Starting August 1, 2024, the CDC Dog Import Form is required to bring your dog into the U.S.
Below are instructions on how to fill out the form for dogs coming from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries and for dogs coming from high-risk countries.
For dogs that have been ONLY in dog rabies-free or low-risk countries in the 6 months before U.S. entry, this is the only form that is needed. U.S.-vaccinated dogs and foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country 6 months before U.S entry have additional documentation requirements.
This form should be completed by the person importing (bringing) the dog into the United States (the importer, owner, or shipper). If the person importing the dog has difficulty completing this form such as due to a disability, this form may be filled out by someone else acting on behalf of the importer. After you submit this form, a receipt will be sent to the email address you provided. Please check that the email address is correct before submitting the form.
If the dog is traveling by air, you must show the receipt to the airline before boarding.
You must also retain the receipt and be able to show the receipt to U.S. Customs and Border Protection when the dog arrives in the United States.
Select the button indicating whether a dog has been in a country that is considered a high-risk country for dog rabies in the last 6 months. Please verify using the High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies list. The answer to this question will determine the remaining information you must enter in the form.
The receipt is valid for one dog to enter the United States multiple times within six months from the date of issuance. Complete another CDC Dog Import Form and obtain another receipt for additional dogs or future entries after six months.
Enter information about the person bringing the dog to the United States.
This person may be:
That person’s passport number or driver’s license number, or the air waybill (AWB) number for the dog (provided by the airline) must be entered.
To enter the date of birth, click the calendar, select the month and year of birth and then click the day of birth.
Enter the email address where the receipt for this form should be sent. Ensure this email address is correct as this is where the CDC Dog Import Form receipt will be sent when you submit the form.
Enter the phone number of the person bringing the dog to the United States.
Enter the dog’s name (required)
The following fields are optional:
Select the importation purpose (required).
Select “Personal Pet” if the dog is a personal pet or emotional support animal.
Select “Commercial” if the dog is being adopted from another country, sold to a person in the United States, or being brought to the United States by or on behalf of a rescue organization or a business.
Select “Service animal” only for a dog that meets the definition of a service animal used in federal regulations (14 CFR 382.3 ), which states a service animal is “a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Animal species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals, and service animals in training are not service animals for the purposes of this part.” If “Service animal” is selected, the dog must be traveling with the person with a disability whom it is trained to assist.
Select "Government-owned" if the dog is a working dog owned by a U.S. federal, state, territorial, or local government agency, or a foreign government agency, and the purpose of bringing it to the United States is to serve as part of its official duties.
Select "Education, Exhibition, or Research" if the dog is being imported for one of the following reasons:
Complete the information below for the first trip when you will use the receipt for this form.
Travel Type: Select how the dog will be traveling to the United States (air, land, or sea).
Country or area of departure: Select the country or area from which the dog is departing for the United States. Note that only dog rabies-free and low-risk countries are listed. If the dog is arriving from a high-risk country, or has been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months, please return to the top of the page, select “Yes” to the question “Has the dog been in a country that is considered a high-risk country for dog rabies in the last six months?”
Arrival date: Select the date on which the dog will arrive in the United States.
Read the statements in this section carefully. You are making attestations and statements of understanding that may subject you to penalties, including criminal penalties.
If you are completing the form on behalf of an importer who has difficulty completing this form such as due to a disability, read the statements aloud to the importer and confirm they understand the information provided and agree to the Terms of Acceptance.
Check the box indicating one of two options: either 1) you are the importer and you have read the statements and understand that typing your name constitutes a legal signature or 2) you are authorized to act on behalf of the importer, the information on the form was provided by the importer, and the importer acknowledges and agrees to the Terms of Acceptance.
For the signature:
Once you are finished entering information and have checked that it is accurate, click the blue box on the lower right that says “Submit.”
An email should be sent to the email address provided in the next 15 minutes with a receipt. That email will come from DGMQAdminSupport@cdc.gov. If it does not arrive in the inbox, the spam folder may need to be checked.
Please retain a copy of your CDC Dog Import Form receipt. You must present the receipt to airline if the dog is traveling by air and U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival in the U.S.
The receipt is valid for one dog to enter the United States one time. Complete another CDC Dog Import Form and obtain another receipt for future entries or other dogs.
Enter information about the person bringing the dog to the United States.
This person may be:
That person’s passport number, driver’s license number, or the air waybill (AWB) number for the dog (provided by the airline) must be entered.
To enter the date of birth, click the calendar, select the month and year of birth and then click the day of birth.
Enter the email address where the receipt for this form should be sent. Ensure this email address is correct as this is where the CDC Dog Import Form receipt will be sent when you submit the form.
Physical address where the dog will be located in the United States.
Enter the name of the recipient or consignee of the dog. This is the person who will receive the dog in the United States. This may be the same person who is traveling with or transporting the dog.
Enter the street address where the dog will be located after arrival in the United States. For example, this may be the home where the dog lives, or a hotel address if the dog will stay at a hotel. If the dog will be in the United States for a brief period (several hours), enter the address where it will be the majority of the time.
Enter the phone number and email address of the recipient or consignee of the dog.
Enter the dog’s name (required)
Enter the age of the dog in years or months.
Enter the sex of the dog.
Select the breed of the dog. Select “mixed breed/other” if you cannot find the breed of the dog listed, or if you do not know the breed of the dog.
State the color and markings of the dog.
Enter the microchip number of the dog. If the dog has multiple microchip numbers, enter the microchip number that is readable and documented on the official veterinary documentation accompanying your dog. Contact your veterinarian for assistance if you cannot find your dog’s microchip number on its medical records.
Attach a photo of the dog showing its face and body (see example below). Only .jpg, .jpeg, or .png files are accepted. Maximum file size is 1mb. If your file is larger than 1mb or in a different format, you must save the file as one of the acceptable file types and reduce the file size. Dogs less than one year old should have this photo taken within 15 days before they will arrive in the United States.
Select the importation purpose.
Select “Personal Pet” if the dog is a personal pet or emotional support animal.
Select “Commercial” if the dog is being adopted from another country, sold to a person in the United States, being brought to the United States by or on behalf of a rescue organization, or moved to the United States on behalf of a business.
Select “Service animal” only for a dog that meets the definition of a service animal used in federal regulations (14 CFR 382.3 ), which states a service animal is “a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Animal species other than dogs, emotional support animals, comfort animals, companionship animals, and service animals in training are not service animals for the purposes of this part.”
If this importation purpose is selected, the service animal must be traveling with the person with a disability whom the dog is trained to assist.
Select "Government-owned" if the dog is a working dog owned by a government agency AND is serving U.S. federal, state, territorial, or local government or a foreign government agency as part of its official duties.
Select "Education, Exhibition, or Research" if the dog is being imported for one of the following reasons:
Each question that follows will depend upon your answers.
1. Does the dog have either a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form or a USDA-endorsed export health certificate?
The Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form must be completed by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-accredited veterinarian and digitally endorsed by USDA before the dog leaves the United States. USDA-accredited veterinarians can access the form and its instructions at Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) Help Page
If the dog is traveling with a USDA-endorsed export health certificate issued before the dog left the United States, note that it must:
If you have either of those documents because the dog was vaccinated in the United States and the veterinarian provided you with copies endorsed by the USDA, select “yes” to that question then proceed to the “travel type” section.
If the dog does not have a current, valid, U.S. document demonstrating the rabies vaccination, select “no” to that question.
2. Do you have a CDC Dog Import Permit?
CDC Dog Import Permits are no longer being issued, but existing permits will be valid through August 31, 2024 or the expiration date of the permit, whichever is earlier.
If "yes" then you should choose the port of entry (POE) in the dropdown that matches the POE listed on your import permit.
If "no" then select no and move on to the next question.
3. If the dog has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies and does not have a U.S.-issued rabies vaccination, or a CDC Dog Import Permit, answer the question: Does the dog have a current and valid Certification of Foreign-Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form that has been endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the exporting country?
This is a required document for dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the six months before entry to the United States that do not have a current U.S-issued rabies vaccination.
If you do NOT have this document, you must obtain it from the dog’s veterinarian and ensure it is endorsed by an official government veterinarian. Select “yes” once you have this required document then proceed to the “travel type” section.
Travel Type: Select how the dog will be traveling to the United States (air, land, or sea).
Country or area of departure: Select the country or area from which the dog is departing for the United States.
Arrival date: Select the date on which the dog will arrive in the United States.
Select all countries and areas the dog has been in during the six months before arriving in the United States.
State: Select the state or Preclearance location where the dog will enter the United States.
Port of entry: Choose the port of entry (for example, the airport or land border crossing) where your dog will arrive in the United States or clear U.S. Customs.
Indicate the carrier and flight number for arrivals by air, the license plate information for arrivals by land, or the vessel name for arrivals by sea.
Indicate how the dog is traveling for dogs arriving by air:
Read the statements in this section carefully. You are making attestations and statements of understanding that may subject you to penalties, including criminal penalties.
If you are completing the form on behalf of an importer who has difficulty completing this form such as due to a disability, read the statements aloud to the importer and confirm they understand the information provided and agree to the Terms of Acceptance.
Check the box indicating one of two options, either 1) you are the importer and you have read the statements and understand that typing your name constitutes a legal signature or 2) you are authorized to act on behalf of the importer, the information on the form was provided by the importer, and the importer acknowledges and agrees of to the Terms of Acceptance.
For the signature:
Once you are finished entering information and have checked that it is accurate, click the blue box on the lower right that says “Submit.”
An email should be sent to the email address provided in the next 15 minutes with a receipt. That email will come from DGMQAdminSupport@cdc.gov. If it does not arrive in the inbox, the spam folder may need to be checked.
Please retain a copy of your CDC Dog Import Form receipt. You must present the receipt to airline if the dog is traveling by air and U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival in the U.S.
