Federal Register/Vol. 89, No. 93/Monday, May 13, 2024/Rules and Regulations
B.i. Requirements for All Dogs
Per this final rule, HHS/CDC requires that all dogs arriving from any country, including dogs returning to the United States after traveling abroad, be microchipped with an International Standards Organization (ISO)- compatible microchip prior to travel into the United States.
In this final rule, HHS/CDC also requires all dog importers to submit a CDC Dog Import Form *
NOTE this form is not available until July 15/2024 (i.e., an online form that includes the importers’ contact information and information related to each dog being imported) via a CDC-approved system prior to travel to the United States. This requirement would apply to all imported dogs (including dogs arriving from DMRVV- free and DMRVV low-risk countries) arriving in the United States by air, land, or sea. Upon arrival at a U.S. port, importers must present a receipt confirming they submitted a completed CDC Dog Import Form.
To improve vaccination verification systems and deter fraud, CDC’s required forms (not including the electronically submitted CDC Dog Import Form) need to be endorsed by official government veterinarians in the country of export.
NOTE: for Canadians, this is a CFIA Veterinarian. Contact a Canadian Food Inspection Agency office by phone: 800-442-2342 (Canada and US) or 613-773-2342 (local or International)
B.ii. Requirements for Dogs From DMRVV-Free or DMRVV Low-Risk Countries
This final rule further permits dogs imported from DMRVV-free or DMRVV low-risk countries to arrive at any U.S. port.25 In lieu of a CDC vaccination form, which is required for dogs imported from DMRVV high-risk countries, these importers may instead provide proof ) that the dogs have been in DMRVV-free or DMRVV low-risk countries only during the six months prior to arriving in the United States.
This is the summary that outlines the requirements. There are options as to other documentation that needs to accompany our dogs, but all needs to certified by a gov’t veterinarian:
Website: What Your Dog Needs to Enter the United States
Also see the latest CDC Regulation for traveling between countries.
Have one of the following (note: any documentation that is not from the United States must be completed in the country where the dog’s travel originates):
- Certification of Dog Arriving from DMRVV-free or Low-Risk Country into the United States form endorsed by an official veterinarian in the exporting country; AND veterinary records* (which list the microchip number) for the dog from the exporting country for the 6 months before traveling to the U.S. This form must be for the dog rabies-free or low risk country where the dog’s return itinerary originated. The form has different entry requirements depending on whether and where the dog was vaccinated. The form is valid for
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- A single entry into the U.S. for 30 days after it was issued if it does not contain information about rabies vaccination administered in a dog rabies-free or low-risk country, OR
- Multiple entries into the U.S. for the duration the rabies vaccination is valid (1 or 3 years) if the rabies vaccination was administered in a dog rabies-free or low-risk country
- Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, including the endorsement by an official veterinarian of the dog rabies-free or low-risk country where the dog has been located; AND EITHER
(1) a valid rabies serology titer OR
(2) veterinary records* (which list the microchip number) for the dog from the exporting country for the previous 6 months.
The form must be completed within 30 days before arrival to the United States and is valid for a single entry.