From August 1 Onward: Required Documents for Bringing a Dog into the United States

The documents required depend upon where your dog has been vaccinated for rabies, and what countries they have been in during the six months before traveling to the United States.

Required documents for dogs with a current rabies vaccination administered in the United States that have been in a high-risk country for dog rabies within the 6 months before entry:

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt
  • The CDC Dog Import Form will be accessible beginning July 15, 2024. Check back at that time for travel occurring on or after August 1, 2024.
• Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form
  • The Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form must be completed by a U.S.-accredited veterinarian before the dog leaves the United States. U.S.-accredited veterinarians can access the form and its instructions at Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) Help Page
  • Instructions for veterinarians are available here: Instructions to complete the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination Form [PDF – 4 pages].
• During the transition period: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-endorsed export health certificate that documents the dog’s age (at least 6 months), microchip number, and valid rabies vaccination administered in the United States.
  • This document can be shown instead of the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form.
  • The rabies vaccination must be valid (not expired) on the date of return or the form will be invalid.

Required documents for dogs that departed the United States and have been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries during the 6 months before entry:

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt
  • The CDC Dog Import Form will be accessible beginning July 15, 2024. Check back at that time for travel occurring on or after August 1, 2024.

AND one of the following:

• Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form
  • The Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form must be completed by a U.S.-accredited veterinarian before the dog leaves the Unites States. U.S.-accredited veterinarians can access the form and its instructions at Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) Help Page
  • Instructions for veterinarians are available here: Instructions to complete the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination Form [PDF – 4 pages].

OR

• USDA-endorsed export health certificate that documents the dog’s age (at least 6 months) and microchip number, and either:
  • Lists the destination as the dog rabies-free or low-risk country from which the dog is returning (the form will only be valid for 30 days if it does not contain rabies vaccination information) (the form will only be valid for 30 days if it does not contain rabies vaccination information), or
  • Documents a valid (unexpired) rabies vaccination administered in the United States (the form will be valid for the duration of the rabies vaccination (1 or 3 years)).

Required forms for dogs that have been in a country at high-risk for dog rabies within the 6 months before entry (and do not have Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form)

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt
  • The CDC Dog Import Form will be accessible beginning July 15, 2024. Check back at that time for travel occurring on or after August 1, 2024.
• Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form
  • Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form [PDF – 2 pages]
    Fillable Adobe PDF forms don’t function properly within web browsers (Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, etc). You should download fillable PDFs and complete them using Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat.
  • Instructions to complete the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form [PDF – 2 pages]
• Confirmation of reservation at CDC-registered Animal Care Facility
  • For information on CDC-registered animal facilities, see: CDC-registered animal care facilities.

Optional, in addition to above forms, to avoid 28-day quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility:

• Rabies serology titer from a CDC-approved laboratory
  • For information on CDC-approved laboratories, see: Approved Rabies Serology Laboratories for Testing Dogs.

Required documents for dogs that have been ONLY in countries that are dog rabies-free or low-risk during the 6 months before entry (and do not have Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form or USDA-endorsed export health certificate)

Option 1:

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt
  • The CDC Dog Import Form will be accessible beginning July 15, 2024. Check back at that time for travel occurring on or after August 1, 2024.
• Certification of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free or Low-Risk Country into the United States form

• • Certification of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free or Low-Risk Country into the United States form [PDF – 2 pages]
    Fillable Adobe PDF forms don’t function properly within web browsers (Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, etc). You should download fillable PDFs and complete them using Adobe Reader or Adobe Acrobat.
  • Instructions to complete the Certification of Dog Arriving from DRMVV-free or Low-Risk Country into the United States form [PDF – 2 pages]

• Veterinary records (including microchip number) for the previous 6 months

Or

Or

Option 3:

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt
  • The CDC Dog Import Form will be accessible beginning July 15, 2024. Check back at that time for travel occurring on or after August 1, 2024.
• Foreign export certificate endorsed by official veterinarian (includes dog’s age and microchip number
  • Contact your local veterinarian in the country of export for assistance obtaining this form.
• Veterinary records (including microchip number) for the previous 6 months