The 180-day wait is the longest single step in the Australia pet import process. It starts from a specific date — and it is not the date most people assume.
The clock starts from lab receipt date, not blood draw date
Your pet's blood is drawn by a vet, then shipped to the approved laboratory. The 180-day waiting period starts from the date the laboratory receives the sample — not the date blood was drawn. This is confirmed directly in DAFF's guidance.
For US owners sending to Kansas State or Auburn University, allow 2-5 business days for domestic shipping. For UK owners sending to APHA Weybridge or Biobest, allow similar transit time. For Canadian owners shipping to Kansas State from Canada, allow 3-7 days including international shipping.
The arithmetic
Earliest departure date = Lab receipt date + 180 days
Your RNATT result is also valid for 12 months from the blood draw date. Your pet must travel before this expires. The window your pet must travel within is:
- Opens: Lab receipt date + 180 days
- Closes: Blood draw date + 365 days (12 months)
The window is approximately 185 days wide minus the shipping transit time. This is why timing the RNATT correctly matters — too early and you may have a tight window; too late and you cannot make your planned move date.
Worked example 1: US owner
- Blood drawn: 1 March 2025
- Lab receipt date (estimated +4 days): 5 March 2025
- Earliest departure: 5 March 2025 + 180 days = 1 September 2025
- RNATT expiry: 1 March 2025 + 365 days = 1 March 2026
- Travel window: 1 September 2025 to 1 March 2026
If you plan to move in October or November 2025, this works. If you plan to move in April 2026, the RNATT will have expired and you need a new blood draw.
Worked example 2: UK owner, target December departure
- Goal: arrive in Australia in late December 2025.
- Target departure: 15 December 2025
- Working back: lab receipt date must be 180 days before 15 December 2025 = 18 June 2025
- Allow 4 days shipping: blood draw must be by 14 June 2025
- RNATT expiry check: 14 June 2025 + 365 days = 14 June 2026 — departure is before expiry, fine
What if the RNATT result fails?
If the RNATT result is below 0.5 IU/ml, the 180-day clock does not start. Your pet is revaccinated, blood is drawn again, and the clock starts from the new lab receipt date. This is why starting the RNATT as early as possible gives you a buffer if the first test fails.
Regulations can change. Always verify directly with DAFF at agriculture.gov.au.