United States authorities enforce pet entry standards to prevent the introduction of rabies and communicable diseases. You must prepare official documentation and complete veterinary checks before traveling with your pet.
This is general guidance. Always ask your vet.
What are the requirements to travel with a dog from Mexico to the United States?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires all dogs entering from Mexico to be at least 6 months old, have an ISO microchip, appear healthy, and carry an approved CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
The CDC classifies Mexico as a dog rabies-free or low-risk country.
You do not need proof of rabies vaccination for dogs that resided exclusively in low-risk countries during the 6 months prior to entry.
You must submit the online CDC Dog Import Form free of charge on your travel day or up to 6 months before departure.
Each dog requires an individual form. The CDC receipt remains valid for 6 months and permits multiple entries from the departure country.
- Confirm your dog is at least 6 months old on the day of travel.
- Have your veterinarian verify the presence of an ISO-compatible microchip.
- Submit the free online CDC Dog Import Form for each individual dog.
- Present the approved CDC receipt to inspectors at the port of entry.
Does a dog traveling from Mexico to the United States need a screwworm certificate?
The United States Department of Agriculture requires dogs arriving from screwworm-affected countries to present an official veterinary certificate confirming inspection and freedom from screwworm within 5 days before shipment.
For travel from Mexico, an authorized private clinical veterinarian registered in SENASICA's MVRA directory can perform the inspection and issue the certificate.
Schedule this veterinary examination within 5 days before your departure date.
When border regulations mandate antiparasitic treatments, the treating licensed veterinarian selects the specific pharmaceutical product and administration route.
- Locate an authorized private veterinarian registered in SENASICA's MVRA directory.
- Take your dog for an examination within 5 days before departure.
- Obtain the signed veterinary certificate stating your dog is free of screwworm.
What microchip standard does the United States require for traveling dogs?
The CDC requires an ISO-compatible microchip detectable with a universal scanner under standard ISO 11784 or ISO 11785.
Your veterinarian must implant the microchip before administering any rabies vaccination for the CDC to recognize the vaccine.
The exact microchip number must appear consistently on all veterinary records, health certificates, and CDC import submissions.
Inspectors scan the microchip at the port of entry to verify that your dog matches the submitted paperwork.
[S1][S2][S4][S5][S6]What rules apply to dogs entering the United States from high-risk rabies countries?
The CDC requires foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk rabies countries to have an ISO microchip, an endorsed rabies certificate, a passing serology titer test, and a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility.
The CDC classifies countries including Belize, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, and Venezuela as high-risk for dog rabies.
Dogs from high-risk countries must receive their initial rabies vaccine at or after 12 weeks of age and at least 28 days before entry.
A CDC-approved laboratory must analyze a rabies serology titer drawn at least 30 days after vaccination and at least 28 days before travel. A passing titer remains valid for life provided booster vaccinations have no lapse.
Foreign-vaccinated dogs must arrive by air directly at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility. Dogs lacking a valid titer report must complete a mandatory 28-day quarantine at the facility at your expense.
[S3][S4][S5][S6]How do U.S.-vaccinated dogs return to the United States from a high-risk rabies country?
Returning U.S.-vaccinated dogs require a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form endorsed by the USDA before departure from the United States.
A USDA-accredited veterinarian must complete this form and submit it through the USDA VEHCS platform before you leave the country.
The USDA-endorsed certificate remains valid for multiple re-entries into the United States for the entire duration of the documented rabies vaccine.
Each returning dog must also reach at least 6 months of age, have an ISO microchip, and carry an approved CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
[S1][S2][S4][S6]What are the federal requirements to bring a pet cat into the United States?
USDA APHIS and the CDC do not require rabies vaccinations, import permits, or health certificates for domestic pet cats, but your cat must appear healthy upon arrival.
Hawaii and the territory of Guam enforce mandatory local quarantine protocols for all arriving cats, including cats arriving from the continental United States.
Commercial airlines and individual destination states frequently require a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection signed by a veterinarian within 10 to 30 days of travel.
[S8][S9]What happens if a dog or cat arrives in the United States without required documentation?
United States border authorities will deny entry and return your pet to the departure country at your expense if documentation is missing, the microchip is unreadable, or the animal shows signs of illness.
Federal inspectors refuse entry to non-compliant animals directly at the port of arrival.
Under 42 U.S.C. 271, violating federal animal importation regulations carries criminal penalties.
Penalties include criminal imprisonment for up to 1 year and individual fines up to $100,000 per violation.
[S5][S9]What documents does SENASICA require when taking a dog or cat from the United States into Mexico?
SENASICA requires a screwworm inspection certificate signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian for dogs, while pet cats require only a physical inspection upon arrival.
Dogs entering Mexico from the United States must present a New World screwworm certificate issued within 5 days before travel, with no general health certificate or vaccination booklet required.
Pet cats entering Mexico from the United States are exempt from screwworm certificates and health papers, requiring only an official physical check by SENASICA at the border.
SENASICA prohibits travelers from importing pet beds, blankets, cloth rags, toys, and treats containing ruminant ingredients, confiscating and destroying them at checkpoints.
[S10]When should you go to the vet right away?
- Signs of communicable or infectious disease before or during travel.
- Open wounds, unhealed skin lesions, or suspected screwworm infestation.
- Clinical evidence of tapeworm or external parasite infection.
This is general guidance. Always ask your vet.
Checked against sources; veterinary review pending. Information checked on September 30, 2026. Updated on September 30, 2026.
Written with AI help from the cited sources. A second model checked every fact against them.
Sources
- S1 Bringing a Dog into the U.S. | Importation | CDC
- S2 Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries | Importation | CDC
- S3 High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies | Importation | CDC
- S4 CDC Dog Import Form and Instructions | Importation | CDC
- S5 Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries | Importation | CDC
- S6 Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries | Importation | CDC
- S7 Pet Dogs Import into the US | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- S8 Pet Cats Imports into the US | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- S9 Bringing an Animal into the U.S. | Importation | CDC
- S10 Requisitos y procedimientos para viajar a México con tu mascota | Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria | Gobierno | gob.mx
