How to get an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) in Brighton
Planning to travel abroad with your pet from Brighton? This guide explains everything you need to know about obtaining an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) in Brighton – including how to book a collection appointment near Brighton, pricing, transport links, and a clear step-by-step guide. This article is designed to help pet owners in Brighton prepare in advance, so you can have your AHC ready before travelling, rather than collecting it at the port.
AHC collection appointments near Brighton
Arrange an Animal Health Certificate appointment with Joana Dias at the Lewes collection point near Brighton. At your AHC appointment, Joana scans and verifies each pet’s microchip, inspects the pets and completes the final certificate checks and signing. The owner or authorised person signs the relevant declaration as arranged in advance.
Meet the Local Vet: Joana Dias
Joana is a veterinary surgeon with particular interests in Feline Medicine, Dentistry and Emergency Work. Alongside her clinical work, she offers pet travel certification through Vet Home Certs, helping owners feel confident and prepared when travelling with their pets.
Brighton Collection Point
Near Costa Coffee, Pavilion Retail Park, Brighton, BN2 3QA.
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Lewes (Near Brighton) Collection Point
Tesco Lewes, Brooks Rd, Lewes BN7 2BY
Meet in the Tesco Entrance Hall.
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Open the what3words link and use its navigation option for directions to the precise meeting spot. Please attend at your agreed AHC appointment time with all pets listed on the certificate.
Most of the AHC preparation happens in advance, ensuring that your appointment is smooth and straightforward.
Check our Areas Covered page and select Joana when requesting your AHC appointment near Brighton.
Pricing Information for an Animal Health Certificate in Brighton
Vet Home Certs offers clear, competitive pricing with options tailored to how soon you need an AHC.
Repeat AHC: £89
For returning clients using the same vet within the Vet Home Certs network, with unchanged details and rabies vaccination. Must be arranged more than 10 days before your appointment. Additional pets are £25 each.
Standard AHC: £99
Available if arranged and payment is received more than 7 days before your appointment date. Additional pets are £30 each
Urgent AHC: £199
Fast tracked service for short notice requests. Applicable when all details and payment are received within 7 days of an appointment date. Additional pets are £30 each (up to 5 pets per certificate).
Up to 5 pets per certificate.For full details, visit the Prices page.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get an AHC Appointment in Brighton
- Check eligibility and find the Lewes collection point near Brighton using the map on the Areas Covered page.
- Complete the Stage 1 form using the Request Appointment page, selecting the correct vet and location.
- Complete the Stage 2 form: emailed immediately after submitting Stage 1.
If you don’t receive the email within a few minutes, check your spam folder or try resubmitting. - Vet review and scheduling: Your vet will confirm your details and arrange your appointment.
- Appointment: The vet meets you and your pet at the chosen location to perform the required checks. The AHC is handed over and valid for travel straight away.
Transport Links & Travel Hubs Near Brighton
With your Animal Health Certificate prepared in advance, you can head directly to your chosen travel hub. Below are approximate drive times from Brighton and may vary with traffic:
Nearest Ferry Ports
- Newhaven Ferry Port: Routes to Dieppe, France. Around 25 minutes from Brighton.
- Portsmouth Ferry Port: Routes to France and Spain.Around 1 hour 15 minutes from Brighton.
- Dover Ferry Port: Routes to Calais, France. Around 2 hours from Brighton.
- Plymouth Ferry Port: Routes to Roscoff, France, and Santander, Spain. Around 4 hours 30 minutes from Brighton.
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (Folkestone)
Direct drive-on train to France. Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes travel time from Brighton.
Nearest Airports Supporting Pet Travel
- London Gatwick Airport: approximately 45 minutes from Brighton.
- London Heathrow Airport: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes from Brighton.
Both airports offer pet-friendly travel options under the UK Pet Travel Scheme.
Important Considerations for Pet Travel
- If your pet is travelling only to Northern Ireland, you’ll need a specific Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document:. If you are travelling onward to the Republic of Ireland or mainland Europe, you’ll need a valid Animal Health Certificate.
- Dogs and worming treatment: Dogs travelling to Ireland, Norway, Finland, Malta or Northern Ireland need worming treatment between 24-120 hours before arrival, recorded on the AHC. This must be witnessed and recorded in the AHC by a vet.
- Returning to the UK? Follow the official APHA Travel Checklist. Dogs must also receive worming treatment 24-120 hours before re-entry into the UK, witnessed and recorded in the AHC by a vet. The medication must be licensed in the country where it is administered and effective against tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis).
- Appointment attendance: All pets listed on the AHC must attend so the vet can scan their microchips. Please arrange for the owner to attend with the pet wherever possible; this makes checking details and completing the paperwork simpler. An authorised person travelling with the pet may attend and sign instead when arranged in advance.
- At the appointment, the vet will inspect your pet for signs of infectious disease before completing the AHC.
- Travelling with an authorised person: If an authorised person will accompany your pet instead of you, let us know in advance. You must show the vet proof that the owner’s journey takes place no more than five days before or after the pet travels. The required authorisation template is available to download in Stage 2, in the language of the first country your pet will enter. If the authorised person attends instead of the owner, they must bring the letter signed by the owner. If the owner attends, the vet will bring the letter for the owner to sign. Either the owner or the authorised person travelling with the pet may sign the AHC at the appointment; please confirm who will sign beforehand.
Ready to Travel? Request Your Animal Health Certificate in Brighton Today
Travelling with your pet from Brighton can be simple and stress-free with the right preparation. It’s best to request your Animal Health Certificate 3-6 weeks before your planned travel date.
Request your Animal Health Certificate appointment in Brighton HERE!