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Bringing a dog from Canada to the United States

Yes — and this is the easiest international route on this site. Canada is on CDC's low-risk list, so your dog needs exactly one document to enter the US: the free CDC Dog Import Form receipt. No health certificate, no rabies certificate and no titer test are required by the US, by air or by road. The catch is the trip home: Canada requires a valid rabies vaccination certificate for your dog to re-enter Canada, so travel with it even though the US never asks to see it.

1 form

US paperwork

Free CDC Dog Import Form receipt — nothing else

6 months

Receipt validity

Multiple entries from Canada on one receipt

6 months

Minimum dog age

Plus a readable microchip and a healthy appearance

0 days

Quarantine

No US quarantine for low-risk arrivals

Step-by-step checklist

Requirements — Dog · Canada → the United States
Step	What to do	When
Microchip	A microchip a universal scanner can read. CDC sets no chip-before-vaccination order rule for low-risk countries, but the chip number identifies your dog on the import form — confirm it scans before you travel.	Before the form
CDC Dog Import Form	Complete the free online form — one per dog — and keep the emailed receipt (printed or on your phone) to show the airline and US border officers. The receipt is valid for 6 months and covers multiple entries, as long as every entry is from Canada (the same low-risk country).	Before travel; one receipt lasts 6 months
Rabies vaccination certificate (for the return)	Not a US requirement — a Canadian one. CFIA requires dogs 3 months and older to be accompanied by a valid rabies vaccination certificate to enter Canada, and the United States is not on Canada's rabies-free list, so your dog needs a current vaccination and the certificate in hand for the drive or flight home.	Before you leave Canada
Health certificate	Not required by CDC or USDA for a pet dog arriving from Canada. Airlines set their own carriage rules and may ask for one — check your carrier, and note that some US states regulate dog movement separately.	—
Arrival	Your dog must appear healthy on arrival; US officers can inspect any animal and refuse one showing signs of disease. Entry is allowed at any port, by air or land — the land border is a normal, heavily used route on this corridor.	Arrival

Your preparation timeline

1Any time before travel — Confirm the microchip scans; make sure the rabies vaccination is current and you have the certificate for the return to Canada
2Days before travel — Submit the free CDC Dog Import Form and save the emailed receipt
3Travel day — Show the receipt to the airline or border officer; your dog must appear healthy
4Coming home — Present the rabies vaccination certificate to Canadian border officers

The mistake that causes trouble on this route: Assuming the paperwork is symmetrical. The US asks for one free form and never looks at a rabies certificate; Canada asks for the rabies certificate on the way back. Dogs held up at the Canadian border are almost always missing the document nobody checked on the way down.

Costs you can plan for

There is no US government fee on this route: the CDC Dog Import Form is free, and Canada charges no export fee for a pet travelling to the US. Your real costs are routine — keeping the rabies vaccination current and your vet's paperwork, plus the airline's pet fee if you fly. Budget for a vet visit only if the vaccination needs updating before the return trip.

✈️ Government rules are only half the trip. Airlines set their own pet carriage rules (crate size, breed limits, seasonal embargoes). Re-confirm carriage with your airline after you meet the rules above.

Questions people ask about this route

Can I drive my dog across the border instead of flying?

Yes. Low-risk arrivals can enter at any US port, including land crossings — unlike the high-risk-country route, which is air-only to a short list of airports with registered animal care facilities.

Does my dog need a rabies vaccination to enter the US?

CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination from low-risk countries. But Canada requires a valid rabies vaccination certificate for your dog to come back into Canada, so in practice a vaccinated dog travelling with its certificate is the only sensible way to make this trip.

How long does the CDC form receipt last?

Six months, for multiple entries, as long as all entries are from the same low-risk country. If your dog spends time in a high-risk country within the past 6 months, a different and much stricter route applies instead.

Does my dog need a health certificate?

Not for the US government on this route. Your airline may still require one under its own carriage policy — if so, it must be arranged before departure.

Related guides

✓ Last verified: 2026-11-12

Official sources for this page

We check each rule against the exporting country's official page and the destination country's official page. If the two disagree, we show the disagreement instead of guessing.

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