United States Pet Import Requirements 2026: Dogs & Cats

Bringing a dog or cat to United States in 2026 falls into the easy category for international pet travel. United States is in North America. United States does not routinely quarantine pets that arrive with complete paperwork.

Reviewed by Clifford Wilson, Founder of ClearToFly.pet. Compiled from official government and airline documentation. Last reviewed 2026-08-24.

Core pet import requirements for United States

• ISO microchip: Required. Must be an ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit) microchip implanted before vaccinations.
• Rabies vaccination: Required. Vaccine must be current; for most destinations the primary rabies vaccination must be given at least 21–30 days before travel.
• Rabies titer (FAVN/RNATT) test: Not required for pets from most countries.
• Quarantine: None required when paperwork is in order on arrival.
• Pet types accepted: dog, cat, bird, rabbit, reptile, other.

Required documents for United States

Plan to present the following at check-in and on arrival:

• USDA Health Certificate (APHIS 7001)
• Rabies vaccination certificate

Important notes on United States pet import

Requirements vary by state. Hawaii has separate quarantine rules. Check CDC guidelines for the latest updates.

Plan your pet's trip to United States

Use the ClearToFly Trip Planner to build a personalized checklist with exact deadlines for your route into United States. Compare carriers that fly your route on the airline pet policy directory, or get expert eyes on your paperwork with a Route Review.

Always verify United States pet import rules with the official source

Government pet import rules change without notice. Before booking flights, confirm requirements directly with the United States veterinary authority via the official source: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/. We also recommend cross-referencing the USDA APHIS Pet Travel database for U.S.-origin pets.

Data last verified 2026-08-24 from CDC. Country code: US.

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