CDC Dog Import Form: A Complete 2026 Guide

The CDC Dog Import Form is a free, online form required by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for every dog entering the United States, in effect since August 1, 2024. Owners, importers, or pet shippers submit it before travel, and CDC emails a receipt that must be shown to the airline and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on arrival. This guide explains who needs it, when to file it, what it costs, and how it fits alongside other pet documents.

What Is the CDC Dog Import Form?

The CDC Dog Import Form is the online application that replaced the CDC's paper-based dog import process as part of a final rule that took effect August 1, 2024. It applies to every dog entering or re-entering the United States, including dogs owned by U.S. residents returning from a trip abroad, not just commercially imported animals. The form is assigned OMB Control No. 0920-1383 and is completed at cdc.gov/importation/forms.html.

Unlike a veterinary health certificate, the form itself does not certify vaccination status — it is a declaration that CDC uses to screen dogs for dog-maintained rabies virus variant (DMRVV) risk before they reach U.S. soil.

Who Must File the CDC Dog Import Form

According to CDC guidance, the form is required for any dog entering the U.S., regardless of:

• The dog's vaccination history
• The dog's country of origin or departure
• Whether the dog is a pet, a rescue transport, or part of a commercial shipment
• The owner's citizenship or residency status

If the importer cannot complete the form themselves, someone acting on their behalf — such as a pet relocation company, breeder, or veterinarian — may submit it instead, per CDC instructions.

How to Complete the CDC Dog Import Form: Step by Step

1. Gather the dog's details. You will need the microchip number, the dog's date of birth or age, breed, and the country the dog is departing from.
2. Take a current photo if the dog is under one year old. CDC requires this photo to have been taken within 15 days of the dog's U.S. arrival.
3. Go to the CDC's online form portal at cdc.gov/importation/forms.html and select the Dog Import Form.
4. Enter travel details, including arrival airport and date, and confirm your email address, since the receipt is sent electronically.
5. Submit the form. CDC states a confirmation receipt typically arrives by email within about 15 minutes.
6. Save and print the receipt. You must be able to show it to the airline before boarding and to CBP officers on arrival.
7. Complete any additional forms your risk category requires (see table below) before you travel.

CDC recommends completing the form a few days before travel rather than waiting until departure day, even though same-day submission is technically allowed.

Do I Need Anything Besides the CDC Dog Import Form?

What else is required depends on where the dog has spent time in the last six months. CDC groups countries into two categories for entry purposes: dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries, and high-risk countries for dog rabies.

CDC maintains the current list of high-risk countries for dog rabies and the directory of CDC-registered animal care facilities and their airports on its importation site. Dogs arriving from a high-risk country without a valid rabies serology titer can be quarantined for up to 28 days at the registered facility, according to CDC guidance.

Baseline Entry Requirements for All Dogs

On top of the CDC Dog Import Form, CDC's 2024 rule sets baseline conditions every dog must meet to enter the U.S.:

• Appear healthy on arrival
• Be at least 6 months old at the time of entry
• Have an ISO-compatible microchip readable by a universal scanner
• Have the microchip implanted before the dog's rabies vaccination — a vaccine given before microchipping is not considered valid by CDC

Fees, Receipt Validity, and Timing

The CDC Dog Import Form itself is free to submit. Per CDC guidance, the receipt is valid for six months from the submission date, provided the dog's country of departure does not change in the meantime — a new departure country requires a new form. There is no fixed minimum number of days before travel that CDC requires for submission, but the agency recommends filing a few days ahead so there's time to resolve any errors before departure.

What Happens Without a Completed Form

Airlines can deny boarding to a dog without a valid CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and CBP can deny entry at the port of arrival. Per CDC guidance, a dog that does not meet entry requirements will be denied entry and returned to its country of departure at the owner's expense. This makes the form a hard gate, not a formality — treat it the same as a passport check.

CDC Dog Import Form vs. Other Pet Documents

The CDC Dog Import Form is easy to confuse with other paperwork that serves a different purpose. It is not:

• A USDA APHIS export health certificate. The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) endorses health certificates for dogs and other animals leaving the U.S. or moving between states; CDC's form governs entry into the U.S. specifically for rabies risk.
• An EU pet passport. The European Union's pet passport, issued under the EU Pet Travel Scheme, documents rabies vaccination and identification for animals moving within the EU and is issued by an EU-authorized veterinarian — it is a separate regulatory system from the CDC's U.S. entry process.
• A breed registry certificate or a biometric identity record. Products like Animal Passport, which use a phone-captured muzzle (nose) print, dental-photo age estimate, and body condition score to create a digital identity record for an animal, are owner-facing identity tools. They do not replace, submit, or substitute for the CDC Dog Import Form, and they are not government-issued travel documents.

If you're researching pet identity tools more broadly — for example, after reading about how digital records helped reunite livestock with owners after flooding in Pakistan in August 2025 — see Animal Passport's blog for that context, and Animal Passport's homepage for the product itself. Neither replaces a CDC, USDA, or EU government filing.

Quick Comparison: CDC Dog Import Form vs. USDA Export Certificate vs. EU Pet Passport

As of September 2026

As of September 2026, the CDC's dog rabies importation rule that took effect August 1, 2024 remains the governing framework, with the transition provisions that applied through July 31, 2025 now fully in force — meaning USDA-endorsed export health certificates are no longer accepted in place of the CDC-specific forms for high-risk-country dogs. Always confirm current requirements and the current high-risk country list directly at cdc.gov/importation/dogs before booking travel, since CDC updates the risk list periodically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the CDC Dog Import Form free?

Yes. The CDC Dog Import Form has no submission fee. Costs come from related requirements, such as veterinary exams, microchipping, rabies titer tests, or CDC-registered animal care facility fees for high-risk-country dogs.

How long before travel should I submit the CDC Dog Import Form?

The form can technically be completed the day of travel, but CDC recommends submitting it a few days in advance so you have time to fix errors. The resulting receipt stays valid for six months as long as the departure country doesn't change.

Does every dog entering the U.S. need this form, even U.S. citizens' pets?

Yes. Per CDC, the form applies to every dog entering the United States, including pets owned by returning U.S. residents, regardless of vaccination history or country of origin.

What airports can dogs from high-risk countries use?

Dogs that have been in a CDC-designated high-risk country for dog rabies within the last six months, and were vaccinated abroad, must enter through a U.S. airport that has a CDC-registered animal care facility, with a reservation made in advance. CDC publishes the current facility and airport list on its importation site.

What happens if I don't complete the CDC Dog Import Form?

An airline may deny boarding, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection can deny entry. CDC states a dog that fails to meet entry requirements is returned to its country of departure at the owner's expense.

Is the CDC Dog Import Form the same as an EU pet passport?

No. The CDC form is a U.S. entry screening tool for rabies risk, while the EU pet passport is issued under the EU Pet Travel Scheme for animals moving within or into the European Union.

Does a microchip or biometric ID app like Animal Passport replace the CDC Dog Import Form?

No. Animal Passport is a phone-based digital identity record using muzzle print, dental-photo age estimate, and body condition score; it is not a government filing and does not satisfy CDC entry requirements.

Can someone else submit the CDC Dog Import Form on my behalf?

Yes. Per CDC instructions, a pet shipper, veterinarian, or other person acting on the importer's behalf can complete the form if the importer cannot.

Bottom Line

The CDC Dog Import Form is a mandatory, free, online screening step for every dog entering the United States, in place since August 1, 2024. File it a few days before travel, keep the emailed receipt, and check whether your dog's recent travel history to a high-risk rabies country adds vaccination certification, titer testing, or restricted-airport requirements. It is a government rabies-risk filing — separate from USDA export certificates, EU pet passports, and private identity tools such as Animal Passport.