Dogs can bring endless joy to the lives of their owners. Whether you’re looking to bring a new companion to the United States, or working for a larger organization, there are certain regulations and laws you’ll need to follow to import a dog.
Key Takeaways:
Our guide below details everything you need to know to import a dog, including paperwork requirements, health and vaccination records, and how to travel with a dog internationally.
There are many reasons why people may need to import a dog. People moving often bring their pets, and U.S.-based breeders often import to bring in new bloodlines. Not to mention, there are various rescue operations that operate internationally.
From the Great Danes of Germany and Shiba Inus of Japan, to street dogs from Mumbai, if you want to get them to the U.S., they need to all follow a set process.
Dog import regulations are set by two organizations:
While all dogs must meet CDC regulations, certain USDA rules will only apply when dogs are brought in for domestic resale.
Aside from federal agencies, it’s also important to check with laws in the state or territory where the dog is set to arrive. At times, local regulations will require additional steps or may prohibit certain dogs entirely.
Be aware that CDC rules apply to all dogs entering the United States:
The rules are also the same regardless of who is planning the import. U.S. citizens, residents, and foreigners must meet the same qualifications.
As a quick example, an Italian national entering the U.S. with a mobility assistance service dog, must follow the same rules as a domestic breeder bringing in Dutch Shepard puppies from the Netherlands.
However, additional special considerations are being taken when dogs are entering the U.S. from countries that are considered to be high-risk for rabies. The list of current high-risk countries is available through the CDC’s database.
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The CDC requires that all imported dogs must be in good health. Additionally, all dogs imported to the U.S. must be vaccinated against rabies and have a valid certification of their rabies immunization.
A rabies vaccine is the only one required by law for entry into the United States. However, if you arrange transport for the dog via an airline, vessel, or commercial truck transport, they may require additional vaccines.
The same holds true for the use of flea/tick preventions, heartworm preventions, or other parasite concerns.
Starting August 2024, the CDC is implementing additional requirements in an effort to combat the rise in cases of potentially rabies-positive dogs entering the U.S. using falsified vaccine records.
Carefully review the following requirements for entry of any dog:
As of August 1, importers can not apply for an import permit, and previously issued permits expire at the end of the month.
The ISO microchip must be detectable by a universal scanner. If the microchip can’t be scanned, the dog will be denied entry and shipped back to the departure point at the owner/importer’s expense.
Any documents needed, including the rabies certificate, must include the dog’s ISO microchip information. The additional documents required depend on other factors.
Since I know many of you may be looking to travel internationally with your pets, perhaps for extended vacations or business trips out of the country, we’ll review those requirements first.
If you are leaving the U.S. with your dog, you’ll have to follow CDC import regulations when returning to the country. For live dog re-entry through Customs, the export health certificate is being replaced with the ‘Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination’ form.
The form must be completed by a veterinarian prior to leaving the U.S. with your pet. If you don’t, Customs will treat your dog as a foreign, first-time entry rather than as a returning pet.
Per the CDC, you should check with the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country you are visiting to make sure you are following all their rules as well.
You can make re-entry to the U.S. with your dog easier when you complete the following steps:
If you follow these requirements, then even if you visit a country with a high-risk of rabies, you should have no difficulty in returning.
Please note, however, that after July 31, 2025, dogs entering the U.S. from those high-risk countries will not be able to use an export health certificate for re-entry purposes.
If you have purchased a dog from an overseas breeder, or you are moving to the United States and plan on bringing your dog, this section is for you.
For starters, the CDC rules outlined earlier that apply to all dogs need to be met. That means a rabies vaccine, ISO microchip, ‘CDC Dog Import Form’, and making sure that the pet is at least six months old.
There is a difference between high-risk imports and those entering the U.S. through dog rabies-free or low-risk for dog-mediated rabies virus variant (DMRVV) countries.
Requirements when dog comes from a rabies-free or low-risk country:
Proof of current rabies vaccination status can be provided with either of the following documents:
Whichever form you go with, a locally qualified veterinarian must endorse each certificate. The vet records that accompany each option must show at least six months worth of history, or contain rabies serology titer results (proof of rabies immunity based on a lab analysis).
Requirements when a dog comes from a high-risk country:
There are only six airports with CDC approved facilities serving as entry points for such dogs. If your final destination within the U.S. is elsewhere, plan accordingly. Arrival at an unapproved airport without the necessary facilities will result in the dog being shipped back to the country of origin.
There are definitely more restrictions in place, but import and travel is still possible. Just remember, rabies is considered 100% fatal in dogs that contract it, so it’s really not something you want to leave unchecked in your next potential family pet.
If for some reason you are not able to meet the time requirements for the rabies vaccines, you can still enter the country. However, the dog will need to serve a mandatory 28-day quarantine at one of the CDC care facilities where they may be re-vaccinated, and you’ll be billed accordingly.
Many pet rescue organizations work with dogs that come from high risk countries. If you are trying to adopt a dog through such an organization, we advise speaking with a consultant beforehand to ensure that the rescue is completing all the necessary documents to ensure your pet arrives safe and healthy.
When considering importing dogs for sale, adoption, and any other commercial purpose, know it’s regulated by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Congress passed this legislation in 2008 and the USDA published its specific rules around the AWA in 2014.
According to AWA regulations, and enforced by the USDA, all dogs imported for commercial sale or adoption must adhere to the following stipulations:
In certain situations, you may be exempt from the requirements of the AWA. This includes dogs imported for medical research reasons. Of course, there are other requirements to review at that point.
Imports of large groups of dogs are closely examined by the CDC. The new regulations being enforced by that agency and the USDA involving rabies vaccinations actually came about due to the rise in falsified certificates, particularly in large groups.
Even one dog imported with canine rabies risks reintroducing that version of the disease into the United States.
These findings, published by PLOS One with data obtained from the CDC’s Quarantine Activity Reporting System, show that falsified RVC documents remain the top reason for denial. In fact, these countries actually represented 91% of all dog entry denials in 2020.
The main takeaway is that the new regulations are there to continue enforcing and ensuring dogs brought in for resale or adoption are healthy and safe.
Whether you plan on selling, adopting, or training to sell, you’ll need to check state requirements and determine whether you need to apply for a license from the USDA.
Technically, the CDC has suspended the import of dogs from high-risk countries unless a strict set of requirements has been met. At the moment, there are no outright bans on any dogs from any specific country.
Related: U.S. Dog Import Ban
There are also no exceptions to the new vaccine requirements for dog imports since the age limit for importing was raised to six months.
Neither does the U.S. prohibit the import of any specific dog breeds. However, there are various carriers and airline companies that do restrict which breeds they will transport.
In general, the rule that all dogs must be healthy upon import covers the need to make sure dogs are clear of any locally found parasites or illnesses. Provided a vet has declared the dog healthy, all is well.
However, there are three diseases that impact dogs in certain countries which may affect their import into the United States.
In these cases where specific rules are made, it’s often because the U.S. has eradicated something domestically and doesn’t want to see it become a larger problem again.
Dogs at high-risk of exposure to the following diseases or parasites must follow additional measures:
Dogs being imported from these areas, whether as personal pets or for resale, must show proof they are clear of such issues. In many cases, it requires additional veterinary clearance, quarantine at a U.S. based CDC care facility, and specific bathing procedures.
Shipping crates, pet containers, and bedding must also be thoroughly checked and cleaned out.
Again, there are certain exceptions. There are places with no evidence of tapeworm infection, so livestock dogs from certain countries in Central America, Mexico, Canada, and the West Indies can enter without additional restrictions beyond what’s required.
For more on these requirements, check out our informative e-book: “A Guide to Importing Dogs”.
The average person traveling with their dog as a companion from another country will not need to obtain a customs bond.
Someone purchasing a dog from overseas, especially certain purebred dogs, may be subject to the $2,500 value minimum for purchasing a customs bond. However, under HTS code 0106 which includes dogs, most are not subject to tariffs. They are subject to the rules and regulations of the CDC and USDA, so for commercial import a bond may be needed.
Related: How Do I Find My HTS Code?
Related: Types of Customs Bonds
USA Customs Clearance does not handle the clearing and import of dogs. However, we can help you navigate the regulations through a consult to make sure that you can handle the process yourself or feel comfortable working with a pet specific carrier service.
We can ensure you have the proper documents in place to make the import process seamless and easy.
Our value-added services can simplify the importing process and make importing a headache-free experience. Call USA Customs Clearance at (855) 912-0406 and speak with an expert consultant today.
Needed information to import a puppy to the US. It very clearly explained about at what age the puppy should be imported, and about rabies also. I suggest Petzlover buy a puppy.
How old does a puppy have to be to import to USA from UK? I want to bring a Chesapeake Bay retriever to the USA.
Hello,
Is this e-book up to date? I heard there was some changes with the dog import procedures recently (1-2 months).
Best regards
Hi All,
I will be travelling with my 26months old Beagle from India to US. I have all the paper work completed including the CDC permit. The pet will be travelling with me as checked-in baggage.In this case I don't need USDA permit and form VS-129?
How can I bring a 5 year old 5 lbs chihuahua dog from Canada to the US? My dog has all the vaccinations and the rabies vaccine.
This is unaccompanied pet travel, however, I’m planning to use the transporting agency from Canada to transport my dog in the US.
How much the US custom bond/fees for a single entry? What is process?
Hi Divine,
We offer a helpful and informative e-book with all of the information that you're looking for! You can use the link below to learn more about and purchase it directly on our site.
How to Import a Dog E-book
I'm buying a puppy from Russia It will be shipped to Los Angeles.. What must I do in Los Angeles to get my puppy thru customs. All paper work will accompany the puppy upon arrival... ( This is the first puppy I'm importing and have no idea what I need to do.. )
Hi Lana,
We actually have an ebook that contains all of information you're looking for! You can use the link below to learn more about and purchase a copy of it. Good luck and congratulations on your new puppy!
Guide to Importing a Dog
Hi!
My dog will be flying from China to San Francisco. Is it difficult to clear the customs by myself or I need to hire an agent? If I need to hire a Custom clearance agent, can you recommend me one in San Francisco? Many thanks!
Hi Catherine!
When it comes to how difficult it is to import a dog into the U.S., this depends on a number of factors. The country that the dog is being imported from, breed of the dog, and more will dictate how complex it will be to import. If you follow the guidelines listed in our article, you shouldn't run into any issues importing your dog. At this time, we don't have any customs agents that we can recommend for personal imports of dogs. Our company handles imports for commercial purposes only. However, we're in the process of working on an in-depth guide for importing dogs includng a list of recommended companies that can help you. When this is ready, we'll provide you with a link where you can purchase this!
How can I bring an 8 week old puppy from Canada to the US? Is Canada a rabies free country so it would be considered ok if it didn’t have this vaccine but had other health certificates?
Thank you
Good Morning Kendra! Congratulation's on the new puppy! We would love to discuses what would be required to bring the puppy into the United States. We recommend consulting with our Licensed Customs Brokers to get all of the information you need.
Hello ,starting new business to bring dogs from Europe to USA ,is it any chance to pass 6 month old puppy,to get here 3-4 month old puppy with all ppw ,please send answer to email
Hi Vadyn, I would recommend you contact USDA APHIS directly to ensure you know the exact rules and regulations and abide by them.
Can you provide me with an email address to send my completed VS-129 application please. Thank you.
"According to information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), you will need a permit to import live animals, including dogs. To obtain an import permit for a live animal, you’ll need to complete application for VS-129. This form asks for data including the importers’ contact information, the animal’s country of origin, a physical description of the animal, the reason for import and more. You can either mail or email the completed application. "
We help businesses get their customs bond for their commercial imports and don't handle the submission of APHIS forms. You can follow these instructions on the APHIS website for completing and submitting your VS-129. If you find you're still having trouble, we offer consulting services and we'd be happy to help you out!
I need email address to submit application for import
Hi Kim,
You can purchase a continuous customs bond from us for just $245. We look forward to working with you!