The CDC Dog Import Form receipt explained

In short

• The receipt is the proof that you submitted the CDC Dog Import Form. It is the document the airline and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ask to see.
• It is emailed to you after you confirm your email address. You can show it printed or on a phone.
• You show it to the airline before boarding and to CBP on arrival. One receipt covers one dog.
• Details that must match your trip: the departure country, and for a high-risk dog the arrival date and port. How long it stays valid is on the receipt validity page.

What the receipt is

The CDC Dog Import Form is a declaration, not a permit. Nobody reviews it before you travel. When you submit it, the system generates a receipt, and the receipt is the only thing that proves to others that the form was filed. A dog without one is not allowed to enter the United States, whatever its nationality or vaccinations.

The receipt carries what you declared. According to CDC's FAQ, that includes the country of departure, the port of entry for dogs that were in a high-risk country, and the microchip number, which must also appear on every other document required for that dog. A low-risk receipt does not list a port of entry.

CDC changed the look of the receipt when it moved the form to a new system on 5 February 2026. CDC says receipts from the previous version are still accepted if they are accurate and have not expired. The form itself is explained in the step-by-step walkthrough.

When and how it arrives

1. You submit the form.
2. You receive an email asking you to confirm your email address. CDC says it comes from 1cdpwebsurvey@cdc.gov and may land in your spam folder.
3. Once you confirm, you receive the receipt by email.

For dogs that were in a high-risk country, CDC says the emailed copy arrives within 15 minutes of your first submission. It gives no delay for low-risk dogs. CDC's published pages do not say what file format the receipt has, so do not assume it is a PDF: open the email and see what it contains.

The email address you type is the only place the receipt goes. A typo means the receipt never reaches you, which is one of the most avoidable causes of trouble at the airport.

Who has to carry it, and who checks it

You, the person traveling with the dog. The airline and the border officer check the receipt, not your documents folder in the cloud.

• At airline check-in. CDC's guidance says airlines check the receipt before boarding. For a dog that was in a high-risk country, the airline confirms that the port of entry on the receipt is the airport where the aircraft is scheduled to land, and that the receipt matches your other documents and the arrival date.
• On arrival. CBP can ask to see the receipt, together with the microchip and the documents for your dog's pathway.
• At a cruise port or a land crossing. The same receipt applies. For a service dog on a cruise, the receipt must list the port where the ship arrives.

If the receipt is missing at check-in, CDC's guidance for airlines says the importer can complete the form on a phone before boarding. If the dog still lacks the required documents, the airline should deny boarding. A dog that reaches the border with a wrong receipt can be refused entry and sent back, as explained in why dogs get refused at the border.

Printed or on a phone

Both are accepted. CDC's airline guidance says the receipt can be printed or displayed on a phone or another device.

• Keep it on your phone (in the email app and as a saved copy that opens offline) and on paper.
• Carry it in your hand luggage, with your dog's other papers, not in checked baggage.
• If you travel with several dogs, keep each receipt separate and label it with the dog's name.

If something goes wrong

The receipt never arrived

Check, in this order: the spam folder; the exact spelling of the address you used; whether you confirmed your email address in the first message. CDC's published pages do not explain how to retrieve a lost or undelivered receipt. If you cannot find it, submit the form again with a correct address (it is free), then keep the new receipt and delete the old one from your travel folder so you do not show the wrong one.

You lost the receipt

Search your mailbox for the CDC message, including trash and spam. If it is gone, the same rule applies: CDC describes no retrieval service, so filing again is the dependable route. For a high-risk dog, make sure the new form has the same date and port as your flight.

There is a mistake on the receipt

CDC does not describe an edit or correction process. What matters is whether the mistake changes how the receipt is checked:

• Departure country, arrival date or port of entry wrong: file a new form. These details decide whether the airline will board your dog.
• Another detail wrong (a spelling, a number): ask CDC-INFO before you travel. Give your travel date so they can expedite if needed. The number is 800-232-4636 (TTY 888-232-6348), and CDC publishes no opening hours there.

Filing again is always free on cdc.gov (opens in a new tab). If you prefer that someone else checks the details and files for you, our paid service does it, and the form itself stays free on the official site.

How the receipt relates to validity

The receipt is tied to your trip. A low-risk receipt covers one dog entering several times from the same departure country for 6 months. A high-risk receipt covers one entry, on the date and at the port you declared. Both situations, and what to do when plans change, are on how long the receipt is valid.

Before you leave for the airport, run through this list:

• the receipt is for the right dog and shows the right departure country;
• for a high-risk dog, the date and the airport match your ticket;
• it is on your phone and on paper;
• the other documents for your pathway are with it. See the high-risk country list if you are not sure which pathway applies.