How to Bring a Dog from Canada to the US: CDC and USDA Requirements

To bring a dog from Canada to the US, the owner must complete a free CDC Dog Import Form online before arrival, and the dog must be at least 6 months old with a microchip readable by a universal scanner. Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies Canada as a low-risk country for dog rabies, dogs that have only been in Canada, the US, or Mexico in the past 6 months do not need a rabies vaccination certificate to cross the border, as of August 2026.

This rule has applied nationwide since August 1, 2024, when the CDC replaced its old rabies-certificate-only system with a universal import form for every dog entering the United States, regardless of origin. This guide walks through exactly what US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS), CDC, and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) each require, in the order a Canada-to-US traveler will actually encounter them.

Who regulates dog imports: CDC vs. USDA APHIS vs. CBP

Three federal agencies touch a dog crossing from Canada into the US, and each has a different job:

• CDC is the lead agency for dog imports. Its mandate is preventing the reintroduction of dog rabies into the United States, and it requires the Dog Import Form for every dog, per CDC's dog importation program.
• USDA APHIS regulates animal diseases like foot-and-mouth disease and screwworm. Since Canada has neither, APHIS Veterinary Services has no extra paperwork for dogs arriving from Canada, according to USDA APHIS's pet travel guidance. USDA APHIS Animal Care separately regulates dogs imported for commercial resale.
• CBP inspects the dog physically at the port of entry — airport, seaport, or land crossing — and can require a licensed veterinary exam at the owner's expense if the dog looks sick, per CBP's guidance on bringing pets into the United States.

As the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) puts it on its own guidance page for Canadians, owners are responsible for meeting all applicable US federal and state requirements — CFIA does not administer US entry rules.

Step-by-step: bringing a dog from Canada to the US

1. Confirm the dog's travel history for the last 6 months. If the dog has stayed only in Canada, the US, or Mexico, it qualifies for the low-risk pathway. If it has visited a country CDC classifies as high-risk for dog rabies in that window, it cannot enter directly from Canada and must either wait 6 months in Canada or travel directly from the high-risk country instead, per CDC and CFIA guidance.
2. Check the microchip. The dog needs a microchip that a universal scanner can read, implanted before or at the time of travel, per CDC's entry requirements.
3. Confirm the dog is at least 6 months old. CDC's minimum age for dog importation is 6 months.
4. Complete the CDC Dog Import Form online. The form is free, takes about 5 minutes, and must be filled out by the person importing the dog (owner, importer, or shipper), or by someone acting on their behalf if the importer has a disability, per CDC. No photo of the dog and no fee are required.
5. Save and print the email receipt. If flying, the receipt must be shown to the airline before boarding. At every port of entry, it must be available to show CBP on arrival, per CDC.
6. Cross at any port of entry. Dogs from Canada can enter through any US port — air, sea, or land — provided the basic requirements above are met, per CDC guidance summarized by CFIA.
7. Be ready for a CBP health check. All dogs must appear healthy on arrival. CBP can require an on-the-spot licensed veterinary exam, at the owner's cost, if the dog looks ill, per CBP.
8. Check your destination state's rules. Some US states add their own entry or health requirements. USDA APHIS directs travelers to their destination state's department of agriculture or state veterinarian's office to confirm before crossing.

Do you need a rabies vaccine to bring a dog from Canada to the US?

Not if the dog has stayed only in Canada, the US, or Mexico for the 6 months before travel. CDC states that in this scenario, the owner only needs to complete the CDC Dog Import Form — no rabies vaccination certificate is required for entry. This is because Canada is not on CDC's list of countries classified as high-risk for dog rabies, a list CDC last updated April 15, 2026, and which covers parts of the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa but not Canada, Mexico, or the US.

If the dog has visited a high-risk country in the prior 6 months, different rules apply — including a valid rabies vaccination certificate and, in some cases, a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility — but those rules are triggered by the high-risk country visit, not by the Canada-US crossing itself.

CDC vs. USDA APHIS requirements for dogs from Canada

What happens at the border

At a land crossing, airport, or seaport, CBP officers check the CDC Dog Import Form receipt and visually confirm the dog appears healthy, per CBP's pets and wildlife guidance. CBP recommends contacting the specific port of entry ahead of time to confirm local processing, especially for less common crossings or first-time travelers with a pet. If the dog looks unwell, CBP can require an immediate veterinary exam, billed to the owner, before allowing entry.

How this differs from EU pet passports and airline pet rules

Travelers researching pet documents online sometimes encounter the EU pet passport, issued under the European Union's Pet Travel Scheme for movement within the EU and to/from the UK. That is a separate, EU-specific government document and has no legal bearing on a Canada-to-US crossing. The US entry document a Canada-origin dog needs is the CDC Dog Import Form described above, not an EU pet passport. Airlines also set their own carrier-specific pet policies — crate size, breed restrictions, in-cabin vs. cargo rules — which are additional to, not a replacement for, CDC and CBP entry requirements.

Where Animal Passport fits — and where it doesn't

Animal Passport is a separate identity tool from the government paperwork above. It is a digital record built from a phone-captured muzzle photo — a nose print, which is unique to each animal much like a human fingerprint — combined with owner details, breed, an estimated age from a dental photo with a confidence score, a body condition score from 1–5 based on a side-profile photo, 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.

Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, and it does not replace the CDC Dog Import Form, a rabies certificate, or any USDA APHIS paperwork. It is a biometric identity and record-keeping tool, most relevant today to livestock identification rather than pet border crossings. Owners crossing from Canada to the US must still complete the official CDC and CBP steps above. Learn more about the product at Animal Passport, or read more field examples on the Animal Passport blog.

Common mistakes that delay entry

• Forgetting the CDC Dog Import Form. Since August 1, 2024, this applies even to dogs that have lived in Canada their whole lives — it is not just for high-risk-country dogs, per CDC.
• Assuming a rabies certificate is always required. It is not, for dogs coming only from Canada/US/Mexico — but airlines or destination states may still ask about vaccination status separately.
• Not checking the microchip works. A chip that a universal scanner cannot read does not meet CDC's requirement.
• Traveling with a puppy under 6 months. CDC's minimum age for import is 6 months; younger puppies need a different plan.
• Not checking destination-state rules. USDA APHIS notes states can layer on their own requirements beyond the federal baseline.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a rabies certificate to bring my dog from Canada to the US?

No, not if your dog has only been in Canada, the US, or Mexico for the past 6 months. CDC classifies Canada as low-risk for dog rabies, so only the CDC Dog Import Form is required in that case.

What is the CDC Dog Import Form?

It is a free online form every dog entering the US must have, introduced by CDC effective August 1, 2024. It takes about 5 minutes to complete, and the emailed receipt must be shown to the airline (if flying) and to CBP at the port of entry.

How old does my dog need to be to enter the US from Canada?

At least 6 months old, per CDC's dog importation requirements.

Does my dog need a microchip to cross from Canada to the US?

Yes. CDC requires a microchip that a universal scanner can read for every dog entering the United States.

Is there a fee for the CDC Dog Import Form?

No. CDC states the form is free to complete online.

How long is the CDC Dog Import Form receipt valid?

Up to 6 months for multiple entries, as long as the country of departure does not change, per CDC.

Does USDA APHIS require separate paperwork for dogs from Canada?

Generally no. USDA APHIS Veterinary Services requirements apply to countries affected by foot-and-mouth disease or screwworm, which does not include Canada. CDC is the primary federal authority for dog imports.

Is an Animal Passport biometric ID the same as the CDC Dog Import Form?

No. The CDC Dog Import Form is a US government entry requirement. Animal Passport is a separate, phone-based muzzle-biometric identity and record tool; it does not replace any federal import paperwork.

Bottom line

As of September 2026, bringing a dog from Canada to the US mainly means three things: the dog is at least 6 months old, it has a scannable microchip, and the owner has filed the free CDC Dog Import Form and kept the receipt. No rabies certificate is needed for dogs that have stayed only in Canada, the US, or Mexico. Confirm any destination-state rules and airline pet policies before travel, since federal, state, and carrier requirements are layered, not interchangeable.