CDC Import Form: What It Is and How to Complete It Before Bringing a Dog Into the U.S.

The CDC import form — officially the CDC Dog Import Form — is a free online submission required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for every dog entering or returning to the United States as of August 1, 2024. It collects the traveler's contact details, the dog's microchip number, a recent photo, and recent travel history, then issues an email receipt that must be shown at the U.S. port of entry. Filing takes under five minutes and does not require veterinary sign-off for dogs coming from low-risk countries.

What Is the CDC Dog Import Form?

The CDC Dog Import Form is the centerpiece of a nationwide rule change that took effect August 1, 2024, replacing the CDC's older dog import permit system. According to the Pet Advocacy Network, all dogs entering or returning to the U.S. now require submission of this form, and there is no charge to importers for filing it. The form is completed online, generates an emailed confirmation, and that receipt — not the form itself — is what a Customs and Border Protection officer checks on arrival.

The rule applies broadly: family pets returning from vacation, dogs adopted abroad, show and breeding dogs, and dogs relocating with their owners all need a completed form. A separate form is required for each dog, even when a household is traveling with several animals.

Who Must Submit a CDC Import Form?

Anyone accompanying a dog into the United States — owner, agent, or transporter — must submit the form before the dog reaches the border, according to a summary published by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA). This applies even to dogs crossing a land border from Canada or Mexico for a day trip, not just international flights.

What You Need Before You Start

• A clear photo of the dog's face and body. Sources differ slightly on the window for puppies under one year old: the Pet Advocacy Network cites a photo taken within 10 days of arrival, while Across the Pond Pet cites a 15-day window. Check the current CDC instructions before you travel to confirm the exact figure.
• The dog's microchip number. The CVMA summary states the microchip must be detectable with a universal scanner and, where rabies vaccination applies, implanted before that vaccination.
• Planned U.S. port of entry.
• A record of every country the dog visited in the previous six months. This determines whether the dog is treated as coming from a low-risk or high-risk country.

How to Complete the CDC Import Form: Step by Step

1. Start the form online. The CDC recommends completing it 2–10 days before arrival, though it can be finished at the last minute, even in the border line, according to Pet Advocacy Network.
2. Enter the importer's contact information.
3. Enter the dog's details, including breed, age, and microchip number.
4. Upload the required photo of the dog.
5. List every country the dog has visited in the last six months.
6. Submit the form and confirm your email address when prompted.
7. Save or print the receipt. It is valid for six months from the issue date and can be shown on a phone or as a printed copy at arrival, per Pet Advocacy Network.
8. If any details change before travel, submit a new form and indicate you are updating a prior submission rather than editing the original.

If the dog visits a different low-risk country or any high-risk country before the six months are up, the receipt is no longer valid and a new form is required.

Low-Risk vs. High-Risk Country Requirements

The paperwork a dog needs depends entirely on where it has been in the prior six months, not just its country of departure. If a dog transited or resided in a high-risk country at any point in that window, U.S. rules treat it as a high-risk import even if it is now flying from a low-risk country.

The New York City Bar Association's 2024 report on the rules identified six CDC-registered animal care facilities that currently handle foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries: Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. The same report argued this narrow list creates logistical and financial burdens for international rescues and adopters and recommended expanding the number of approved locations.

CDC vs. USDA APHIS: Who Regulates What

The CDC Dog Import Form exists because the CDC regulates dog imports for rabies and public-health reasons — it is a health screening tool, not a customs or agriculture form. The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) has a separate lane: it regulates the import of livestock and other animals, and it issues its own permits for dogs arriving from countries affected by specific animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease. A traveler bringing a single pet dog from a low-risk country generally only deals with the CDC form; someone importing livestock, or a dog from a disease-affected region, may also need to clear USDA APHIS requirements separately.

Where a Livestock Digital ID Like Animal Passport Fits — and Doesn't

The CDC Dog Import Form is a federal health-screening requirement for companion dogs crossing the U.S. border. It has no relationship to Animal Passport, a phone-based digital identification tool built for livestock rather than pet dogs. Animal Passport captures a muzzle print — a nose pattern that is unique to each animal, similar to a human fingerprint — along with an owner record, breed, an estimated age from a dental photograph, a body condition score from 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, it does not replace the CDC Dog Import Form or any USDA APHIS paperwork, and it does not provide veterinary diagnoses or legal advice. If you are importing a dog into the United States, the CDC form above is the document you need. If you manage livestock identity and record-keeping on a farm, more detail on how the biometric ID works is available on the Animal Passport blog.

Common Mistakes That Delay Entry

• Assuming rabies vaccination isn't needed. It isn't required by the CDC form for dogs solely from low-risk countries, but many U.S. states and departure countries still require proof, per the CVMA summary.
• Microchipping after vaccination. For dogs subject to vaccination requirements, the microchip generally needs to be implanted before the rabies vaccine so the chip can be matched to the vaccination record.
• Waiting until arrival for a high-risk-country dog. With entry limited to a handful of CDC-registered facilities for foreign-vaccinated dogs, last-minute travel from a high-risk country can mean being turned away at an unauthorized port.
• Not knowing the form has a gap. The New York City Bar Association's report flagged that the CDC Dog Import Form itself does not ask about rabies vaccination status, so travelers still need to independently confirm and carry proof if their dog's travel history requires it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CDC import form?

The CDC import form is the CDC Dog Import Form, a free online submission the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has required since August 1, 2024, for every dog entering or returning to the United States.

Do I need a CDC import form for my dog?

Yes. Anyone bringing a dog into the U.S. — including returning residents and short land-border crossings — must submit a separate CDC Dog Import Form for each dog before arrival.

How much does the CDC dog import form cost?

Nothing. The Pet Advocacy Network confirms there is no charge to importers for submitting the CDC Dog Import Form.

How long is the CDC dog import form receipt valid?

Up to six months from the issue date for dogs from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries, covering multiple entries. The receipt becomes invalid if the dog visits a high-risk country or a different low-risk country during that window.

What happens if I don't have a completed CDC import form?

The form and its emailed receipt are required documentation at the U.S. port of entry; without it, a dog can be denied entry or held for additional screening.

Is the CDC import form the same as a rabies vaccination certificate?

No. The form itself does not ask about rabies vaccination status, according to the New York City Bar Association's 2024 review. Dogs from high-risk countries need separate proof of vaccination or a titer test in addition to the form.

Does USDA APHIS also require a form for dogs?

Usually not for a single pet dog from a low-risk country — that falls under the CDC. USDA APHIS regulates livestock imports and issues separate requirements for dogs from countries affected by certain animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease.

Is Animal Passport the same as the CDC import form?

No. Animal Passport is a digital, biometric identification tool for livestock, using muzzle prints, estimated age, and body condition scoring. It is not a government import document and does not replace the CDC Dog Import Form.