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Bringing a dog from South Korea to the United States

Yes — and on the US side this is close to paperwork-free. South Korea is not on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, so the only US federal document is the free CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Your dog must be at least 6 months old, carry a microchip a universal scanner can read, and appear healthy on arrival — and can enter at any port. No rabies vaccination certificate, no blood test, no facility reservation. Korea adds its own exit step: an APQA export quarantine inspection at the airport before you fly.
1 form
US paperwork
Free CDC Dog Import Form receipt — nothing else federal
6 months
Minimum age
No exceptions for dogs entering the US
₩10,000
APQA export fee
Per case, paid at the airport quarantine office
None
Quarantine
Low-risk origin — no US facility stay

Step-by-step checklist

Requirements — Dog · South Korea → the United States
StepWhat to doWhen
MicrochipYour dog must have a microchip that can be detected by a universal scanner. If the chip cannot be read on arrival, the dog can be denied entry and returned at your expense. Korean-registered dogs are usually chipped already — have your vet confirm the chip scans and note the number. Before travel
CDC Dog Import FormComplete the free CDC Dog Import Form online before travel, one per dog, and keep the emailed receipt to show the airline and US Customs and Border Protection. For dogs that have only been in rabies-free or low-risk countries, the receipt is valid for 6 months and covers multiple entries from the same departure country. Before departure
No vaccination certificate needed (US side)Because your dog has only been in low-risk South Korea, CDC requires no rabies vaccination certificate, no titer test and no CDC-registered facility reservation. If your dog spent time in a high-risk country in the past 6 months, a completely different, stricter pathway applies — see our high-risk guide. You will still need vaccination records for the Korean exit inspection below. Good to know
Vet documents for exitAsk your Korean veterinarian for a health certificate and make sure your rabies vaccination certificate is current and matches the microchip number. APQA asks to see the vaccination certificate and the health certificate when it issues your export paperwork. Days before departure
APQA export quarantine inspectionVisit the APQA office at the airport or port with your dog and its documents. The inspector reviews the documents, clinically examines the dog and issues the export (veterinary) certificate. The fee is ₩10,000 per case. Incheon airport offices (T1 and T2) operate daily 09:00–18:00 — arrive before 17:30; most other offices are weekday-only and appointments are recommended or required. Departure day (or just before)
Departure dayCarry the CDC form receipt and the APQA-issued export certificate. Airlines set their own carriage rules (crate, breed, routing) on top of government rules — confirm those when you book. Departure day

Your preparation timeline

  1. 1Weeks ahead — Confirm the microchip scans; make sure vaccination records are current and match the chip
  2. 2Days ahead — Submit the CDC Dog Import Form and save the receipt; get the vet health certificate
  3. 3Departure day — APQA export quarantine inspection at the airport (₩10,000) — arrive before 17:30 at Incheon
  4. 4Arrival — CBP checks the form receipt, scans the chip, and looks at the dog — healthy dogs walk through
The mistake that causes trouble on this route: Cutting the APQA visit too fine. The export inspection is an in-person step with office hours — Incheon's airport offices close at 18:00 and ask you to arrive before 17:30, and regional offices are weekday-only. A late-evening departure after a missed inspection window means rebooking, not a shortcut.

Costs you can plan for

The CDC Dog Import Form is free, and there is no US federal fee, permit or quarantine charge on this route. The Korean export quarantine inspection costs ₩10,000 per case (APQA's published fee). Your real costs are your Korean vet's health certificate and vaccination fees, plus the air fare and an IATA crate if the dog flies as cargo.

✈️ 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

Is South Korea a high-risk country for US dog imports?

No. South Korea is not on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, so dogs arriving from Korea use the low-risk pathway: form receipt, microchip, 6 months or older, healthy on arrival. The titer tests and facility reservations you may have read about apply to high-risk countries only.

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

Not under CDC's federal rules for low-risk arrivals. You will still need the vaccination certificate for APQA's export inspection in Korea, and some US states and airlines expect one — so keep it current and carry it.

Can my puppy fly from Korea to the US?

Only once it is at least 6 months old at entry. There are no exceptions to the CDC minimum age.

How long is the CDC form receipt valid?

For a dog arriving from a low-risk country only, the receipt is valid for 6 months and covers multiple entries, as long as the departure country stays the same and the dog does not visit a high-risk country in between.

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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