Bringing a Dog or Cat to the United States: Import Rules & Crate Checklist (2026)

Moving to the United States with a pet is mostly a paperwork exercise, but for dogs the rules depend on one question: where has your dog been in the last six months? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the primary authority for dogs entering or returning to the U.S., and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) adds animal-health conditions for certain regions. Cats face far fewer federal rules, but your destination state can add its own. This guide summarises what the official pages say as of 14 October 2026.

At a glance

Step-by-step timeline

Before anything else: check the CDC high-risk list. Only countries on CDC's high-risk list are high-risk; every other country counts as rabies-free or low-risk. If your dog was in a high-risk country in the past six months, the stricter route applies.

Dogs from rabies-free or low-risk countries

• Any time before travel: make sure your dog will be at least 6 months old on arrival and has a microchip that a universal scanner can read.
• Up to 6 months before arrival (CDC recommends a few days to six months ahead): complete the free online CDC Dog Import Form, one per dog. Confirm your email so the receipt is issued.
• Day of travel: show the receipt, printed or on your phone, to the airline before boarding and to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival. The dog must appear healthy.

Dogs from high-risk countries vaccinated abroad

• First: microchip, then rabies vaccination at 12 weeks (84 days) or older. A vaccine given before the microchip is not valid.
• At least 30 days after the first valid vaccine: blood draw for a rabies serology titre at a CDC-approved laboratory. The sample must also be drawn at least 28 days before entry.
• Book a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility at the airport where you will land. Services include a veterinary exam and revaccination with a U.S.-licensed vaccine; without a valid titre, the dog stays 28 days.
• No more than 30 days before travel: your vet completes the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the exporting country.
• Within 15 days before travel (dogs under one year): take the photo for the CDC Dog Import Form, then submit the form for your exact arrival date.

Dogs from regions affected by New World screwworm (USDA)

• Within 5 days before shipment: a full-time salaried official government veterinarian of the region of origin certifies the dog was inspected and is free of screwworm. In Mexico, SENASICA-authorised clinical veterinarians may sign.

Documents checklist

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt (every dog)
• High-risk route: Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip; rabies serology titre report from a CDC-approved lab (unless quarantining); Animal Care Facility reservation; documents in English or with certified translation
• U.S.-vaccinated dogs returning from a high-risk country: USDA-endorsed Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination, submitted before the dog leaves the U.S.
• Screwworm certificate, if the dog comes from an affected region
• Medical records in case officers ask
• Cats: no federal documents; check your destination state

Quarantine

Dogs that have been only in rabies-free or low-risk countries are not quarantined. Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre from a CDC-approved lab are quarantined for 28 days at a CDC-registered Animal Care Facility, at the importer's expense, and the period may be shortened if certain criteria are met. Those dogs cannot take domestic connections until the facility has finished its services, and they cannot enter through Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. territories, which have no registered facility. For dogs from foot-and-mouth disease regions, USDA asks owners to bathe the dog on arrival and keep it away from livestock for 5 days. Cats are inspected on arrival and must appear healthy; a cat that seems ill may need a vet exam at the owner's cost.

Airline crate checklist (IATA)

IATA's container requirements (Live Animals Regulations, Edition 52, January 2026) set minimum internal dimensions. Measure your pet standing:

• Length: A + ½B (A = nose tip to base of tail; B = ground to elbow)
• Width: C × 2 for one animal (C = width across the shoulders or widest point)
• Height: D + bedding (D = standing height to top of head or ear tip, whichever is higher)
• Snub-nosed breeds: a 10% larger container
• Ventilation: at least 16% of the total surface of the four sides, with openings on all four sides
• Plastic crates: top and bottom halves securely bolted; plastic clips alone are not enough, and metal nuts and bolts in every hole are recommended
• Water: a container fixed inside, fillable from outside

U.S. tip: if your dog comes from a foot-and-mouth disease region, USDA asks that bedding be free of excessive dirt, hay or straw.

FAQ

Does my dog need a rabies certificate to enter the U.S. from a low-risk country? CDC lists the CDC Dog Import Form as the only required document for that route, plus age (6 months+), a readable microchip and a healthy appearance. Your destination state may add rules.

Can a puppy under 6 months enter? No. CDC requires dogs to be at least 6 months old at entry.

Does the CDC Dog Import Form receipt expire? For low-risk countries it is valid for 6 months and multiple entries from the same departure country. For high-risk countries it covers one entry on the listed date.

Do cats need a rabies vaccine to enter the U.S.? CDC does not require it for entry but recommends it; your destination state may require it.

Is there an import permit for pet dogs? No permit for pet dogs appears on the USDA or CDC pages we checked. Dogs imported for resale have additional USDA requirements.

Check your crate and documents

Use our free IATA crate size calculator to confirm your crate's dimensions before you book. For a document-by-document review against the official CDC and USDA requirements, order the $89 Full Audit and we'll check your checklist before you fly.

Official sources (verified 14 Oct 2026)

• CDC, Bringing a Dog into the U.S. (updated 1 Aug 2024): https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/index.html
• CDC, Rabies-free or low-risk countries (updated 22 Jul 2024): https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/rabies-free-low-risk-countries.html
• CDC, Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries (updated 22 Jul 2024): https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/foreign-vaccinated-high-risk-countries.html
• CDC, Dog Import Form and instructions (updated 28 Apr 2026): https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/dog-import-form-instructions.html
• CDC, Dog importation FAQs (updated 27 Aug 2026): https://www.cdc.gov/importation/dogs/faqs.html
• CDC, Bringing an animal into the U.S. (cats) (updated 22 Aug 2025): https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-us/index.html
• USDA APHIS, Bring a pet dog into the U.S. (updated 1 Apr 2026): https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/dogs
• USDA APHIS, Bring a pet cat into the U.S. (updated 24 Dec 2025): https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/cats
• IATA container requirements (Ed. 52, Jan 2026): https://www.iata.org/contentassets/b0016da92c86449f850fe9560827bbea/pet-container-requirements.pdf

Rules change. PetFlyCheck is independent; always confirm with the official authority and your vet before travel.