How to Import a Dog to the USA: CDC and USDA APHIS Rules

To import a dog to the USA, every dog — regardless of origin country — must have a free CDC Dog Import Form receipt, be at least 6 months old, carry a microchip readable by a universal scanner, and appear healthy on arrival, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rule effective August 1, 2024. Dogs from countries with a high risk of dog rabies also need proof of a valid rabies vaccination; the exact paperwork depends on where the dog was vaccinated.

Who Actually Regulates Dog Imports: CDC or USDA APHIS?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the lead federal authority for importing dogs into the United States, because dog rabies is a human public-health issue. The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) only adds requirements in narrower cases: dogs arriving from countries affected by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or by New World screwworm, and dogs imported for commercial resale or adoption, according to USDA APHIS's own guidance page for pet dog imports.

In practice this means most travelers importing a personal pet dog will deal almost entirely with CDC paperwork, and only need to think about USDA APHIS if their dog is coming from a screwworm- or FMD-affected region, or if the import is commercial rather than personal.

The August 2024 CDC Rule: What Changed and Why

On August 1, 2024, CDC's updated final rule on dog importation took effect, replacing the prior CDC Form 75.37 process. CDC says the rule exists to close gaps that let fraudulent rabies certificates and unsafe transport conditions slip through, since dog rabies was declared eliminated from the United States in 2007 and officials want to keep it that way. In July 2024, CDC clarified and simplified the rule further for dogs coming only from rabies-free or low-risk countries, reducing their paperwork to the CDC Dog Import Form alone.

CDC also offers an online tool, nicknamed 'DogBot,' to walk importers through a decision tree based on where the dog was vaccinated and which countries it has been in during the 6 months before entry.

Step-by-Step: How to Import a Dog to the USA

1. Confirm your dog's country risk category. Check CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies against every country your dog has visited in the past 6 months.
2. Microchip the dog before vaccination. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies shot is given, or CDC will not count that vaccination as valid; the chip number must appear on all paperwork.
3. Get or verify the rabies vaccination (only required if the dog has spent time in a high-risk country in the last 6 months). The first dose must be given on or after 12 weeks of age.
4. Complete the CDC Dog Import Form online before travel. It is free and takes only a few minutes if you have your travel and dog details ready.
5. If U.S.-vaccinated and coming from a high-risk country, have a USDA-accredited veterinarian complete and submit the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination for USDA endorsement before the dog leaves the country of origin.
6. Check your arrival port. U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries can land at any airport, land crossing, or seaport that matches the CDC form; foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries may only enter through a U.S. airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility.
7. Check USDA APHIS rules if the dog is coming from an FMD- or screwworm-affected country, or if the import is commercial.
8. Check your destination state or territory's rules. States and territories can add requirements on top of federal ones; contact the state or territorial veterinarian's office or the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) to confirm.

Country Risk Category Comparison

Source: CDC, Bringing a Dog into the U.S. and Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries (2024-2026).

USDA APHIS-Specific Requirements (FMD and Screwworm)

If the dog is coming from a country USDA APHIS lists as affected by foot-and-mouth disease, the dog's fur and bedding must be free of excessive dirt, hay, or straw; the dog should be bathed on arrival and kept away from livestock for 5 days. USDA APHIS says no documentation is required to meet this specific FMD rule.

If the dog is coming from a screwworm-affected country or region, it needs a certificate signed by a full-time salaried government veterinarian confirming the dog was inspected for screwworm within 5 days before shipment and is free of it (or was treated and cleared in quarantine). In Mexico, clinical veterinarians authorized under the Mexico Veterinarian Recognition and Authorization (MVRA) program can sign this certificate if they are listed in the official MVRA directory, per USDA APHIS.

Commercial Dog Imports Are a Different Process

Bringing in dogs for resale, adoption fees, or breeding — as opposed to a single personal pet — falls under USDA APHIS Animal Care rules in addition to CDC and APHIS Veterinary Services requirements, and generally requires an APHIS import permit. This guide focuses on personal pet import; anyone importing multiple dogs commercially should consult USDA APHIS's commercial dog import guidance directly before shipping.

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

It's easy to confuse an official government import document with a private digital identity record, so it's worth being precise. The CDC Dog Import Form and the USDA-endorsed rabies certification described above are the only documents federal law requires to import a dog to the USA. Animal Passport is a separate, private product: a phone-based digital record that uses muzzle biometrics — a nose print that is unique like a human fingerprint — to bind an animal's identity to its owner, breed, an estimated age from a dental photo, a body condition score from a side-profile photo, and vaccination history. It was used during livestock flood rescue in Pakistan in August 2025 so farmers could reclaim animals after paper ear tags washed away.

That use case is livestock identification and recovery, not international pet travel paperwork. Animal Passport is not a government-issued travel document, is not accepted by CDC or USDA APHIS as a substitute for the Dog Import Form or rabies certification, and does not replace a veterinary diagnosis. Owners who want a persistent, tamper-resistant identity record for their animals alongside — not instead of — the required federal forms can read more on the Animal Passport blog.

How This Differs From EU Pet Passports

Travelers researching 'import dog to usa' sometimes assume the process resembles the European Union's pet passport scheme, but the two systems are unrelated. The EU pet passport is an official document issued under EU pet movement rules and used for animals traveling within and into the EU; it is not recognized or used by CDC or USDA APHIS. A dog entering the United States needs the CDC Dog Import Form and, if applicable, rabies certification described above — an EU pet passport alone does not satisfy U.S. entry requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a 'dog passport' to bring my dog into the United States?

No single physical passport exists for U.S. entry. You need a CDC Dog Import Form receipt and, if your dog is coming from a high-risk rabies country, a valid rabies vaccination record or a USDA-endorsed certification, per CDC's 2024 rule.

How old must a dog be to enter the U.S.?

The dog must be at least 6 months old at the time of entry or return, according to CDC's dog importation requirements.

Does my dog need a microchip to enter the U.S.?

Yes. CDC requires a microchip detectable by a universal scanner, implanted before any rabies vaccination is given, and the chip number must appear on the CDC Dog Import Form and any vaccination paperwork.

What happens if my dog's microchip can't be scanned on arrival?

CDC states the dog may be denied entry and returned to the country of departure at the importer's expense, so confirm the chip is a standard, scannable type before travel.

Is the CDC Dog Import Form the same as a USDA health certificate?

No. The CDC Dog Import Form is a free online submission required for every dog. USDA APHIS-related paperwork is only required in specific situations, such as U.S.-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries or dogs from screwworm-affected regions.

Can I use my state's pet import rules instead of the federal ones?

No, state and territory rules apply on top of federal CDC and USDA APHIS rules, not instead of them. Check with your destination state's or territory's veterinarian's office before travel.

Is a digital biometric animal ID accepted as proof for U.S. dog import?

No. Products like Animal Passport's muzzle-biometric digital ID are private identity records, not government travel documents, and are not accepted by CDC or USDA APHIS as a substitute for the CDC Dog Import Form or required vaccination certification.

Does the CDC rule apply to dogs returning home to the U.S., not just new imports?

Yes. CDC's rule applies to all dogs entering the United States, including U.S.-origin dogs returning from travel abroad, which is why U.S.-vaccinated dogs need the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination if they visited a high-risk country.

As of September 2026, these CDC and USDA APHIS requirements remain the current federal baseline for importing a dog to the USA; because CDC updates its high-risk country list and forms periodically, confirm current details on CDC's own Bringing a Dog into the U.S. page before booking travel.