Consultation and preventative care

How much does an animal health certificate cost?

An animal health certificate typically costs £294 at a UK vet. That is the middle price across 1,779 practices that publish one: independent vets typically charge £200 and the big chains £312. Below: how much it varies, where it costs least, and what the price usually includes.

What this covers: Consultation/clinical examination with a vet surgeon, preparation and completion of health certificate.

Size of pet:

How much it varies

How many vets charge each amount for an animal health certificate, in £25 steps. The dark bar holds the typical price.

£75
£100
£125
£150
£175
£200
£225
£250
£275
£300
£325
£350
£375
£450
£475
£294All UK vets1,779 vets
£200Independentstypical price
£312Big chainstypical price£112 above independents

By region

Typical price in each part of the UK, cheapest first.

RegionTypicalVets
Northern Ireland£24519
London£250123
Yorkshire and The Humber£250137
North West£287153
South West£291243
East of England£293183
Wales£29592
Scotland£300150
East Midlands£305112
South East£310329
West Midlands£315156
North East£31771
Worried about the bill? Surgery, scans and hospital stays are what pet insurance is for. Compare lifetime policies before your pet needs treatment, because a condition that has already started will not be covered later.

Where it costs least

Typical price in the town, where three or more vets publish it.

Ashford 3 vets£100
Minehead 3 vets£147
Ivybridge 4 vets£160
Cobham 3 vets£180
Huddersfield 5 vets£187
Ledbury 3 vets£190
Woodbridge 4 vets£193
Burnley 4 vets£195
Penzance 3 vets£195
Newbury 3 vets£200
Hackney 3 vets£200
Exeter 6 vets£207

Where it costs most

 

Gateshead 4 vets£381
Sunderland 3 vets£378
Harrow 3 vets£349
Solihull 3 vets£336
Worthing 6 vets£335
East Lothian 4 vets£332
Eastbourne 7 vets£330
East Hertfordshire 3 vets£330
Northants 3 vets£330
Barnet 5 vets£328
Bridgwater 3 vets£327
Sandwell 3 vets£320

The cheapest vets in the UK for an animal health certificate

Check what each price includes before you compare.

A low price with nothing in the "included" column may mean the vet has not said, not that nothing is included. Open the practice for the detail.

What the price covers, and why it varies

The standard definition: Animal health certificate, including any relevant charges for additional animals included on the certificate.

Other prices in the same group: First consultation, Repeat consultation, Out-of-hours consultation, Nurse consultation, Nail clipping, Anal gland expression, Microchipping, Vaccinations – primary course, Vaccinations – booster, Kennel cough vaccination, Pet care plan (monthly). All 36 treatments.

Common questions

How much does animal health certificate cost at the vet in the UK?

Typically £294. That is the middle price across 1,779 UK practices that publish one, so half charge less and half charge more. Independent vets typically charge £200 and the big chains £312. The cheapest town with three or more priced vets is Ashford, where the typical price is £100.

Does the price of animal health certificate depend on the size of my pet?

Yes. Most practices price animal health certificate by weight. Typical published prices: all pets £294; cats £210; dogs (all sizes) £180. The standard list uses cats and five dog sizes (small, medium, large, extra large and giant), but each practice sets its own kilogram limits, so ask which band your pet falls in.

How can I pay less for animal health certificate?

Compare the vets in your own town first: the gap between the cheapest and dearest is often larger than the gap between towns. If you are near Ashford or another of the cheaper towns listed above, it may be worth the drive for a planned procedure. Ask for a written estimate before you agree to anything, which practices must give for treatment over £500.

What does the animal health certificate price include?

The standard list defines it as: Consultation/clinical examination with a vet surgeon, preparation and completion of health certificate. The price includes the consultation. Published prices include VAT and are for a typical case. Complications cost more.

Why do vets publish the price of animal health certificate?

Because the competition regulator told them to. It found in 2026 that owners could not compare vet prices and that prices had risen faster than inflation, so every practice now has to publish the same 36 prices, including animal health certificate, on its website one click from the home page. The big chains must do it by 23 December 2026 and everyone else by 23 March 2027.

Not veterinary advice. This page compares what practices charge. It does not say whether a treatment or a medicine is right for your animal, and nothing here should be used to start, stop or change any treatment. Only your own vet, who can examine your animal, can advise you. If your animal is unwell, ring a vet. In an emergency, use an out-of-hours vet.

How this is ordered. By price, lowest first, unless you sort it yourself by clicking a heading. Nobody pays to appear here, to appear higher, or to be left out, and no practice has any say in the order. How we collect prices.

About these prices: each figure is as published on the practice's own website on the date shown, VAT included where the practice says so, for the size of pet and the inclusions stated. Practices now have to publish a standard price list and keep it current (the rules), but the price you pay depends on your pet, so confirm with the practice before you book. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will re-check the source within two working days.