CDC Import Form for Dogs: What It Is and How to File It

The CDC import form for dogs — officially the CDC Dog Import Form — is a free, online-only form that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires for every dog entering or returning to the United States. It applies whether the dog is arriving by air, land, or sea, and it works alongside other requirements — a scannable microchip, a minimum age of 6 months, and in some cases rabies vaccination proof — that depend on where the dog has spent the previous six months.

What Is the CDC Dog Import Form?

The CDC Dog Import Form is the centerpiece of a final rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (HHS/CDC) that took effect on August 1, 2024. The rule was written to keep dog-maintained rabies virus variant (DMRVV) — a strain of rabies the United States eliminated in dogs in 2007 — from re-entering the country, according to a Congressional Research Service summary published via EveryCRSReport.com.

Practically, the form collects biographical information about the importer, the dog's characteristics (age, sex, breed, markings), its microchip number, and travel details. Notably, a 2024 New York City Bar Association Animal Law Committee report found that the form itself does not ask about rabies vaccination status — vaccination and titer documentation are verified separately, outside the form.

Who Has to File It, and When?

Every dog entering or returning to the United States needs a completed CDC Dog Import Form, regardless of the owner's citizenship or the dog's country of origin. The importer — the owner, importer, or shipper — completes the form online, and submission generates a receipt. That receipt must be shown to the airline before boarding (for air travel) and to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival.

Practical guidance from pet-relocation specialists recommends completing the form a few days before travel rather than waiting until departure day, since some receipt types are tied to a specific arrival date. WorldCarePet's 2026 guidance confirms the form has applied to all dogs entering the U.S. since August 1, 2024, with no major structural change reported for 2026.

Sources Disagree on Receipt Validity — Here's the Nuance

Coverage of the CDC Dog Import Form receipt is not fully consistent across sources, so treat this as a point to double-check directly with CDC before travel. General guidance describes the receipt as valid for a single entry, tied to the arrival date listed on it. Separately, the Congressional Research Service summary notes that after a July 2024 clarification, dogs that spent the prior six months only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries can rely on a CDC Import Form described as valid for six months and multiple reentries. In short: a standard receipt is date-specific, but the simplified pathway for low-risk-country dogs may cover repeat trips. Confirm which category applies to your dog before booking travel.

How to Complete the CDC Dog Import Form

1. Confirm your dog's country-risk category. Check where the dog has physically been in the last six months — dog-rabies-free, low-risk, or high-risk for DMRVV.
2. Gather the required details. You will need the importer's contact information, the US address where the dog will be located, the recipient's name, the dog's microchip number, and a recent photo showing the dog's face and body.
3. Complete the online form in English or Spanish (Spanish submissions generate a bilingual receipt so English-speaking port staff can also read it).
4. Save and print (or screenshot) the emailed receipt. The receipt generates automatically, typically within minutes.
5. Present the receipt to the airline before boarding, if traveling by air.
6. Present the receipt to CBP on arrival in the United States, along with any additional documents required for your dog's risk category.

Additional Requirements by Country Risk Category

The CDC Dog Import Form is necessary for every dog, but it is not sufficient on its own for dogs coming from countries where DMRVV is considered high-risk. The table below summarizes the general difference, based on the CDC's August 2024 final rule as described in the Congressional Research Service summary and pet-relocation industry guidance.

The Six US Airports with CDC-Registered Animal Care Facilities

Dogs that have been in a CDC-designated high-risk country within the previous six months must enter the United States through one of six airports with a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility (ACF): Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Miami International Airport (MIA), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). A reservation at the ACF is required in advance, and pet-relocation specialists note slots can fill up weeks ahead of travel, so this is not something to arrange at the last minute.

What Happens If You Don't File the CDC Dog Import Form?

Skipping the form, or providing false information on it, is treated as a violation of federal quarantine regulations. According to a 2024 report from the New York City Bar Association's Animal Law Committee, individuals who violate CDC dog import regulations can face fines of up to $100,000 per violation (up to $250,000 if death results), plus up to one year of imprisonment; organizations can face fines up to $200,000 per violation ($500,000 if death results). A dog denied entry may also be required to return to its country of departure, generally within 72 hours of arrival, at the owner's expense.

USDA APHIS vs. CDC: Who Regulates What?

Owners are sometimes unsure whether the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) or the CDC governs dog imports. Per the Congressional Research Service summary, the two agencies have different jobs: the CDC's Dog Import Form and related rules exist specifically to manage the public health risk of dog-maintained rabies. USDA APHIS, by contrast, enforces Animal Welfare Act standards for commercial dog imports (such as those brought in for resale) — an animal-welfare function, not a disease-control one. For most personal pet travel, the CDC Dog Import Form is the document owners need to focus on first.

This Is Not a Pet Passport or a Biometric Livestock ID

It's worth being precise about terminology here, because import form, passport, and pet ID are often used loosely online. The CDC Dog Import Form is a US government entry-compliance document tied to rabies control at the border. It is not the same thing as the European Union's pet passport under the EU Pet Travel Scheme, which is a separate, EU-specific document for intra-EU pet movement — and it is also not the same thing as a biometric animal identity record.

Animal Passport is a digital livestock identification tool that uses muzzle biometrics — a nose print, unique to each animal like a human fingerprint — captured with a phone camera. It binds an owner, breed, an age estimate (from a dental photograph, with a confidence score), a body condition score (1–5, from a side-profile photo), and vaccination history to that animal's record. It was used during livestock flood rescue efforts in Pakistan in August 2025, helping farmers reclaim animals after paper ear tags washed away. It is a private identity and record-keeping tool for livestock, not a government-issued CDC import document, and it does not substitute for the CDC Dog Import Form when bringing a dog into the United States. For more on how biometric animal ID works in the field, see the Animal Passport blog.

Criticism and Ongoing Debate

The August 2024 rule has drawn scrutiny from veterinary and legal groups. The New York City Bar Association's Animal Law Committee raised several concerns in its 2024 report, including that the six-airport rule for high-risk-country dogs can complicate international rescue transports, that a universal 6-month minimum age applies even though rabies vaccines are typically eligible from 12–16 weeks, and that the rules can create hardship for military families, people with disabilities, and residents of border communities who cross frequently with pets. These are policy critiques from an advocacy body, not changes to the current rule — but they're useful context for understanding why the requirements sometimes feel stricter than in past years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the CDC Dog Import Form free?

Yes. The CDC Dog Import Form has no filing fee — completing it online and receiving the emailed receipt is free.

How far in advance should I complete the CDC Dog Import Form?

It can be completed on the day of travel, but pet-relocation specialists recommend filing it a few days ahead so you have time to fix errors and confirm any additional documents your dog's risk category requires.

Does the CDC Dog Import Form check rabies vaccination status?

No. According to a 2024 New York City Bar Association report, the form itself collects biographical and travel information but does not ask about rabies vaccination — that is handled through separate certificates and, for high-risk-country dogs, serologic titer testing.

What if my dog is coming from a high-risk rabies country?

Your dog must enter through one of six US airports with a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility (ATL, LAX, MIA, JFK, IAD, or PHL), with an advance reservation, and typically needs proof of rabies vaccination plus a serologic titer test from a CDC-approved lab or a quarantine period of up to 28 days.

Is the CDC Dog Import Form the same as a pet passport?

No. It is a US entry-compliance form tied to rabies control, distinct from the European Union's pet passport under the EU Pet Travel Scheme and distinct from private biometric identity tools like Animal Passport.

What happens if I skip the CDC Dog Import Form?

You risk your dog being denied entry and required to return to its country of departure at your expense, and you may face federal fines and, in some cases, imprisonment for violating the CDC's quarantine regulations.

Do USDA and CDC require separate paperwork?

Generally yes for commercial imports — USDA APHIS enforces Animal Welfare Act standards for dogs imported for resale, while the CDC Dog Import Form and related rabies documentation apply to essentially all dogs entering the US. Most personal pet owners should start with the CDC requirements.

Has the CDC Dog Import Form changed for 2026?

As of September 2026, specialist pet-relocation guidance reports no major structural change since the rule took effect on August 1, 2024, though country risk classifications can be updated, so check current requirements close to your travel date.