Petaddon
Guides and gear for exotic and small pets
Every dog that enters the US, including your own pet coming home from a trip, must meet the CDC rules that took effect on August 1, 2024. The basics apply to all dogs: at least 6 months old, a microchip, a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and good health on arrival. Dogs that have been in a high-risk country for dog rabies in the past 6 months need more.
Contents
show
The rules for every dog
- Age: at least 6 months old on arrival.
- Microchip: one that a universal scanner can read.
- CDC Dog Import Form: free, filled in online for each dog. Show the receipt, printed or on your phone, to the airline and at the border.
- Health: the dog must look healthy on arrival.
These rules apply at airports and land crossings alike, including drives back from Canada and Mexico. USDA adds one more for dogs coming from Mexico and other countries with New World screwworm: a certificate from an authorized vet there, stating the dog was inspected and found free of screwworm within 5 days before travel. See taking a dog to Mexico.
Low-risk countries: the simple route
If your dog has been only in countries that are free of dog rabies or low-risk in the past 6 months, the four items above are all it needs. That covers Canada, Mexico, the UK, every EU country except the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla, Australia, Japan and most of the Caribbean.
High-risk countries
The CDC’s high-risk list includes much of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, and in the Americas: Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. The rules then depend on where your dog got its rabies vaccine.
Dogs vaccinated in the US
- Before you leave the US, a USDA-accredited vet completes the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination, and USDA endorses it. It can’t be done after you leave.
- After a first rabies vaccine, the form can only be completed 28 days or more after the shot. A booster with no gap in coverage counts at once.
- The dog can return through any US airport.
- USDA-endorsed export health certificates issued after July 31, 2025 no longer work for re-entry.
Dogs vaccinated abroad
- A foreign vet completes the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip.
- A rabies blood test (titer) from a CDC-approved lab, drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before arrival, with a result of 0.5 IU/mL or more.
- The dog must arrive at one of eight airports with a CDC-registered animal care facility: Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia, Seattle or Washington Dulles. Book the facility in advance.
- Without a valid titer, the dog is revaccinated and quarantined for 28 days at the facility, at your cost.
See our rabies titer test guide for how the blood test works.
Cats
The CDC has no rabies requirement for cats entering the US, and cats don’t need the Dog Import Form. Some states and airlines still ask for a rabies certificate, so carry one.
Common mistakes
- Taking a puppy under 6 months abroad. It can’t come back until it turns 6 months.
- Getting the rabies vaccine before the microchip, which means the vaccine may not count for the paperwork.
- Leaving the US for a high-risk country without the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination.
- Forgetting the form for a quick drive across the border.
CDC dog import FAQ
Do I need a permit to bring my dog into the US?
No. Under the current rules, you need a CDC Dog Import Form receipt and, for high-risk countries, the matching rabies paperwork. There is no separate permit for a pet that meets the rules.
How much does the CDC Dog Import Form cost?
It is free.
Can I bring a puppy into the US?
Only if it is at least 6 months old on arrival.
Does my dog need the form if it is coming home from Canada?
Yes. Every dog entering the US needs the form, including returning pets and dogs crossing by car.
Which airports can foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries use?
Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington Dulles.
