The CDC dog rules, explained simply
Everything the CDC asks before a dog enters the United States, in plain language, with the traps to avoid. Every page links to its cdc.gov sources.
Start with your dog
The rules depend on where your dog has been in the last 6 months. The express check gives you your dog’s pathway in about a minute.
The 4 pathways at a glance
If your dog… has not been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months
Low risk
The form only. Any airport, land or sea. Receipt valid 6 months.
If your dog… has been in a high-risk country and has a US rabies vaccination with the USDA-endorsed certification
High risk, US-vaccinated
The form, a photo and the USDA-endorsed certification. Any airport.
If your dog… has been in a high-risk country and was vaccinated outside the US, or in the US without the USDA-endorsed certification
High risk, vaccinated abroad
An endorsed certificate, a booking at an animal care facility and a direct flight to one of 8 airports. A titer test is strongly advised.
If your dog… has been in a high-risk country and is not vaccinated against rabies
Not admissible yet
Vaccinate first, then follow the rules for dogs vaccinated abroad.
The form
What it is, who needs it, how to fill it in and what you receive.
- The CDC form, step by stepWho needs the CDC Dog Import Form, when to fill it in, what each section asks and what you receive. A plain-language walkthrough of the official form.
- How long the receipt is validA low-risk receipt covers several entries for months, a high-risk receipt covers one arrival. What each covers and when you need a new form.
- The CDC receipt explainedWhat the CDC Dog Import Form receipt is, how it arrives, who checks it, printed or on a phone, and what to do if it is lost, late or wrong.
The rules for your dog
Age, microchip, vaccination, titer test and arrival airports, pathway by pathway.
- Age and microchipEvery dog entering the US must be old enough and carry a readable microchip. What CDC requires, the ISO question and what to do if the chip fails.
- Dogs from low-risk countriesIf your dog has only been in low-risk countries lately, entry into the US is simple. What low risk means, what you need and what you can skip.
- High-risk countriesThe CDC list of high-risk countries for dog rabies, what “been in” means, the special cases (China, Israel, Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla) and the pathways.
- US-vaccinated dogsHow a dog vaccinated against rabies in the US comes back from a high-risk country. The USDA-endorsed certification, its timing and what happens without it.
- Foreign-vaccinated dogsThe full pathway for a dog vaccinated outside the US that has been in a high-risk country. Certificate, titer test, facility booking and a realistic timeline.
- Rabies titer testWhat a rabies titer test is, when to draw the blood, the passing result, how long it stays valid and which CDC-approved labs can run it. With a worked example.
- Animal care facilitiesWhat a CDC-registered animal care facility does, the list of facilities and airports, how to book, who pays and which airport each pathway can use.
- The dog photoWhich dogs need a photo on the CDC form, what it must show, the accepted formats and size, the recency rule for young dogs and tips for a good picture.
Special situations
Layovers, land borders, cruises, service dogs, US dogs coming home, refusals.
- US dogs coming homeWhat US-resident dogs need to come home, from a weekend in Canada to a year abroad. The document to get before you leave, and what to do if you left without it.
- Layovers and connectionsWhen a dog changing planes in the US is exempt from CDC rules, why cabin travel and airline changes matter, and when a high-risk layover counts.
- Land borders, Canada and MexicoWhat your dog needs to drive into the US from Canada or Mexico. The CDC form, the USDA screwworm certificate for Mexico, and which dogs cannot cross by land.
- Cruises and sea arrivalsWhat the CDC says about dogs arriving in the US by ship, what it does not say about pet dogs on cruises, and how to plan a sea trip without surprises.
- Service dogsWhich dogs count as service dogs for the CDC, why emotional support dogs are treated as pets, and what differs for service dogs entering the US.
- Why dogs get refusedThe most common reasons a dog is refused boarding or entry into the United States, what happens next, and a checklist to run before you leave.
- Rule changes timelineEvery change to the US dog import rules since the 2024 CDC rule, with dates and sources, and how we keep these pages up to date.
Around the trip
Airlines, Hawaii, returning to Europe, USDA endorsement, cats.
- Airlines and dogsCabin, checked baggage or cargo, what the airline checks before boarding a dog bound for the US, and how to read your airline’s own pet policy.
- Hawaii and GuamHawaii and Guam are rabies-free and have their own quarantine laws. What the 5-Day-or-Less program asks, how Guam works and why some dogs cannot fly direct.
- Returning to EuropeEU rules for a dog flying from the US to France or another EU country: microchip, rabies vaccine, USDA-endorsed certificate, timing and the pet passport.
- USDA endorsementWhat a USDA endorsement is, who can sign the paperwork, how VEHCS works, how long it can take and when your dog needs it, for the CDC or for another country.
- Traveling with a catThere is no CDC Dog Import Form for cats. Which US rules apply, where Hawaii, states and airlines add their own, and how to bring a cat back to Europe.
By departure country
The rules for the countries most dogs fly from, with local tips.