CDC dog import rule changes since 2024, a dated timeline

Every 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.

In short

The CDC rule (42 CFR 71.51) was published on 13 May 2024 and has applied since 1 August 2024. It has not been formally amended.
Since then, the changes have come from CDC guidance pages, lists and the form system, plus USDA screwworm rules for Mexico.
The biggest practical changes: the export certificate cutoff (31 July 2025) and the new form system (5 February 2026).

Why this page exists

Dog import rules in the US move in small steps. The regulation itself is stable, but the CDC updates its pages, its lists of countries, laboratories and facilities, and the form. The USDA adds its own requirements when animal diseases spread. An article written in 2024 can be wrong today on a detail that matters, like a date or an airport.

This timeline lists every change we track, with its date and its source.

Timeline

Date	What changed	Who	What it means for you
13 May 2024	Final rule published (Federal Register 2024-09676), amending 42 CFR 71.51	CDC	The legal basis of the current system.
22 July 2024	The CDC simplified entry for dogs from low-risk countries: the CDC Dog Import Form became the only document, with no vet-certified form	CDC	Dogs from low-risk countries need the form only.
1 August 2024	The rule took effect	CDC	Every dog entering the US needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, including US dogs coming home.
31 July 2025	Last issue date for USDA export health certificates accepted in place of the Certification of US-Issued Rabies Vaccination	CDC	US dogs returning from high-risk countries now need the CDC certification, endorsed by USDA before leaving.
9 July 2025	USDA import alert on New World screwworm updated: dogs from Mexico need a health certificate based on a screwworm inspection no more than 5 days before travel	USDA APHIS	Dogs coming from Mexico need this certificate on top of the CDC form.
5 February 2026	New CDC form system	CDC	Receipts issued before remain valid.
1 April 2026	USDA dog import page updated (screwworm certificate for Mexico, signed by an official or SENASICA-authorized vet)	USDA APHIS	Same requirement, current wording.
15 April 2026	High-risk country list updated	CDC	Check your dog’s countries against the current list.
28 April 2026	Form instructions and US-vaccinated page updated: photo within 15 days before arrival for dogs under 1 year, no recency rule for older dogs	CDC	Older sources that mention a shorter photo window are out of date.
29 April 2026	Layovers page updated	CDC	The four conditions for a US layover exemption, and when a high-risk layover counts.
13 July 2026	Approved titer laboratory list updated	CDC	Check your lab is on the current list before the blood draw.
3 August 2026	Mexico started requiring a screwworm inspection certificate for pet dogs entering Mexico from the US (as reported by USDA APHIS)	Mexico, via USDA APHIS	Dogs going into Mexico need a certificate from a USDA-accredited vet. This is Mexico’s rule, not a US entry rule.
27 August 2026	FAQ updated: rabies boosters given with no lapse in coverage are valid immediately	CDC	No new 28-day wait after an on-time booster.
1 September 2026	Registered animal care facility list updated	CDC	Check which airports foreign-vaccinated dogs can use.

What has not changed since 2024

The core of the system is the same as on 1 August 2024:

every dog needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, by air, land or sea;
the rules depend on where your dog has been in the last 6 months;
dogs must be at least 6 months old and microchipped;
foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries need a titer test, a government vet certification and an animal care facility reservation;
the official form is free.

What is still unclear

Some questions have no official answer yet, and we say so on the pages concerned:

how the CDC treats pet dogs on cruises that stop in high-risk ports (see cruises);
how often the high-risk country list is reviewed;
whether a revision of the rule is being prepared. So far, we have found no formal amendment on federalregister.gov.

How we track changes

We check the CDC dog importation pages on cdc.gov, and the USDA APHIS pet travel pages, for their “last updated” dates.
When a date changes, we compare the page with our notes, line by line.
If a requirement changed, we update the affected pages and add a line to the table above.
Every page shows its sources. If the CDC page and one of our pages ever disagree, the CDC page is right: tell us and we will fix it.

For the current rules in one place, start with the CDC Dog Import Form, step by step.

Questions travelers ask

Has the CDC changed the dog import rule since August 2024?

The rule itself, 42 CFR 71.51, has not been formally amended. What changes are the CDC guidance pages, the lists behind them and the form system.

Is my receipt from before February 2026 still valid?

Yes. The CDC moved to a new form system on 5 February 2026, and receipts issued before that remain valid under their usual rules.

How often does the CDC update the high-risk country list?

The CDC does not say. Check the current list before every trip.

Can I still use a USDA export health certificate for my US dog?

Only if it was issued before the CDC cutoff at the end of July 2025. Certificates issued after the cutoff are not accepted, and you need the Certification of US-Issued Rabies Vaccination instead.

Ready to fill in the form?

Do it yourself, for free

The official CDC Dog Import Form is free. Use this page and fill it in on cdc.gov.

Go to the free CDC form

Or let us do it

We check your documents, file the form and send you the receipt. Our fee covers this service only.

See what we do