APHIS USDA Gov Pet Travel: How to Use the Official Site to Travel With Your Pet

aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel is the official website of the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) where pet owners look up country- and state-specific requirements for traveling with dogs, cats, and other companion animals. The site does not issue a "pet passport" — instead it directs owners to USDA-accredited veterinarians who complete health certificates that APHIS then endorses. This guide explains exactly what the official APHIS pet travel site covers, what it costs, and how it differs from other pet-ID tools you may have heard about.

What Is aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel?

The USDA APHIS pet travel portal is the federal government's single entry point for three types of pet movement: taking a pet out of the United States (export), bringing a pet into the United States (import), and moving a pet between US states or territories (interstate). According to APHIS, the site defines a "pet" as a privately owned companion animal — not an animal intended for research, resale, or agricultural production. Qualifying species listed by APHIS include dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, rodents, hedgehogs, tenrecs, most reptiles, amphibians, and certain birds; poultry such as chickens, ducks, and pigeons are excluded and fall under separate agricultural rules.

Does the US Government Issue a Pet Passport?

No. USDA APHIS states directly in its pet travel FAQ that "the United States does not issue pet passports for international travel." Instead, a USDA-accredited veterinarian issues an international health certificate tailored to the requirements of your specific destination country, and APHIS endorses that certificate when the destination requires it. There is no single, universal US pet travel document — every country sets its own entry rules, and APHIS advises travelers to verify requirements every time they travel, since rules can change without notice.

The Official APHIS Pet Travel Process (Export)

For pets leaving the United States, APHIS lays out the process in five general steps on its Pet Travel Process Overview page:

1. Contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian immediately after deciding to travel, so they can confirm what your destination country requires.
2. Complete the health certificate. The accredited veterinarian examines your pet and completes any required vaccinations, treatments, or tests, then signs the certificate.
3. Submit for USDA endorsement through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) or by shipping physical paperwork to a USDA endorsement office, when the destination country requires federal endorsement.
4. Finish any remaining requirements, such as import permits, consulate approvals, or airline-specific paperwork.
5. Travel with the original endorsed documents — most countries require the physical, endorsed hard copy, not a digital scan.

APHIS warns that the full process "could take a few weeks to many months," so owners should start well before booking travel. A commonly cited validity window is about 30 days from the date the veterinarian signs the certificate, though this varies by destination country.

USDA APHIS Pet Travel Endorsement Fees (2026)

As of the APHIS fee schedule page (last modified June 2026), USDA charges endorsement fees based on how many laboratory tests the certificate requires and how many pets appear on one certificate:

APHIS does not charge endorsement fees for service dogs belonging to individuals with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); emotional support animals are billed the standard fee. Payment is accepted by APHIS user fee credit account or credit/debit card.

Bringing a Dog Into the US: CDC vs. USDA APHIS

A common point of confusion is which federal agency governs dog imports. USDA APHIS handles pet export health certificates and endorsement, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sets the rules for bringing dogs into the United States. Under CDC regulations effective August 1, 2024, requirements depend on where the dog was vaccinated against rabies and which countries it visited in the six months before entering the US. The CDC's Dog Importation Navigator sorts travelers into scenarios such as rabies-free/low-risk-country travel, US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries, and foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries. Per CDC guidance, an unvaccinated dog that has been in a high-risk rabies country in the prior six months will not be allowed to enter the US. USDA APHIS separately notes that dogs returning from high-risk countries may also need a Certification of US-Issued Rabies Vaccination, which CDC states "cannot be issued retroactively" after the pet has already left the country — so this step must be completed before departure, not after.

Interstate Pet Travel: What APHIS Does and Doesn't Regulate

APHIS is explicit that it does not regulate interstate movement of pets by individual owners — that authority belongs to each receiving state or territory. The federal agency only regulates commercial pet transporters. If you are driving or flying your own pet from one US state to another, you need to check that specific state's animal health requirements (often a certificate of veterinary inspection), which APHIS's state-to-state tool helps you locate, or contact the destination state's animal health official directly.

USDA APHIS Pet Travel vs. EU Pet Passport vs. Animal Passport: What's the Difference?

These three terms sound similar but serve different purposes and different governments or organizations. Confusing them can cause real problems at a border, so here is how they compare:

USDA APHIS confirms the US does not issue anything called a "pet passport" for international travel; the EU pet passport is a separate document issued only within the European Union and is not part of the US system. Animal Passport is a different kind of tool altogether: a phone-based digital identity record that uses a nose-print (muzzle biometric) to bind an animal to its owner, along with breed, an estimated age from a dental photo, body condition score, and vaccination history. It was used during livestock flood rescue efforts in Pakistan in August 2025, helping farmers reclaim animals after paper ear tags were washed away. It does not replace, and should never be presented in place of, a USDA-endorsed health certificate or an EU pet passport at any border or airline check-in counter.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Starting too late. APHIS says the full process can take weeks to months; some countries also require rabies titer tests with waiting periods of several months.
• Assuming one certificate works everywhere. APHIS confirms there is no universal health certificate — requirements are set per destination country and can change at any time.
• Forgetting transit countries. If your pet connects through another country, that country's transit rules may apply even for a short layover.
• Relying on a digital copy. Most destinations require the original, physically endorsed paper certificate, not a photo or PDF.
• Confusing CDC dog-import rules with USDA export rules. Returning to the US with a dog is governed by CDC, not the USDA export process described above.

For a deeper walkthrough of the export process, VEHCS, and how USDA documents compare to other pet ID tools, see Animal Passport's related guide on APHIS pet travel and USDA health certificates, and browse more explainers on the Animal Passport blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel used for?

It is the official USDA APHIS website where pet owners look up country-specific import/export requirements, find USDA-accredited veterinarians, and access the system used to submit health certificates for federal endorsement.

Does USDA APHIS issue pet passports?

No. USDA APHIS states plainly that the United States does not issue pet passports for international travel. Owners instead get a USDA-endorsed health certificate specific to their destination country.

How much does USDA pet travel endorsement cost?

Per the USDA APHIS fee schedule, endorsement fees range from $101 per certificate (no lab tests) up to $275 for the first pet when seven or more lab tests are required, with smaller per-additional-pet fees on multi-pet certificates.

Who regulates bringing a dog into the United States?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), not USDA APHIS, sets US dog import rules. Under regulations effective August 1, 2024, requirements depend on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it visited in the prior six months.

Does USDA APHIS regulate pet travel between US states?

No. APHIS does not regulate interstate movement of pets by individual owners; each destination state or territory sets its own entry requirements, which pet owners must check directly.

Is the EU pet passport the same as a USDA APHIS health certificate?

No. The EU pet passport is issued by veterinarians within the European Union for animals moving within or into the EU. It is a separate document from the USDA-endorsed health certificate that APHIS issues for pets leaving the United States.

Is Animal Passport's muzzle-ID product the same as a USDA pet travel document?

No. Animal Passport is a private digital identity tool that uses muzzle (nose-print) biometrics, breed, estimated age, and body condition to record an animal's identity. It is not a government-issued travel document and cannot substitute for a USDA-endorsed health certificate.

How long does the USDA pet travel process take?

According to USDA APHIS, the process can take anywhere from a few weeks to many months depending on the destination country's testing and waiting-period requirements, so the agency recommends contacting an accredited veterinarian as soon as travel is being considered.