Bringing a Dog from Canada to the US: What CDC and USDA Actually Require

Bringing a dog from Canada to the US requires a free CDC Dog Import Form, a microchip readable by a universal scanner, and proof the dog is at least 6 months old — not a rabies certificate, since Canada is classified as a dog-rabies-free/low-risk country. These rules come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 1, 2024, and they apply at every airport, seaport, and land border crossing.

This guide walks through the exact CDC and United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) requirements for dogs crossing from Canada into the United States in 2026, distinguishes them from unrelated pet-travel systems like the EU pet passport, and explains where a biometric identity record like Animal Passport fits (and where it does not).

Who regulates dogs entering the US from Canada?

The CDC — not USDA APHIS — holds primary federal authority over live dogs entering the United States, because the agency's mandate is preventing the reintroduction of dog rabies. USDA APHIS only adds requirements when a dog has been in a country affected by foot-and-mouth disease or screwworm in the prior time window; Canada is neither, so APHIS imposes no extra paperwork for dogs arriving directly from Canada, according to USDA APHIS's pet dog import page.

The core requirement: the CDC Dog Import Form

As of August 1, 2024, the only required documentation for a dog that has spent the previous 6 months solely in Canada, Mexico, or the US is the CDC Dog Import Form, according to CDC's entry requirements for dogs from dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries. The form is completed online, is free, and generates a receipt that must be shown to the airline before boarding (if flying) or to US Customs and Border Protection at the border.

What the form collects

Per CDC's Dog Import Form instructions, the importer enters four categories of information:

• Importer identification: passport, driver's license, or air waybill number, plus email and phone.
• Animal details: name, age, sex, breed, color/markings, microchip number, and a photo showing the dog's face and body.
• Travel information: departure country, arrival date, and mode of travel.
• Purpose of import: personal pet, commercial sale, service animal, government-owned, or research/exhibition.

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

1. Confirm your dog is at least 6 months old. CDC's rule has no exception for puppies, small breeds, or emotional support animals — a dog under 6 months cannot legally enter the US from Canada.
2. Microchip your dog with a chip that a universal scanner can read. CDC warns that undetectable microchips can result in the dog being denied entry and returned at the owner's expense.
3. Complete the CDC Dog Import Form online before travel and save or print the confirmation receipt.
4. Make sure your dog appears healthy at the time of entry; CDC officials or Customs and Border Protection can refer a sick-appearing dog for further inspection.
5. Show the receipt to the airline before boarding (air travel) or to Customs and Border Protection officers at the land border or seaport.
6. Reuse the receipt for repeat crossings. A single receipt is valid for 6 months and covers multiple entries as long as the dog's departure country doesn't change, per CDC's FAQ.

Do you need a rabies certificate from Canada?

No — not if the dog's only travel in the prior 6 months was within Canada, Mexico, or the US. Because Canada is not on CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies, it is treated as dog-rabies-free/low-risk by default, and CDC does not require a rabies vaccination certificate or a veterinary health certificate for these dogs, per the CDC dog importation FAQ. If a dog visited a high-risk country within that window, the high-risk-country rules apply instead, including a rabies vaccination certificate or CDC-approved documentation.

CDC Dog Import Form vs. rabies-vaccinated dog imports: comparison

Source: CDC, Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies-Free or Low-Risk Countries (2024) and CDC, Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations.

USDA APHIS: when does it apply to dogs from Canada?

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services adds requirements only for dogs coming from a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or screwworm-affected country or region. Canada currently has neither status, so a dog crossing directly from Canada does not need FMD or screwworm paperwork, according to USDA APHIS's Bring a Pet Dog into the United States page. APHIS also reminds importers that they remain responsible for meeting the requirements of the destination US state or territory, which can add rules beyond the federal minimum.

What if my dog visited a high-risk rabies country before Canada?

If a dog's 6-month travel history includes a country on CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, the low-risk pathway described above does not apply, even if the dog is departing from Canada. CFIA guidance confirms that such a dog cannot enter the US directly from Canada; the owner must either keep the dog in Canada for a full 6 months after leaving the high-risk country, or have the dog travel to the US directly from that high-risk country under CDC's high-risk-country rules, which typically require a rabies vaccination certificate and entry through a CDC-registered animal port, per CFIA's Dogs travelling to the United States page.

Costs and timeline to plan for

CDC does not charge a fee for the Dog Import Form itself, so the direct federal cost of bringing a dog from Canada to the US is $0 in government fees. Owners should still budget for a veterinarian visit to confirm the dog appears healthy, a microchip implant if the dog does not already have one, and any airline pet-carrier or crate fees if flying rather than driving. Because the form asks for the arrival date and departure country, it makes sense to complete it once travel plans are finalized rather than far in advance, and to keep the confirmation receipt accessible on a phone or printed copy for both the airline and Customs and Border Protection.

What Canada's own agency says

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) tells Canadian exporters that it is the owner's responsibility to meet both CDC and USDA APHIS requirements, and it directs dog owners to CDC resources for the Dog Import Form and other specifics, per CFIA's Dogs travelling to the United States guidance. CFIA also confirms that a dog that visited a high-risk rabies country cannot re-enter the US directly from Canada — it must either wait 6 months in Canada or travel from that high-risk country under the applicable high-risk rules.

How this differs from an EU pet passport

Owners searching for a Canada-to-US process sometimes assume it works like the European Union pet passport system, but the two are unrelated. The EU pet passport is an official document issued by an EU-authorized veterinarian under the EU Pet Travel Regulation, tracking rabies vaccination and microchip data for movement within the EU and to/from participating countries. The US has no equivalent passport booklet; the CDC Dog Import Form is a one-time (or 6-month) entry receipt, not a lifetime travel document, and it is issued by the importer online rather than by a veterinarian. If you are researching pet travel rules for the EU or the UK's former PETS scheme, consult the official EU or UK government pet travel pages directly rather than applying US CDC rules to that trip.

Where a biometric ID record like Animal Passport fits

Animal Passport is a digital identity record that uses muzzle biometrics — a dog or livestock animal's nose print, which is unique like a human fingerprint — captured from a phone camera, alongside an estimated age from a dental photo and a body condition score from a side-profile photo. It is a product for owner-linked lifetime identification, not a government travel document, and it does not replace the CDC Dog Import Form, a microchip, or any USDA APHIS requirement. Owners crossing the Canada-US border must still complete the official CDC and USDA steps above; a biometric record can serve as an additional, owner-controlled proof of identity and vaccination history alongside those official steps. Learn more at Animal Passport or browse related identification topics on the Animal Passport blog.

Common mistakes that get dogs turned away at the border

• Skipping the CDC Dog Import Form. Even though Canada requires no rabies certificate, the form itself is still mandatory for every dog.
• Traveling with a puppy under 6 months. There is no waiver; CDC enforces this uniformly regardless of breed or purpose.
• Using a microchip a US scanner can't read. Non-ISO or proprietary chips that fail a universal scanner check can lead to the dog being denied entry.
• Assuming a Canadian rabies certificate is required. It generally is not, unless the dog's travel history includes a high-risk country in the prior 6 months.
• Ignoring state-level rules. USDA APHIS notes that individual US states and territories may impose their own entry requirements on top of federal ones.

As of September 2026, the requirements above reflect the CDC rule that took effect August 1, 2024, and remain current. Because dog import rules can change, confirm details on CDC's official importation site before travel.