely [5].
Approved arrival airports
Phnom Penh International (PNH) is the primary entry point and the only one with GDAHP staff present full-time. Siem Reap Angkor International (SAI) can accept pets but inspection often requires that GDAHP send an inspector from Phnom Penh, adding lead time. Sihanoukville (KOS) is not used for international pet arrivals in practice [1].
Estimated cost in EUR
Indicative all-in budget for one medium dog (15 to 25 kg) flown from western Europe in cargo, including IATA crate, EU TRACES export certificate, airline cargo fee, origin broker, GDAHP permit fee (around 20 USD direct, or 200 to 400 EUR through a local agent), and Phnom Penh airport handling: roughly 1,800 to 3,200 EUR. Cats: 500 to 1,000 EUR. The biggest cost variable is whether you handle paperwork directly with GDAHP or pay a local agent [1] [5].
Timing
Minimum 8 weeks. The chain is: microchip (if not already), rabies vaccination, 30-day wait, vaccination certificate finalisation, then 2 to 3 weeks for GDAHP permit, then schedule the 10-day origin-country health certificate window and government endorsement against the flight. If onward FAVN is in scope, plan 12 to 16 weeks [1] [2].