Bringing Your Dog Back to the US: CDC Dog Import Form, Step by Step (2026)

Key rules

• Every dog entering the US needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
• The form is free. One form per dog. You get the receipt by email.
• Show the receipt printed or on your phone.
• If the dog was only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries in the last 6 months, the form is the only document.
• The dog must look healthy.
• The dog must be at least 6 months old.
• The dog must have a microchip readable by a universal scanner.
• These dogs can enter at any airport, seaport or land border.
• The receipt is valid 6 months, for multiple entries, if the departure country stays the same.
• A different departure country needs a new form.
• Canada, Mexico, the UK and EU countries are not on CDC's high-risk list.
• Ceuta, Melilla, Morocco, Turkey and Ukraine are on the high-risk list.
• Dogs that were in a high-risk country in the last 6 months need more documents.
• US-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries: Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination, endorsed by USDA before leaving the US.
• USDA export health certificates issued after 31 Jul 2025 are not accepted instead of that form.
• Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries must arrive at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility. They cannot cross at a land border.
• There are no CDC-registered animal care facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or US territories.

Canada and Mexico

• Dogs that were only in the US, Canada and Mexico need only the CDC Dog Import Form.
• One receipt covers repeat trips for 6 months from the same country.
• Switching between Canada and Mexico needs a new receipt.
• Dogs only driving through the US must meet the same rules.

Timeline (work back from your US arrival date)

Common mistakes

Using an old receipt after visiting a different country.

Travelling with a puppy under 6 months.

A microchip that a universal scanner cannot read.

Visiting Morocco, Ceuta or Melilla on a Spain trip and not planning for high-risk rules.

Relying on a USDA export certificate issued after 31 Jul 2025.

Airlines

Checked 29 Oct 2026 on each airline's own page. Fees and rules change; confirm when booking.

• Show the CDC receipt at check-in. Iberia and KLM say they check it before boarding. Iberia says this applies in the cabin, in the hold and to assistance dogs.
• Dog age: Delta and United require dogs to be at least 6 months old to fly to the US.
• Delta: small pets in the cabin. International fee USD 200 each way. No pets in the cabin to or from the United Kingdom. Delta Cargo has a temporary global embargo on household pet shipments. The only exception is US active-duty military and Foreign Service officers on permanent change of station (PCS) orders, and even they cannot ship pets to or from Amsterdam (AMS), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), London Heathrow (LHR), Seoul (ICN) or Tokyo (HND). Snub-nosed dogs and cats and their mixes are not accepted. International pet shipments must be booked through an IPATA member pet shipper (military and Foreign Service PCS moves excepted). GOV.UK listing Delta cargo as an approved route does not mean Delta currently accepts pets.
• United: cats and dogs in the cabin only, USD 150 each way. No pets to, from or through the UK, Ireland, Morocco, Iceland or Sweden. No checked pets or cargo.
• American: no carry-on pets on transatlantic trips. Checked pets only for military and State Department staff on orders.
• Air France and KLM: pets up to 8 kg with carrier in the cabin. Hold up to 75 kg. Air France asks you to request your dog's travel at least 48 hours before a flight to the US. KLM says dogs aged 6 to 12 months need the CDC form at least 15 days before departure.
• Lufthansa: pet and soft carrier up to 8 kg in the cabin. Long-haul fee about USD 145–165 one way. Hold fees per direction, small kennel (up to 60 x 45 x 40 cm) / larger kennel: domestic EUR 80 (USD 95) / EUR 160 (USD 190); Europe EUR 100 (USD 120) / EUR 200 (USD 235); Levant and Egypt EUR 130 (USD 155) / EUR 260 (USD 305); intercontinental short haul EUR 150 (USD 175) / EUR 300 (USD 350); medium haul EUR 170 (USD 200) / EUR 340 (USD 395); long haul EUR 190 (USD 225) / EUR 380 (USD 445). Lufthansa's page does not say which intercontinental band each US route falls in; confirm when booking. Hold transfers via BRU, GVA, FRA, VIE or ZRH cost an extra EUR 150 / USD 170. No hold pets on connections via Munich. Book the hold at least 72 hours ahead. IATA kennel rules apply since 4 May 2026.
• Iberia: pet and carrier up to 8 kg in the cabin. Fee America zone USD 215 online per segment. If you connect in the US to another airline, you collect a hold pet and check it in again, paying the new airline.
• From the UK: pets do not fly in the cabin with British Airways or Virgin Atlantic (assistance dogs only). British Airways pets leaving the UK fly in the hold through PetAir UK.
• Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines: since 1 Oct 2026, short-nosed dogs and cats cannot fly in the cargo hold. They may fly in the cabin if they meet cabin rules. Cabin fee USD 100 each way (USD 35 within Hawaii). Soft carrier max 17 x 11 x 9.5 in. Hold: up to 150 lb with kennel, USD 200 each way.

Unverified / not covered Not covered on this page yet: Air France fees and snub-nosed list, ITA hold rules, Virgin Atlantic cargo, ferries. Ask the carrier directly before you book.

Breeds

CDC has no breed restrictions for dog entry. Airlines do.

• Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon (from 1 Oct 2026): no cargo hold for short-nosed breeds. Dogs: Boston Terrier, Boxer, Bulldog (all), Brussels Griffon, Chow Chow, English Toy Spaniel, Japanese Chin, Mastiff (all), Pekingese, Pug (all), Shih Tzu. Cats: Burmese, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian.
• American: no snub-nosed dogs or cats as checked pets.
• Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Iberia: no snub-nosed dogs or cats in the hold. Lists differ by airline.
• Air France: French Category 1 and 2 dogs not accepted. Lufthansa: Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bully and Bull Terrier count as snub-nosed and cannot go in the hold. Other fighting breeds (American Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Kangal, Caucasian Ovcharka (Caucasian Shepherd), Rottweiler) may fly only in the hold in a special crate (puppies aged 3 to 6 months excepted). Snub-nosed cats (British Shorthair, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian, Scottish Fold) cannot go in the hold. Iberia: Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Doberman, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa and Akita not accepted at all.
• Short-nosed pets small enough for the cabin can usually fly in the cabin.

Questions people ask

Guide checked: 29 October 2026

Related guides

• US to UK with a pet
• US to EU hub and country pages
• US to Portugal route