Every dog arriving in the United States from abroad needs a CDC Dog Import Form. What else CDC asks depends on where the dog has been in the 6 months before it arrives, and where its rabies vaccine was given. Every rule line shows its official source and the date we last checked it.
Information only, not veterinary advice. CDC and U.S. Customs and Border Protection decide at the border. Rules change, so confirm every step with CDC's Dog Importation Navigator and your vet before you travel; airlines, USDA and your U.S. destination may add their own conditions.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
The CDC Dog Import Form is free.
Fill in the CDC Dog Import Form online for each dog before it arrives; it is free. Show the emailed receipt, printed or on your phone, to the airline before boarding if the dog flies, and to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
On the low-risk path one receipt covers the same dog for several entries from the same country for 6 months from the day it was issued. A trip from a different country, or a stay in a high-risk country, needs a new form.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
On either high-risk path the receipt is good for one entry, on the arrival date written on it. If the date or the arrival airport or port changes, submit a new form.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
The high-risk form asks for a photo of the dog showing its face and body. For a dog under one year old, CDC says to take the photo within 15 days before the dog arrives.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
CDC sorts dogs by every country the dog has been in during the 6 months before it arrives in the United States, and by where its rabies vaccine was given (in the U.S. or abroad). Being in a high-risk country at any time in those 6 months, even only during a layover where the dog cleared customs, puts the dog on a high-risk path.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
Only in rabies-free or low-risk countries in the 6 months before arrival.
If the dog has been only in rabies-free or low-risk countries for the 6 months before arrival, the CDC Dog Import Form receipt is the only document CDC currently asks for. CDC describes this as a temporary flexibility and has listed a proposed rule to keep it, so check before you travel. The dog still has to be 6 months old, microchipped and healthy.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
In a high-risk country in those 6 months; rabies vaccine given in the U.S.
Before the dog leaves the United States, a USDA-accredited vet completes CDC's Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form and USDA endorses it. It cannot be done after the dog has left. It is not the ordinary rabies certificate from your vet.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
In a high-risk country in those 6 months; rabies vaccine given outside the U.S.
Book the dog into a CDC-registered animal care facility before it travels. The facility checks the documents first, then examines and revaccinates the dog on arrival; you pay all its costs. Show the reservation confirmation to the airline before boarding and to Customs on arrival.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
A layover in a high-risk country counts as being in that country if the dog clears customs there, even when the trip started in a low-risk country. Ask the airline whether your dog will clear customs on the way.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
From CDC's page dated . Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish cities in North Africa, are on it; Spain itself is not. CDC: "If a country or political unit is not listed below, it is not considered high risk for importing dog rabies into the United States."
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
A dog that has lived in Brazil, one of the countries on CDC's list, microchipped on and vaccinated against rabies there on , flying to the United States to arrive on . The worked example below is worked out by the same rules and solver as the pet travel planner, counting back from the arrival date.
Based on the rules we last checked, the steps below fit a travel date of 15 February 2027. The earliest date they allow is 1 December 2026, or 2 November 2026 with the 28-day quarantine at the facility instead of the blood test.
Source: cdc.gov, checked .
| Step | When | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Microchip a universal scanner can read | Recorded | cdc.gov checked |
| Rabies vaccination | Recorded | cdc.gov checked |
| Rabies blood test (titer) | Last day: 17 January 2027. | cdc.gov checked |
| Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip | From 17 January 2027 to 15 February 2027. | cdc.gov checked |
| Reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility | Last day: 15 February 2027. | cdc.gov checked |
| CDC Dog Import Form | Last day: 15 February 2027. | cdc.gov checked |
| Receipt: high-risk path | On 15 February 2027. | cdc.gov checked |
| Arrive by air at the facility airport | On 15 February 2027. | cdc.gov checked |
| Appears healthy on arrival | On 15 February 2027. | cdc.gov checked |
Work out your own dog's dates in the pet travel planner. It runs on your device.
CDC has proposed to keep the form-only path for dogs from rabies-free and low-risk countries. Its entry in the 2026 Unified Agenda of federal regulatory actions (RIN 0920-AA87, "Dog Importation", at the proposed-rule stage) says that for these dogs "the only requirement will be a CDC Dog Import Form receipt". Until that rule is published in the Federal Register and takes effect, the form-only path stays a temporary flexibility under the current rule, so check CDC's pages before you travel. We found no such proposed rule in the Federal Register on .
Source: federalregister.gov, checked .
| Step | What the rule says | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Which CDC path applies | CDC sorts dogs by every country the dog has been in during the 6 months before it arrives in the United States, and by where its rabies vaccine was given (in the U.S. or abroad). Being in a high-risk country at any time in those 6 months, even only during a layover where the dog cleared customs, puts the dog on a high-risk path. | cdc.gov checked |
| Layovers count if the dog clears customs | A layover in a high-risk country counts as being in that country if the dog clears customs there, even when the trip started in a low-risk country. Ask the airline whether your dog will clear customs on the way. | cdc.gov checked |
| CDC Dog Import Form | Fill in the CDC Dog Import Form online for each dog before it arrives; it is free. Show the emailed receipt, printed or on your phone, to the airline before boarding if the dog flies, and to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival. | cdc.gov checked |
| At least 6 months old on arrival | Every dog must be at least 6 months old on the day it arrives in the United States. A younger dog is refused entry and sent back. | ecfr.gov checked |
| Microchip a universal scanner can read | Every dog needs a microchip that a universal scanner can read. On a high-risk path the chip number must be on the CDC Dog Import Form and on every certificate and supporting document. | cdc.gov checked |
| Appears healthy on arrival | The dog must appear healthy when it arrives. A dog that looks ill can be examined, held or refused entry. | cdc.gov checked |
| USDA and your U.S. destination | CDC rules are not the only ones. USDA and the U.S. state or territory you are going to can add their own conditions, and dogs brought in for resale or adoption have extra USDA requirements. | cdc.gov checked |
| USDA: screwworm-affected countries | If the dog comes from a country or region where screwworm is known to exist, USDA requires a certificate signed by an official government veterinarian there stating that the dog was inspected for screwworm within 5 days before shipment and is free from it (or was infested, quarantined and treated until free before leaving). From Mexico, an authorised clinical vet can sign it. Check USDA APHIS for the affected countries. | aphis.usda.gov checked |
| USDA: foot-and-mouth disease countries | If the dog comes from a country or region with foot-and-mouth disease, USDA requires its fur and bedding to be free of excessive dirt, hay or straw, and says to bathe it as soon as it reaches its destination and keep it away from all livestock for 5 days after it enters the United States. No document is needed. Check USDA APHIS for the affected countries. | aphis.usda.gov checked |
| Step | What the rule says | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Receipt: low-risk path | On the low-risk path one receipt covers the same dog for several entries from the same country for 6 months from the day it was issued. A trip from a different country, or a stay in a high-risk country, needs a new form. | cdc.gov checked |
| Low-risk path: the form is the only document | If the dog has been only in rabies-free or low-risk countries for the 6 months before arrival, the CDC Dog Import Form receipt is the only document CDC currently asks for. CDC describes this as a temporary flexibility and has listed a proposed rule to keep it, so check before you travel. The dog still has to be 6 months old, microchipped and healthy. | cdc.gov checked |
| Low-risk path: any port | On the low-risk path the dog can arrive at any U.S. airport, seaport or land border crossing. | cdc.gov checked |
| Step | What the rule says | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Receipt: high-risk path | On either high-risk path the receipt is good for one entry, on the arrival date written on it. If the date or the arrival airport or port changes, submit a new form. | cdc.gov checked |
| Photo for dogs under one year | The high-risk form asks for a photo of the dog showing its face and body. For a dog under one year old, CDC says to take the photo within 15 days before the dog arrives. | cdc.gov checked |
| Chip before the rabies vaccine | The microchip must go in before the current rabies vaccine. The same day is accepted if the chip is implanted first; a rabies vaccine given before the chip does not count. | ecfr.gov checked |
| High-risk path: no rabies vaccine, no entry | A dog that has been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months and is not vaccinated against rabies will not be allowed into the United States. | cdc.gov checked |
| First rabies vaccine at 12 weeks or older | The first rabies vaccination must be given at 12 weeks (84 days) of age or later, or later still if the vaccine is licensed only for older dogs. On a high-risk path a dose given before 12 weeks is not accepted, whatever the vaccine's licence says. | cdc.gov checked |
| Step | What the rule says | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination, before you leave | Before the dog leaves the United States, a USDA-accredited vet completes CDC's Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form and USDA endorses it. It cannot be done after the dog has left. It is not the ordinary rabies certificate from your vet. | cdc.gov checked |
| First vaccine: 28 days before the form | After a first rabies vaccination the vet can complete the form only once 28 days have passed, so the first dose must be at least 28 days before the dog leaves the U.S. A booster counts at once if there was no gap in cover. | cdc.gov checked |
| Reusable while the vaccine is valid | The endorsed form can be used for several returns as long as the rabies vaccination on it has not expired. | cdc.gov checked |
| Old USDA export certificates: only if issued by 31 July 2025 | A USDA-endorsed export health certificate can stand in for the form only if a USDA-accredited vet issued it on or before 31 July 2025, it is endorsed by USDA and viewable in USDA's database, and it shows the dog is at least 6 months old, its microchip number, and a current U.S.-issued rabies vaccination given after the chip. Certificates issued later are not accepted. | cdc.gov checked |
| U.S.-vaccinated: any port on the receipt | With the endorsed form, the dog can come back through any U.S. airport, seaport or land border crossing, as long as it is the port named on the CDC Dog Import Form receipt. | cdc.gov checked |
| No endorsed form: the foreign-vaccinated path | A U.S.-vaccinated dog returning from a high-risk country without the endorsed form (or a qualifying old export certificate) has to follow the foreign-vaccinated path: the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, a facility reservation, arrival at the facility airport, and a titer or quarantine. | cdc.gov checked |
| Step | What the rule says | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| First rabies vaccine at least 28 days before arrival | If the dog is getting its first rabies vaccine, it must be given at least 28 days before the dog arrives in the United States. CDC does not say whether a new vaccine after a lapse in cover needs the same wait; to be safe, allow 28 days then too. | cdc.gov checked |
| Rabies vaccine still valid on arrival | The rabies vaccination must still be valid on the arrival date: the date the next dose is due, written on the certification form, has to fall after the day the dog arrives. Check it will not run out during the trip. | ecfr.gov checked |
| Rabies blood test (titer) | A vet draws the blood sample at least 30 days after the dog's first valid rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before the dog arrives; CDC's checklist says 28 days before travel, so count to the day the dog sets off. A dog with several valid vaccinations after its chip, and no gap in cover, can be sampled any time after a booster if the first vaccine was at least 30 days before the sample. Without a valid result the dog needs the 28-day quarantine at the facility. | cdc.gov checked |
| CDC-approved laboratory, 0.5 IU/mL or more | Send the sample to a laboratory on CDC's approved list; CDC accepts no other results. A pass is 0.5 IU/mL or higher. The report must come directly from the approved laboratory and be in English or come with a certified translation. | cdc.gov checked |
| A passing titer lasts while cover does not lapse | A passing result stays valid for the life of the dog as long as its rabies vaccination never lapses and the laboratory stays on the approved list. After a lapse the dog needs a new vaccination and a new blood sample drawn at least 30 days after it. | cdc.gov checked |
| Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip | The dog's vet completes CDC's Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form no more than 30 days before the dog travels, and an official government veterinarian of the exporting country endorses it. It is valid for one entry, for 30 days after the vet signs it, so the dog must also arrive within those 30 days. It must be in English. | cdc.gov checked |
| Documents in English | Every document and written statement for a foreign-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country must be in English or come with a certified English translation. | cdc.gov checked |
| Reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility | Book the dog into a CDC-registered animal care facility before it travels. The facility checks the documents first, then examines and revaccinates the dog on arrival; you pay all its costs. Show the reservation confirmation to the airline before boarding and to Customs on arrival. | cdc.gov checked |
| 28-day quarantine without a valid titer | Without a valid blood-test result the reservation must include a 28-day quarantine at the facility after revaccination. CDC may shorten it only if every one of its conditions is met: among them, the dog is a personal pet or service dog (not for rescue, resale, adoption or transfer), has records of at least 2 rabies vaccines given one or three years apart, is healthy, and the facility gets CDC approval for blood-test monitoring. The dog stays in quarantine until CDC releases it, so do not count on a shorter stay. | cdc.gov checked |
| Arrive by air at the facility airport | The dog must fly in directly to the U.S. airport of the facility where it has its reservation, and that airport must be the one on the CDC Dog Import Form. CDC's list dated 1 September 2026 has facilities at Atlanta (ATL), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York JFK, Philadelphia (PHL), Seattle (SEA, cargo only) and Washington, DC (IAD). No domestic connection before the facility. | cdc.gov checked |
| No land border, no Alaska, Hawaii or territories | A foreign-vaccinated dog that has been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months cannot enter at a land border crossing, and cannot enter through Alaska, Hawaii or a U.S. territory, because none currently has a CDC-registered facility. | cdc.gov checked |
| Service dogs: arrival by sea | A trained service dog (as defined in 14 CFR 382.3) travelling with its handler may arrive by sea without a facility reservation, if it meets every other requirement including a valid blood-test result. Emotional support animals do not count as service dogs. | cdc.gov checked |
Every rule line on this page was checked twice, in two independent reviews, against CDC's pages and the regulation.
42 CFR 71.51 Dogs and cats, as amended by the final rule 89 FR 41726 (13 May 2024). eCFR version history for 71.51: latest amendment 2024-08-01 (re-read 2026-10-19; title 42 up to date as of 2026-10-16). Technical correction 89 FR 61029 (30 Jul 2024), effective 2024-08-01: it only changes the amending instruction to add paragraphs (h) through (gg). Later 42 CFR 71 rules do not touch 71.51: 90 FR 55813 (4 Dec 2025) removes 71.4(d) and (e); the interim final rule 91 FR 31362 (published 27 May 2026, effective 22 May 2026) revises only 71.40(f), on persons. A proposed dog importation rule (RIN 0920-AA87, 2026 Unified Agenda) was not published by 2026-10-19.
Source: ecfr.gov, checked .
Federal Register 2024-09676, Control of Communicable Diseases; Foreign Quarantine: Importation of Dogs and Cats. Federal Register API: 'This final rule is effective August 1, 2024.' Correction: 2024-16681.
Source: federalregister.gov, checked .
These rules were last checked against their official sources on . Next check by .
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