Restrictions
The limits people find out about last: how many animals one person may bring, the minimum age and which breeds are turned away at the border.
Quarantine
Yes: 28 days if the conditions are not met
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What the quarantine depends on:
- There is NO quarantine if a valid antibody titre from a CDC-listed laboratory exists — that is its only purpose
- Without a titre — 28 days at the ACF at the owner's expense, after examination and revaccination
- The period may be shortened: the pet is personal (not for resale or transfer), there is documentation of at least two vaccinations on the U.S. schedule, the examination finds it healthy, and the ACF has CDC approval for the PSM protocol
- If the PSM protocol is not followed, the results are void and the quarantine restarts
Banned breeds
No bans
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These are the country's rules. Airlines refuse some breeds on their own — their limits are in the carrier table above.
Pets per person
Not stated
Minimum age
6 months+
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The dog must be at least 6 months old on the day of entry. The requirement has applied since 1 August 2024 and does not depend on the country of departure: a puppy cannot be brought into the U.S. at all, whatever its vaccinations and paperwork.
Points of entry
6 airports
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A foreign-vaccinated dog that has been in a high-risk country in the past six months may arrive only at one of the six airports with a CDC-registered animal care facility: Atlanta (ATL), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK — JFK specifically, not Newark or LaGuardia), Philadelphia (PHL), Washington (IAD). The airport must match both the ACF reservation and the CDC form. Land border crossings are closed, as are Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. territories, where there are no ACFs.
CDC does not require a general veterinary health certificate. The destination state or the airline may require one — those are separate requirements, to be checked with them rather than with federal authorities. Check both before buying tickets.
The order matters more than the procedures themselves: if the microchip was implanted AFTER the rabies vaccination, CDC treats the vaccination as invalid. That means a new vaccination, another 28-day wait and a new titre — the preparation starts over. Check the dates of both procedures in the pet's records BEFORE buying tickets.
What you need to enter United States
The full list of documents and procedures for entering United States. Every item carries its official source and last-checked date, and is marked as always required or required only from some departure countries.
Identification
Microchipalways+
A microchip readable by a universal scanner. CDC sets no requirement on the chip standard, only that it can be read. A rabies vaccination is not required at all for low-risk countries, so the 'chip before vaccine' order does not apply here.
«In addition to having a receipt for a CDC Dog Import Form: Dogs must appear healthy upon arrival. Dogs must be at least 6 months old at time of entry or return to the U.S. Dogs must have a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify them.»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Vaccination
Rabies vaccinationdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
Rabies vaccination given no earlier than 12 weeks (84 days) of age and no later than 28 days before entry. CDC does not accept vaccinations given before 12 weeks at all — even where the manufacturer's licensing allows an earlier age. The vaccination must be valid on the day of entry.
«If the dog is receiving its first rabies vaccine, your dog must be at least 12 weeks (84 days) old at the time of vaccination, and the vaccine must be administered at least 28 days before the dog enters the U.S. For dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the 6 months before U.S. entry, vaccines administered before 12 weeks of age will not be accepted, regardless of manufacturer product lice»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Tests and treatments
Rabies antibody titre testdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
Rabies antibody titre at a laboratory from CDC's approved list. OPTIONAL: entry is possible without it, but with a 28-day quarantine at the owner's expense. The blood sample is drawn no earlier than 30 days after the first vaccination and no later than 28 days before entry. A passing result is valid for the LIFE of the dog as long as vaccination coverage has not lapsed and the laboratory remains on CDC's list; after a lapse, a new vaccination and a new titre 30 days later are required.
«A veterinarian must draw the blood sample at least 30 days after the dog's first valid rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before entry to the United States. The veterinarian must send the blood sample to a CDC-approved rabies serology laboratory. Passing titer results are valid for the life of the dog as long as vaccination coverage does not lapse and as long as the laboratory remains approve»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Documents
Import declarationalways+
CDC Dog Import Form — since 1 Aug 2024 the ONLY mandatory document for a dog that has been only in low-risk countries in the past 6 months. Online, free, one form per dog. The receipt is valid for 6 months and for multiple entries, as long as the dog has not been in a high-risk country and the country of departure matches the one on the form. It can be filled in on the day of travel.
«Starting on August 1, 2024, the only required documentation for dogs entering or returning to the United States that have been only in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries in the past 6 months is the CDC Dog Import Form. The receipt is valid for 6 months from when it's issued unless the dog visits a high-risk country or a different dog rabies-free or low-risk country during that time. The receipt»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Veterinary health certificatedepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
CDC's 'Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip' form: completed by a veterinarian and endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the country of export (in some countries this is the same person). Issued no more than 30 days before travel, valid for a single entry and for 30 days from signature. Carry a printed original — ideally two copies, as the airline may keep one. Documents are accepted in English or with a certified translation.
«This form must be completed no more than 30 days before the dog travels to the U.S. You can use this form only one time to enter the U.S. The form is valid for 30 days after it is signed by the dog's veterinarian. The document must be signed by the dog's veterinarian and endorsed by an official government veterinarian.»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Import permitdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
A reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility (ACF) at the arrival airport is ALWAYS required, even with a titre: the dog is examined and revaccinated on arrival. Without a titre the reservation must also cover the 28-day quarantine. CDC advises booking at least 30 days ahead; the facility reviews the documents first. All costs fall on the owner. The booking confirmation is shown to the airline at boarding and to border officers on arrival.
«Foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country for dog rabies within the last 6 months must have a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility before entering the U.S. This reservation will include an examination and revaccination of the dog. If the dog does not have a valid rabies serology titer, the reservation must also include a 28-day quarantine. All costs at CDC-regis»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
The order of preparation
The order matters more than the list: a step done too early has to be repeated. The intervals come from the same rule fields the engine uses for the earliest departure date.
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Microchip
before the rabies vaccination
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Rabies vaccination
depends on origin
pet at least 12 weeks oldvalid after 28 days
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Rabies antibody titre test
depends on origin
no earlier than 30 days after the vaccinationentry 28 days after the blood draw
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Import permit
depends on origin
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Veterinary health certificate
depends on origin
no earlier than 30 days before entry
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Import declaration
Steps marked “depends on origin” are not needed by everyone — see the table above or check your own route.
Compared by departure country
Lapaport's engine on six examples, counted from zero: a dog of no particular breed with nothing done yet — no microchip, no vaccination, no tests — starting preparation today. Columns marked “always” are required from anywhere.
| From | Microchipalways | Rabies jab | Titre test | Declarationalways | Health certificate | Import permit | Earliest departurepreparing from scratch | |
|---|
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | — | no waiting period |
Plan → |
| 🇫🇷 France |
✓ | — | — | ✓ | — | — | no waiting period |
Plan → |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | November 22, 2026 |
Plan → |
| 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | November 22, 2026 |
Plan → |
| 🇨🇳 China |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | November 22, 2026 |
Plan → |
If the microchip and vaccination are already done, the wait is shorter: the clock runs from the vaccination date, not from today. Breed, weight and connections change the answer too — check your own route with the form above.
Arrival airports
Pets may not enter through just any airport. Below: where direct flights go and whether animals are accepted.
On the list of entry points6
JFKNew York
MIAMiami
LAXLos Angeles
ATLAtlanta
IADDulles
PHLPhiladelphia
Not on the list of entry points6
EWRNewark
ORDChicago
DFWDallas-Fort Worth
SFOSan Francisco
IAHHouston
BOSBoston