Traveling internationally with your dog

Taking your dog abroad, or bringing a dog home to Miami from another country, is very doable. It just takes paperwork, the right veterinarian and, for some places, months of lead time. This guide walks through both directions: leaving the U.S. with your dog, and entering the U.S. under the CDC dog import rules, including U.S. dogs coming home from a trip. Rules differ by country, by airline and even by the date you fly, so treat every timeline here as a starting point and confirm the details for your exact trip.

The big picture

Two U.S. agencies handle most of this:

USDA APHIS handles dogs leaving the U.S. It publishes each destination's requirements and endorses (officially signs off on) the health certificate your veterinarian issues.
The CDC sets the rules for dogs entering or returning to the U.S. Every dog needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and dogs that have been in a high-risk rabies country in the past 6 months need more.

Your airline adds its own layer: whether dogs can fly in the cabin, in the hold, or not at all, plus fees, carrier sizes and breed limits.

Part A: Leaving the U.S. with your dog

APHIS says to contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel. Requirements can change at any time, so check them again for every trip.

Step-by-step timeline

3 to 6 months or more before you fly

Look up your destination on the APHIS pet travel export page (opens in a new tab). Pick the country from the menu and read every line, including any separate health certificate.
Find a USDA-accredited veterinarian. Only an accredited vet can issue an international health certificate that APHIS will endorse. Use the APHIS accredited vet search (opens in a new tab) and ask the clinic whether they handle international certificates regularly.
Check your dog's microchip. Many countries, including the EU, Great Britain and Japan, require an ISO-compliant microchip (ISO 11784 and 11785, usually 15 digits). The chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine that counts for travel, or that vaccine may not count. If your dog has an older non-ISO chip, ask your vet about adding an ISO chip and then revaccinating. Our microchips explainer covers the basics.
Plan the rabies vaccine. For the EU and Great Britain, your dog must wait at least 21 days after a primary rabies vaccination before entering. Because the vaccine can't be given before 12 weeks of age, Delta notes that dogs flying to the EU must be at least 15 weeks old.
Start any titer test early. Rabies-free places such as Japan and Hawaii need a rabies antibody (titer) test from an approved lab, followed by a long waiting period (see "Vaccines and timing" below).
Choose an airline and how your dog will fly (cabin, checked baggage or cargo). Many major U.S. airlines now carry pets only in the cabin, so a large dog may need a different airline or a pet shipper. Reserve your dog's space as soon as you book: cabin spots are limited per flight.

About 1 month before

Confirm the airline's paperwork rules. Some airlines require their own health certificate timing (for example, American requires a certificate issued by a vet within 10 days of travel). United requires a health and vaccination certificate for all international flights, including Canada and Mexico.
Buy and train with the travel crate or carrier. For the cabin, it must fit under the seat. For the hold or cargo, use a crate that meets IATA's Live Animals Regulations (see "Crates" below).
Book the vet appointment for the health certificate exam, timed to your destination's window, and confirm whether your vet will submit it through VEHCS.

Within the final 10 days (for the EU and many other destinations)

Vet exam and health certificate. Your accredited vet examines your dog and completes the destination's health certificate.
APHIS endorsement. The vet submits the certificate to APHIS for endorsement, usually electronically through VEHCS. For the EU, APHIS must endorse it within 10 days of your dog's arrival, and the EU certificate requires an original ink endorsement, so allow time for the paper to come back to you.
Destination-specific treatments. If you are flying to Great Britain, Ireland, Finland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway, your dog needs a tapeworm treatment by a vet 24 to 120 hours before arrival.
Mexico: United notes that dogs entering Mexico need a New World screwworm inspection certificate signed by a USDA-accredited vet and issued no more than 5 days before travel. This applies to in-cabin pets and service dogs too.

Travel day

Carry the endorsed original certificate, vaccine records and any import permit. Keep copies on your phone.
Arrive early. Airlines check pet documents at check-in, and you'll take your dog out of the carrier at the security checkpoint.
If your trip includes a high-risk rabies country, make sure the CDC paperwork for your return was done before you left (Part B).

The health certificate, explained

A pet health certificate is an official document confirming your dog was examined, appeared healthy, and meets the destination's requirements (microchip, rabies vaccine, tests, treatments). A few key points:

Who signs it: a USDA-accredited veterinarian issues it. APHIS then endorses it, which is the government signature and seal foreign officials look for.
Which form: most countries have their own country-specific certificate, found on that country's APHIS page. APHIS only endorses the certificate the destination requires. You may also need APHIS Form 7001, a general U.S. health certificate, if your airline asks for one.
How endorsement works: your vet submits the certificate through VEHCS (the Veterinary Export Health Certification System), or ships the original paper certificate to APHIS. APHIS states it offers no in-person or drop-off service. Some countries accept a digitally endorsed certificate; others, including the EU, need an original ink endorsement.
Why the 10-day window matters: for the EU, APHIS must endorse the certificate within 10 days of your dog's arrival. Great Britain has the same 10-day endorsement rule. Airlines can be stricter or looser: American asks for a certificate issued within 10 days of travel. If your flight is delayed past the window, the paperwork may no longer be valid, so build in a small buffer and know your vet's and APHIS's turnaround.
Fees: APHIS charges an endorsement fee (see costs below). Service dogs of people with disabilities are exempt.

Vaccines and timing

Rabies

Microchip first. For both the EU and the CDC's high-risk rules, the chip must be in place before (or the same day as) the rabies shot.
Age: the CDC requires the first rabies vaccine to be given on or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age.
Waiting periods: the EU and Great Britain require at least 21 days after a primary rabies vaccination. The CDC's form for U.S.-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries can't be completed until at least 28 days after a first vaccine.
Boosters: CDC notes a rabies vaccine usually lasts 1 or 3 years. Keep boosters on time and check the expiry date against your travel dates.

Tapeworm treatment

Dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway must be treated against the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm by a vet between 24 and 120 hours before scheduled entry. Great Britain has the same 24 to 120 hour rule. Plan a vet visit near your destination if you are connecting through other countries first.

Titer tests for rabies-free places

A titer test shows your dog's rabies antibody level. Rabies-free destinations use it, along with long waits:

Japan: two rabies vaccines, a titer of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an approved lab, then at least 180 days between the blood draw and arrival, plus notice to Japan's Animal Quarantine Service at least 40 days before arrival.
Hawaii: two rabies vaccines and a passing FAVN titer, with at least 30 days after the titer and after the most recent vaccine. Documents must reach the state at least 10 days before arrival to qualify for the 5-Day-or-Less or direct airport release program; otherwise dogs can be quarantined for up to 120 days.
Other rabies-free destinations have their own processes. Check current rules on the APHIS country page as early as you can.

Crates and how your dog flies

Cabin: small dogs in a carrier that fits under the seat in front of you. Your dog stays in the carrier for the whole flight.
Checked baggage or cargo: for larger dogs, where the airline allows it. IATA's Live Animals Regulations say the crate must let your dog stand and sit upright, turn around normally while standing, and lie down naturally. IATA gives a measuring formula and says snub-nosed breeds need a container 10% larger.

Part B: Bringing a dog into the U.S. (including your own dog coming home)

The CDC's current rules apply to every dog entering the U.S., including U.S.-born dogs returning from a vacation. What you need depends on where your dog has been in the 6 months before arrival.

Rules for every dog

At least 6 months old when entering or returning.
A microchip that can be read by a universal scanner. For dogs from high-risk countries, the chip number must appear on every document.
Healthy on arrival.
A CDC Dog Import Form receipt, one per dog. The form is free and online. You show the receipt (printed or on your phone) to the airline and to CBP on arrival.

If your dog has only been in rabies-free or low-risk countries

Check that every country your dog has been in during the past 6 months is not on the CDC high-risk list (opens in a new tab).
Fill out the CDC Dog Import Form. You can do it up to 6 months ahead or on travel day.
The receipt is good for 6 months of entries unless your dog visits a high-risk country.
Your dog can enter at any U.S. airport, seaport or land border crossing.

If your U.S.-vaccinated dog has been in a high-risk country

This is the path for most Miami dogs visiting a high-risk country and coming home.

Before you leave the U.S., your USDA-accredited vet completes the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination in VEHCS, and USDA must endorse it before your dog departs. You can't do this from abroad.
If this was your dog's first rabies shot, the dog must have been at least 12 weeks old, and the form can only be completed 28 days or more after that shot.
The endorsed form stays valid until the rabies vaccine on it expires, and it can be reused for multiple re-entries while the vaccine is current. A USDA user fee applies.
Complete a CDC Dog Import Form for each entry (for high-risk travel the receipt covers one entry, and you'll upload a photo of your dog).
Your dog can arrive at any airport, seaport or land crossing, as long as it matches the arrival location on the receipt.

If a foreign-vaccinated dog has been in a high-risk country

This applies to many adopted or rescued dogs coming from abroad.

A foreign vet completes the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, endorsed by an official government veterinarian in that country. It's valid for 30 days after signing and for one entry only.
A rabies titer from a CDC-approved lab, with blood drawn at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccine and at least 28 days before U.S. entry.
A reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, where your dog is examined and revaccinated with a U.S.-licensed rabies vaccine at your cost. Dogs without a valid titer are quarantined there for 28 days.
Your dog must arrive at the airport where that facility is located. The CDC keeps the list of registered facilities (opens in a new tab).
Documents must be in English or come with a certified translation.

Screwworm and other USDA rules

Separately from the CDC, USDA requires dogs coming from regions with screwworm to be inspected within 5 days before shipment and certified free of screwworm by a full-time salaried government vet in the origin country. Dogs imported for resale or adoption fall under extra USDA rules.

At the border

CBP enforces these rules on arrival. Dogs refused entry are returned to the country they left from at the owner's expense, and may be held until then at the owner's cost.

Links to all the government forms

What it costs (approximately)

These are published fees as of our review date. They change, so treat them as estimates.

Item	Published cost	Source
CDC Dog Import Form	Free	CDC
APHIS endorsement, no lab tests	$101 per certificate	USDA APHIS
APHIS endorsement, 1 to 2 lab tests	$160 (plus $10 per extra pet on the same certificate)	USDA APHIS
APHIS endorsement, 3 to 6 lab tests	$206 (plus $18 per extra pet)	USDA APHIS
APHIS endorsement, 7 or more lab tests	$275 (plus $21 per extra pet)	USDA APHIS
Airline in-cabin pet fee	About $100 to $200 each way (see table below)	Airline sites
CDC-registered animal care facility (foreign-vaccinated dogs)	Paid by the importer; ask the facility	CDC

APHIS notes that vaccines don't count as "tests" for its fees. Vet exam, microchip, vaccine and titer costs vary by clinic and lab; ask for a written quote. We could not find a reliable published range to share.

Pet-friendly airlines: what their policies say

We are not ranking airlines. This table lists what each airline's own pet page said when we reviewed it. Policies, fees and route lists change often, so check before booking.

Airline	Dogs in cabin	Checked bag or cargo	In-cabin fee (each way)	Snub-nosed breeds	Worth knowing
Alaska / Hawaiian	Yes, small dogs; dogs and cats only to select international locations	Yes, baggage compartment, $200 each way per kennel	$100	Not accepted in the baggage compartment (exception for some Hawaii flights)	Dogs must be at least 8 weeks old; health certificate required for the baggage compartment
American	Yes, within the U.S. and to Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, subject to country rules	Checked only for active-duty military and State Department staff on orders; cargo via American PetEmbark	$150 per kennel	Not accepted as checked pets	Health certificate issued within 10 days of travel
Delta	Yes, with destination exceptions (including the UK, Australia, Hawaii, Jamaica and others)	Cargo only for active military or State Department staff with relocation orders	$150 U.S. and Canada; $200 international	Its pet-shipping page says snub-nosed dogs and mixes are not permitted	Dogs flying into the U.S. must be 6 months old
United	Yes, cabin only, dogs and cats	No PetSafe checked pets; cargo only for certain military and State Department travelers	$150	No breed limits for cabin pets	Health and vaccination certificate required on all international flights
JetBlue	Small dogs only, max 6 pets per flight	No checked pets or cargo	$150	Not stated	Carrier max 17 x 12.5 x 8.5 in.; no pets on partner or codeshare bookings; not all destinations allow pets
Lufthansa	Yes, up to 8 kg including carrier	Larger dogs as excess baggage in the hold	Varies by route	Special rules for snub-nosed breeds	For flights to or from the U.S., register at least 72 hours ahead with Lufthansa's form
Air France	Yes, up to 8 kg including carrier	Dogs from 8 to 75 kg with carrier in the hold	Varies by route	Check before booking	Add your pet at least 24 hours before departure

Snub-nosed (brachycephalic) dogs

Bulldogs, pugs, boxers and other short-nosed breeds have restricted airways that can make breathing difficult, as Lufthansa explains. Several airlines refuse them as checked or cargo pets: Alaska, American and Delta all publish restrictions, and Lufthansa has special rules. If your dog is snub-nosed, flying in the cabin may be the only option, and only if your dog is small enough. If your dog must go in a crate, IATA calls for a container 10% larger.

Quick tips from our team

Start early. The paperwork, not the flight, is what derails trips.
Keep the original endorsed certificate dry and in your carry-on, never in checked luggage.
Before any trip that touches a high-risk rabies country, get the CDC return paperwork done at home first.
Save every receipt and form as photos on your phone.
Call the airline after booking to confirm your dog is actually on the reservation.

Questions about a specific trip? Your accredited veterinarian and the APHIS country page are the best first stops. For Britain and Europe in more detail, see our UK and Europe pet travel guide, and print the checklist to keep on the fridge.