Bringing a Dog or Cat to the United States: Pet Entry Requirements

Quick answer

The United States does not have one universal dog-and-cat entry checklist. For dogs, CDC requirements depend first on whether the dog has been in a country that CDC classifies as high risk for dog rabies during the previous six months, and then—if high risk—on whether the rabies vaccination was issued in the United States or abroad. All dogs must meet baseline CDC requirements, including being at least six months old, appearing healthy and having a detectable microchip. Cats have a much simpler federal baseline, but destination states and territories can add their own rules. USDA can add disease-origin conditions for some dogs, and Hawaii and Guam require separate planning.^[1][8]

That layered structure matters more than memorizing one document list. A traveler arriving with a dog that has spent the last six months only in CDC low-risk countries follows a much simpler CDC pathway than a foreign-vaccinated dog that has been in a high-risk country. A domestic cat may have no general USDA animal-health document requirement at federal level, while the same cat heading to Hawaii can face a separate state quarantine program.

Use this page to understand the entry architecture, then verify your exact case against the current government pages before travel. For the broader border-planning framework, use International Pet Travel. For flight logistics, use the Pet Air Travel Hub.

1. Start with the three U.S. rule layers

The first mistake in U.S. pet-entry planning is looking for one agency to approve the entire trip. In practice, three layers can matter.

The airline is a fourth operational layer rather than an entry authority. It decides whether it will transport the pet, in which mode, on which aircraft and route, and under what booking and container conditions. Keep the airline and government workstreams separate until both are confirmed.

2. For a dog, the first question is: where has the dog been in the last six months?

CDC does not classify a dog solely by nationality, owner residence or final departure airport. The critical first branch is whether the dog has been in any country or political unit on CDC’s current high-risk list for dog rabies during the six months before U.S. entry.^[3]

CDC updates the high-risk list, so Pet Fieldbook does not duplicate the full country list here. Check the live CDC list during planning and again before travel. If a country is not on CDC’s high-risk list, CDC treats it as dog-rabies-free or low risk for this import framework.^[3]

If the dog was in a high-risk country and is not vaccinated against rabies, CDC says it will not be allowed to enter under the ordinary dog-import pathway.^[1]

3. Dogs that have been only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries

This is the simplest CDC pathway. For a dog that has been only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries during the previous six months, CDC currently requires the CDC Dog Import Form receipt as the only CDC document. The dog must still appear healthy on arrival, be at least six months old and have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner.^[2]

CDC permits these dogs to enter at any U.S. port of entry—airport, seaport or land border crossing—provided the port matches the information on the CDC Dog Import Form and the dog also complies with USDA and destination-jurisdiction rules.^[4]

Does CDC require rabies proof for this low-risk pathway?

CDC’s current low-risk pathway does not require an additional rabies-vaccination document beyond the Dog Import Form. CDC still strongly recommends rabies vaccination, and the receiving state, territory or airline may require vaccination or other documentation.^[2]

This is an important example of why “What certificate do I need for the U.S.?” is the wrong first question. The answer depends on the dog’s travel history and destination, and the airline may ask for documents that are not part of CDC’s baseline federal entry set.

4. Dogs with high-risk history and a U.S.-issued rabies vaccination

If a dog has been in a high-risk country during the last six months but its rabies vaccination was issued in the United States, CDC currently requires two core documents: the CDC Dog Import Form receipt and the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination.^[5]

The certification is a specific CDC form. It is not simply the ordinary rabies certificate that a local veterinarian may give an owner for licensing purposes. CDC states that a USDA-accredited veterinarian must complete the certification and submit it for USDA endorsement before the dog leaves the United States; it cannot be created retroactively after departure.^[6]

CDC currently says a valid Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination can be used for multiple entries while the rabies vaccination on the form remains valid. Travelers should still check the current CDC instructions before each trip because form requirements can change.^[6]

5. Dogs with high-risk history and a foreign-issued rabies vaccination

This is the most operationally demanding ordinary pet-dog pathway. A foreign-vaccinated dog that has been in a CDC high-risk country within the previous six months must meet additional document, airport and post-arrival requirements.^[10]

CDC currently requires, among other items:

• a CDC Dog Import Form receipt;
• a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip completed by a veterinarian and endorsed by an official government veterinarian;
• a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility;
• arrival by air at the U.S. airport associated with that facility;
• a detectable microchip placed before the valid rabies vaccination used for entry;
• the dog to be at least six months old and appear healthy; and
• a valid rabies serology titer from a CDC-approved laboratory if the owner wants to avoid the standard 28-day quarantine pathway.^[10]

The animal care facility is required even with a valid titer

A valid serology result does not eliminate the animal care facility step. CDC currently requires foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries to have a reservation at a registered facility for examination and revaccination with a U.S.-licensed rabies vaccine. Without a valid CDC-accepted serology result, the reservation must also include a 28-day quarantine, although CDC describes a post-arrival serologic monitoring process that may shorten quarantine in qualifying cases.^[11]

The arrival airport is constrained

These dogs cannot simply land at any U.S. airport or cross a land border. They must arrive by air at the airport where their reserved CDC-registered animal care facility is located. The airport must also match the CDC Dog Import Form receipt.^[11]

The list of registered facilities and associated airports can change. Use CDC’s live facility list rather than a copied list in an evergreen guide.

6. Microchip, rabies vaccination and titer sequencing

For dogs, sequencing matters. CDC requires a detectable microchip for all dog-entry pathways. In the foreign-vaccinated high-risk pathway, CDC says the microchip must have been implanted before the rabies vaccination used for entry; otherwise that vaccine is not valid for the import process.^[10]

Rabies serology for foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs

CDC currently requires the blood sample for a valid rabies serology titer to be drawn at least 30 days after the dog’s first valid rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before U.S. entry. The test must be performed by a CDC-approved laboratory. CDC states that a passing result can remain valid for the life of the dog as long as rabies vaccination coverage does not lapse and the laboratory remains approved.^[10]

This is exactly the kind of timing dependency that should be built backward from the intended travel date. Do not book a nonrefundable itinerary first and then discover that the titer or facility reservation cannot fit the calendar.

For the broader sequencing method, see Pet Travel Documents & Health Certificates.

7. The CDC Dog Import Form

Every dog entering or returning to the United States needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt under the current CDC system.^[12] The form is completed online by the importer, owner or shipper. If the dog travels by air, CDC says the receipt must be shown to the airline before boarding, and the importer must keep it available for U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival.^[12]

The form asks the traveler to identify whether the dog has been in a CDC high-risk country during the previous six months. That answer determines which additional information and documents are required. Complete a separate form for each dog.

8. USDA overlays for some dogs: FMD and screwworm

CDC is the primary dog-import authority, but USDA APHIS Veterinary Services currently adds requirements for pet dogs arriving from countries or regions affected by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or screwworm.^[7]

FMD-affected origin

APHIS currently requires the dog’s fur and bedding to be free from excessive dirt, hay or straw. It says the dog should be bathed as soon as it reaches the destination and kept separate from livestock for five days after entry. APHIS states that no documentation is required specifically for the FMD conditions.^[7]

Screwworm-affected origin

For a dog coming from a screwworm-affected country or region, APHIS currently requires a certificate signed by an official government veterinarian stating that the dog was inspected for screwworm within five days before shipment and was either free of screwworm or was treated and held until free of the parasite before departure.^[7]

Because disease-status lists can change, do not rely on an old country list saved from a previous trip. Check the current USDA disease-status pages for the country or region of origin.

9. Bringing a domestic cat into the United States

Federal cat entry is much simpler than dog entry. CDC currently requires cats to appear healthy upon arrival. Cats are subject to inspection and can be denied entry or referred for veterinary examination at the owner’s expense if they show evidence of a zoonotic disease.^[8]

CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination for cats entering the United States at federal level, although it recommends rabies vaccination and notes that the U.S. destination may impose additional requirements.^[8]

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services currently states that it has no animal-health requirements for bringing a personal domestic cat into the United States from a foreign country. It directs travelers to check CDC, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service where relevant, and the receiving state or territory.^[9]

10. Is a health certificate or import permit required?

There is no single “yes” answer for every personal dog or cat entering the United States.

For a dog from a CDC low-risk country, the current CDC entry document can be only the Dog Import Form receipt, while the baseline age, health and microchip conditions still apply.^[2] A foreign-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country, by contrast, needs specific rabies/microchip certification, the animal care facility process and potentially a titer or quarantine. A dog from a screwworm-affected origin may need a USDA government-veterinarian certificate. A domestic cat has no general APHIS animal-health certificate requirement at federal level.^[7][9]

In addition, the exporting country may require an export health certificate before the animal can legally leave, the destination state or territory may impose its own certificate rules, and the airline may ask for health paperwork as a condition of carriage.

The same applies to import permits. APHIS tells ordinary personal pet dog/cat importers not to use its general animal-health permit process for routine pet import; commercial dog imports and other regulated categories can be different.^[13]

11. State and territory rules: the federal checklist is not the whole journey

APHIS explicitly tells pet owners to check the receiving state or territory because domestic animal-entry requirements are set by the destination jurisdiction and may include health certificates, vaccination, testing or treatment requirements.^[14]

Hawaii

Hawaii has its own rabies-quarantine system for dogs and cats. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture currently operates Direct Airport Release and 5 Day Or Less pathways for animals that complete the required pre-arrival steps; animals that do not qualify can face quarantine. Direct release to Kona, Kahului or Līhu‘e also uses a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit process and approved veterinary arrangements.^[15]

This means a dog or cat that can enter the mainland United States under federal rules is not automatically ready for Hawaii. Use Hawaii’s current checklists rather than treating Hawaii as simply another domestic destination.

Guam

Guam also maintains a separate animal-entry and quarantine program. Its Department of Agriculture currently requires an entry permit for dogs and cats and uses quarantine categories based on origin and pre-arrival preparation.^[16]

CDC additionally notes that cats arriving in Hawaii or Guam are subject to local quarantine rules, even when travelling from the U.S. mainland.^[8]

12. Arrival ports, airline transport and the handoff at the border

The government entry pathway and the airline transport pathway have to agree with each other.

For low-risk dogs, CDC currently permits any U.S. port of entry. U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries with the required documentation can also use any qualifying port, provided it matches the CDC Dog Import Form. Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries are restricted to airports associated with CDC-registered animal care facilities where a reservation exists.^[4][11]

Before buying the ticket, confirm:

• the actual operating airline accepts the pet on every sector;
• the chosen airport is legal for the dog’s CDC pathway;
• any required CDC-registered animal care facility has confirmed the reservation;
• the transport mode—cabin, checked/accompanied baggage or manifest cargo—is compatible with both airline and arrival processing;
• the airport’s pet/cargo collection process is workable; and
• the destination state or territory requirements are complete.

Use Cabin vs Checked Baggage vs Cargo for mode differences, Airline Pet Policies for current airline rules and How Pet Cargo Works if the animal will travel as manifest cargo.

13. Transiting through the United States can still trigger dog-entry rules

A U.S. airport connection is not automatically outside the import system. CDC says a dog entering the United States by air may need to meet dog-import requirements even if it is only connecting onward and never leaves the airport terminal.^[17]

CDC currently provides a specific exception for an onward-transiting dog that meets all four conditions: the dog travels as cargo or checked/excess baggage, does not clear U.S. customs, remains with the airline during the layover, and continues to another country. If all four are not met, CDC entry requirements can apply.^[17]

The same page also explains that a dog can acquire high-risk travel history during an international layover if it clears customs in a high-risk country. That can change the requirements for later U.S. entry.^[17]

For transfer planning beyond the legal entry rule, see Pet Travel With Connections and Layovers.

14. Returning to the United States with a U.S.-origin dog

Dogs that left the United States and are returning are not exempt from CDC import rules. CDC and APHIS both state that returning U.S.-origin dogs are subject to the entry framework.^[1][18]

The highest-value planning action is simple: if a U.S.-vaccinated dog may enter a high-risk country, obtain the current Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination from a USDA-accredited veterinarian and have it endorsed by USDA before leaving the United States. CDC says the form cannot be issued retroactively after the dog has departed.^[6]

Also remember that the foreign destination may require a separate USDA-endorsed export health certificate or other export documents. Those outbound requirements do not necessarily substitute for the CDC re-entry form.

15. A practical planning timeline

For foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries, CDC currently says the foreign rabies/microchip certification is valid for entry for 30 days from issuance, and titer sampling has its own advance timing rules.^[19] Build this pathway from the government deadlines backward rather than from the ticket forward.

16. United States entry checklist

For every dog

• Confirm the dog’s country history for the previous six months against CDC’s current high-risk list.
• Confirm the dog will be at least six months old on entry.
• Confirm the microchip is detectable and all required forms use the same number.
• Complete the CDC Dog Import Form and keep the receipt accessible.
• Verify the exact port of entry is allowed for the dog’s pathway.
• Check USDA FMD/screwworm status for the origin.
• Check destination state or territory rules.
• Confirm airline acceptance separately.

If the dog has high-risk history

• Determine whether the qualifying rabies vaccination is U.S.-issued or foreign-issued.
• Use the correct CDC certification form for that vaccination origin.
• If foreign-vaccinated, arrange the CDC-registered animal care facility and approved arrival airport.
• If avoiding the ordinary 28-day quarantine pathway, confirm the titer was performed through a currently CDC-approved laboratory and meets current timing/validity rules.

For a domestic cat

• Confirm the cat appears healthy and is fit to travel.
• Check destination state or territory requirements, including rabies or health-certificate rules.
• Check the airline’s cat acceptance and carrier requirements.
• If travelling to Hawaii or Guam, stop using a generic mainland-U.S. checklist and follow that jurisdiction’s dedicated import program.

Then run the journey through the broader Pet Travel Checklist so that booking, crate/carrier, documents, handover and arrival are checked together.

Frequently asked questions