CDC Dog Import Form Receipt: What It Is and How to Get One

A CDC dog import form receipt is the barcoded confirmation email you get after completing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Dog Import Form online. As of August 1, 2024, every dog entering or returning to the United States — regardless of the owner's citizenship or the dog's country of origin — must be accompanied by this receipt, which airlines and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) check before and after travel.

This guide walks through how the receipt is issued, how long it stays valid, what to do if your travel plans change, and how the CDC's rule differs from USDA paperwork and from unrelated products like Animal Passport's livestock identity tool. It reflects CDC guidance and rules that took effect August 1, 2024, as most recently reviewed August 2026.

What is the CDC Dog Import Form receipt?

The CDC Dog Import Form is an online form on the CDC's importation website that collects information about a dog before it travels to the U.S.: identifying details, microchip number, a recent photo, country history, and — for dogs from higher-risk countries — vaccination and rabies-titer documentation. Once the form is submitted and the submitter's email address is confirmed, the CDC's system automatically generates a receipt containing a unique barcode tied to that dog and that trip.

The receipt is not a visa, a health certificate, or a customs form on its own — it is proof that the required import information was submitted to CDC ahead of arrival. CDC has also published DogBot (also referred to as the Dog Importation Navigator), a question-and-answer tool that helps owners and veterinarians figure out which supporting documents a specific dog will need based on its vaccination history, age, and travel origin, before they fill out the form itself.

Why the receipt requirement exists

The CDC updated its dog importation regulation, effective August 1, 2024, in response to concerns about dogs entering the U.S. without adequate proof of rabies vaccination. U.S. Customs and Border Protection field offices, including San Diego and Laredo, issued public notices ahead of the change telling travelers that dogs arriving without a valid CDC Dog Import Form receipt could be denied entry, quarantined at the owner's expense, or turned back. Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear, which is why CDC treats dog-mediated rabies importation as a public health issue rather than a routine paperwork step.

How to get a CDC Dog Import Form receipt: step by step

1. Confirm what your dog needs first. Use CDC's DogBot/Dog Importation Navigator tool to check whether your dog is coming from a dog rabies-free/low-risk country or a high-risk country, since the required paperwork differs.
2. Gather supporting documents. High-risk-country dogs generally need a completed Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form and, in many cases, a valid rabies titer (FAVN/RNATT) result from a CDC-approved laboratory.
3. Complete the online Dog Import Form. Enter the dog's name, breed, sex, date of birth, 15-digit microchip number, and a recent photo showing the face and full body (dogs under 12 months need a photo taken within 15 days of travel).
4. Enter importer and travel details. Provide your legal name, U.S. address, phone number, email address, and full flight itinerary, including each flight number and the U.S. arrival airport.
5. Submit and confirm your email. After submission, CDC sends a confirmation email; you generally need to click a verification link before the barcode receipt is issued.
6. Receive the receipt. The receipt typically arrives by email within about 15 minutes of successful submission and verification, sent from a CDC mailbox.
7. Save and print it. Download the receipt, keep a digital copy on your phone, and print at least one physical copy to carry with your travel documents.

Each dog needs its own form and its own receipt — the CDC Dog Import Form does not support multi-dog submissions, so a shipment of two dogs means two separate submissions and two separate barcodes.

How long is the receipt valid?

Validity depends on where the dog has been in the prior six months:

Because the receipt is tied to the itinerary submitted on the form, a change to flight numbers or travel dates generally requires a new submission and a new receipt — the old barcode should not be assumed valid for a revised trip.

What you must show, and to whom

• Airlines: Present the receipt (printed or on a mobile device) at check-in or cargo acceptance before boarding.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection: CBP officers check the receipt on arrival at the U.S. port of entry; for high-risk-country dogs, entry is limited to airports with an approved CDC-designated animal care facility.

There is no government fee to submit the CDC Dog Import Form or to receive the receipt itself. Costs travelers may still incur — a rabies titer test, an accredited veterinarian's certification, or airline cargo fees — are separate from the CDC form.

CDC Dog Import Form vs. USDA APHIS paperwork vs. Animal Passport

These three are easy to conflate but serve different purposes:

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt is a U.S. public-health entry requirement, administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, focused on preventing dog-mediated rabies from entering the country.
• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) handles a different track: export health certificates for pets leaving the U.S., and additional import requirements only for dogs coming from countries affected by foot-and-mouth disease or screwworm. APHIS is not the agency that issues the Dog Import Form receipt. Our companion guide on USDA APHIS pet travel forms and fees covers that export-side process in detail.
• Animal Passport is a phone-based digital identity record that uses muzzle biometrics — a nose print, unique like a fingerprint — to bind an animal's owner, breed, estimated age (from a dental photo, with a confidence score), body condition score (1–5, from a side-profile photo), and vaccination history to a digital record. It was used during livestock flood rescue in Pakistan in August 2025, helping farmers reclaim animals after paper ear tags washed away. Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, is not a substitute for the CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and does not provide veterinary diagnosis or legal advice. Learn more at Animal Passport or browse related guides on the Animal Passport blog.

Common mistakes that delay or invalidate a receipt

• Submitting the form before required supporting documents (titer results, vaccination certification) are finalized.
• Missing the email verification step, so the barcode is never generated.
• Assuming an existing receipt still covers a trip after flight numbers or dates changed.
• Entering the wrong email address, which requires resubmitting the form entirely.
• Trying to submit one form for multiple dogs instead of a separate form per dog.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a fee for the CDC Dog Import Form or receipt?

No. Submitting the CDC Dog Import Form and receiving the barcode receipt is free; travelers only pay for related steps like rabies titer testing or veterinary certification, not for the form itself.

How long does it take to get the receipt after submitting the form?

Most submitters receive the receipt by email within about 15 minutes of completing the form and confirming their email address, though it can take longer if the confirmation link isn't clicked promptly.

Do I need a new receipt if my flight is delayed or rebooked?

If your flight number or arrival date changes from what's listed on the form, you should submit a new Dog Import Form, since the receipt and its barcode are tied to the itinerary you originally entered.

Does every dog need a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, even U.S.-origin dogs?

Yes. As of August 1, 2024, CDC requires the receipt for all dogs entering or returning to the United States, including dogs that started their trip in the U.S. and are coming back from abroad.

What's the difference between the CDC Dog Import Form and a USDA APHIS health certificate?

The CDC form governs entry into the U.S. and focuses on rabies risk; a USDA APHIS health certificate is typically required to export a pet from the U.S. to another country and is issued by an accredited veterinarian, not by CDC.

Can I show the receipt on my phone, or does it need to be printed?

CDC guidance allows either — a digital copy on a phone or a printed copy is acceptable to show airlines and CBP, though many travel advisors recommend printing a backup copy in case of connectivity issues at the airport.

Is the CDC Dog Import Form receipt the same as an Animal Passport digital record?

No. The CDC receipt is a U.S. government entry document tied to rabies-risk screening; Animal Passport is a separate, non-governmental biometric identity record for animals that is not a substitute for any official CDC or USDA paperwork.

What happens if a dog arrives without a valid receipt?

CBP field offices have publicly stated that dogs arriving without required CDC documentation, including the Dog Import Form receipt, can face denied entry, return to origin, or quarantine at the owner's expense, so the receipt should be secured well before departure.