The short answer
Legally, Taiwan requires exactly one vaccine to import a dog or cat: rabies. But that single requirement comes wrapped in strict conditions — it must follow the microchip, be recorded against the chip number, and (from rabies-origin countries) be backed by a blood titer. On top of the legal minimum, your vet, your airline and plain common sense add a short list of core vaccines worth having. Here's the full picture.
The one that's mandatory: rabies
- After the chip. A rabies shot given before an ISO microchip existed may not count — the chip comes first, always.
- Right vaccine, right age. An inactivated or approved recombinant rabies vaccine, with the pet typically at least 90 days old at vaccination.
- Valid on arrival. The vaccination must still be in date on the day you land — let a booster lapse and the whole chain breaks.
- Proven by a titer. From most countries you must then pass a FAVN blood test showing the vaccine worked.
Vaccines you'll want anyway
These aren't Taiwan import requirements, but airlines, boarding facilities and your own peace of mind make them worth having up to date before travel:
| For dogs | For cats |
|---|---|
| DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza); leptospirosis; kennel cough (bordetella) — often required by boarding kennels | FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia); FeLV where advised |
A pet that's fully covered clears boarding, quarantine and its first Taiwan vet visit without friction — see finding a vet in Taiwan.
The sequence is the point
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Everything in this article is work 886JetPet does daily on the Taiwan corridor — the paperwork, the calendar, the airline, the arrival. One quote, one team, door to door.