USDA Traveling With Pets: What APHIS and CDC Actually Require in 2026

USDA traveling with pets refers to the federal rules the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) enforces when a pet leaves the United States, separate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rules for dogs entering or returning, and separate again from each state's own rules for travel between states. As of August 2026, an international trip generally needs a health certificate from a USDA-accredited veterinarian, and every dog entering or re-entering the U.S. needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Interstate travel is not an APHIS matter at all — it's set by the destination state.

This guide breaks down which agency governs which leg of a trip, what documents each one actually requires, and how the USDA/CDC system differs from the EU pet passport that many travelers confuse it with.

Who Regulates "USDA Traveling With Pets"?

There isn't one single "USDA pet travel form" that covers every trip. Three separate authorities apply depending on where the pet is going:

• USDA APHIS handles the export side — endorsing health certificates for pets leaving the U.S. for another country. It does not decide whether the destination country will actually let the pet in.
• CDC handles the import side for dogs — requiring a Dog Import Form receipt, proof of age and microchipping, and rabies documentation for dogs entering or returning to the U.S.
• Individual state veterinary offices handle interstate travel — each state sets its own health certificate and vaccination rules for pets crossing into it from another state.

USDA APHIS is explicit about the boundary of its own authority: it says it does not endorse health certificates for the movement of pets across state or territorial lines, and does not regulate interstate pet movement by owners at all (USDA APHIS, Take a Pet From One U.S. State or Territory to Another, 2026).

Interstate Pet Travel: What USDA APHIS Does Not Cover

If you're driving a dog or cat from, say, Texas to New York, USDA APHIS is not the agency to check. According to APHIS, domestic movement requirements are set by the receiving state or territory, and travelers should contact the State Veterinarian's office at their destination for specifics such as a health certificate, updated vaccinations, or diagnostic testing (USDA APHIS, 2026). Many states require a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) issued by an accredited vet within 10–30 days of arrival, but the exact window varies by state, so it's worth confirming directly with the destination state before departure.

International Pet Travel: The USDA APHIS Export Process

Taking a pet from the U.S. to another country is where USDA APHIS is actually the regulator — but only for the U.S. side of the paperwork. The destination country decides what it will accept, and APHIS's role is limited to endorsing the health certificate that country requires. As APHIS explains, the agency's endorsement confirms the U.S. export paperwork is in order; it does not guarantee entry, since entry decisions are made by the destination country's veterinary authority and enforced by border officials upon arrival.

The general process APHIS outlines is:

1. Research your destination country's specific pet entry requirements as early as possible — they can include microchipping, specific vaccines, titer tests, or waiting periods, and they change without notice.
2. Contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian, who can look up destination-country rules and coordinate the paperwork.
3. Complete any required vaccinations, tests, or treatments on the destination country's timeline (some rabies titer tests must be done months in advance).
4. Have the accredited vet issue the health certificate — either a country-specific form or APHIS Form 7001, the "United States Interstate and International Certificate of Health Examination for Small Animals," depending on what the destination requires.
5. Submit the certificate for APHIS endorsement, ideally through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS), which APHIS recommends as the fastest option since all countries allow the use of VEHCS to submit the health certificate for endorsement (USDA APHIS, Pet Travel Process Overview, 2026).
6. Pay the applicable endorsement fee before the certificate can be released.
7. Travel within the certificate's validity window — often as little as 10 days before arrival for many destinations, even though the APHIS form itself may be signed up to 30 days ahead.

On fees: APHIS charges a per-certificate endorsement fee, listed at $101 for pet health certificates under the Veterinary Services user fee rates that took effect January 10, 2025, though additional charges apply if a destination country requires federal review of lab test results. APHIS does not charge this fee for dogs that qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but it does apply to emotional support animals and pets that don't meet the ADA definition (USDA APHIS, Cost To Endorse Your Pet's Health Certificate).

Bringing a Dog Back Into the U.S.: CDC Rules

Re-entry is a CDC matter, not a USDA one. Under the rule that took effect August 1, 2024, all dogs entering or returning to the United States must be accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form online submission receipt, appear healthy, be at least six months old, and be microchipped with an ISO-compatible chip implanted before any qualifying rabies vaccination (CDC, Dog Importation Regulation update, 2024).

High-Risk vs. Low-Risk Countries

What else is required depends on where the dog is coming from:

• Dog rabies-free or low-risk countries: the Dog Import Form receipt, health check, age, and microchip requirements generally apply — no additional rabies paperwork.
• High-risk countries for dog rabies: additional proof of a current rabies vaccination is required, and dogs vaccinated in the U.S. that later traveled to a high-risk country need extra documentation.

One detail that trips up travelers: CDC has stated that export health certificates issued after July 31, 2025 are no longer accepted for re-entry from a high-risk country if the dog was vaccinated in the U.S. within the prior six months. Instead, a Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form, completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian, is required. This is a case where the export-side APHIS paperwork and the import-side CDC paperwork are not interchangeable, even though both involve the same accredited veterinarian.

Air Travel Rules on Top of Government Requirements

Meeting USDA and CDC requirements gets a pet's paperwork in order, but it doesn't cover how the airline will actually transport the animal. Airlines set their own pet policies — crate sizing, breed restrictions, cabin vs. cargo eligibility, temperature embargoes — generally built around the International Air Transport Association's Live Animals Regulations (IATA LAR). IATA's guidance specifies that travel containers must let an animal turn about normally while standing, stand and sit erect, and lie in a natural position, with formulas based on the animal's measurements, and notes that snub-nosed breeds typically need containers roughly 10% larger (IATA, Live Animals Regulations). IATA is explicit that it is an industry association, not a regulator — actual legal entry requirements still come from the destination country's government, not the airline or IATA.

USDA Pet Travel vs. the EU Pet Passport: Not the Same System

A common source of confusion is assuming the EU's pet passport is a USDA document, or that a USDA health certificate works the same way in Europe. They are separate systems built for different purposes.

The EU Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) was introduced in 2001 to allow dogs, cats, and ferrets to move freely between EU member states under harmonized health conditions, requiring microchip identification, a documented rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel, and issuance by an authorized EU veterinarian. It is not a substitute for a USDA APHIS export certificate when leaving the U.S., and a USDA certificate is not accepted as a substitute for the country-specific entry paperwork the EU or any other destination requires. Always confirm the current rule with the destination country's official source before booking travel — both APHIS and EU requirements have changed in recent years.

Step-by-Step Checklist for Traveling With Pets Under USDA/CDC Rules

1. Identify which category your trip falls into: interstate, international export, or international return with a dog.
2. For interstate trips, contact the destination state's veterinary office for its specific health certificate and vaccination rules.
3. For international trips, check the destination country's current entry requirements — they can include titer tests that must be scheduled months ahead.
4. Book an appointment with a USDA-accredited veterinarian well before departure, since some destinations require exams and paperwork within a narrow window before travel.
5. Confirm your airline's pet policy separately — crate dimensions, breed restrictions, and cabin/cargo eligibility are airline decisions layered on top of USDA/CDC rules.
6. If a dog is returning to the U.S., complete the CDC Dog Import Form and check whether the country you're coming from is high-risk for dog rabies.
7. Keep both digital and printed copies of every certificate, receipt, and vaccination record for the trip.

Where Animal Passport Fits In

Animal Passport is a separate tool from any of the government paperwork above, and it isn't a substitute for it. It's a phone-based digital identity record that uses muzzle biometrics — a nose print unique to each animal, similar to a human fingerprint — to bind an owner's record to a specific animal, along with breed, an estimated age from a dental photograph with a confidence score, body condition scored 1–5 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 about durable animal identification when physical records are lost or destroyed — not about clearing customs or satisfying a USDA APHIS or CDC requirement. If you're planning international or interstate pet travel, the APHIS and CDC steps above are the ones that determine whether your pet is legally allowed to travel; a biometric ID record can complement that by giving you a portable, tamper-resistant record of your animal's identity and health history. You can read more about how the identity record works on the Animal Passport homepage, and see more field use cases on the Animal Passport blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does USDA regulate pet travel between U.S. states?

No. USDA APHIS does not endorse health certificates or set requirements for pets moving between U.S. states — each destination state's veterinary office sets its own rules for interstate pet travel.

What is APHIS Form 7001?

APHIS Form 7001, the "United States Interstate and International Certificate of Health Examination for Small Animals," is a health certificate a USDA-accredited veterinarian can issue for pet travel; whether a destination country accepts it or requires its own country-specific form depends on that country's rules.

What is the CDC Dog Import Form?

It's an online form every dog entering or returning to the United States must have a receipt for, confirming the dog appears healthy, is at least six months old, and is microchipped, under the CDC rule effective August 1, 2024.

Can I use my APHIS export certificate for my dog's return trip to the U.S.?

Not automatically. CDC states that export health certificates issued after July 31, 2025 are not accepted for re-entry from a high-risk country for dogs vaccinated in the U.S. within the prior six months; a separate Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination is required instead.

Is the EU pet passport the same as a USDA pet travel document?

No. The EU pet passport is issued under the EU's Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) by an EU-authorized veterinarian and is valid for a pet's life within EU travel; a USDA APHIS export certificate is a separate, typically single-trip document issued in the U.S. and is not accepted as a substitute for EU entry paperwork.

How much does a USDA pet health certificate endorsement cost?

USDA APHIS lists a per-certificate endorsement fee of $101 for pet health certificates under the Veterinary Services user fee rates effective January 10, 2025, with exemptions for ADA-recognized service dogs; costs can be higher if a destination country requires federal review of lab results.

Does an airline's pet policy replace USDA or CDC requirements?

No. Airlines set their own crate, breed, and cabin/cargo rules, generally aligned with IATA's Live Animals Regulations, but these are separate from and in addition to the government health certificate and import/export requirements.

Is Animal Passport a government pet travel document?

No. Animal Passport is a phone-based biometric identity and health record using muzzle prints; it does not replace a USDA APHIS health certificate, a CDC Dog Import Form, or any other government travel document.