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Bringing a dog from the United States to China
Step-by-step checklist
| Step | What to do | When |
|---|---|---|
| Microchip | Implant an ISO 11784/11785 (15-digit) microchip. If the chip is not ISO compliant, you must travel with your own reader. China's customs (GACC) will not exempt an unchipped dog from quarantine. | Before anything else |
| Rabies vaccinations — two in a lifetime | Your dog must have been vaccinated against rabies at least twice in its life and be current on the day of arrival. The original current rabies certificate travels with the dog — Chinese quarantine officials may keep it, so carry photocopies too. | Both before the titer test |
| Rabies titer test | Blood test at one of the five laboratories China recognises in the US (including Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory and the DoD laboratory). Result must be 0.5 IU/mL or higher. The sample must be drawn on the same day as, or after, the second rabies vaccination, and is valid for up to one year from the sampling date. | After vaccination #2 |
| Health certificate + USDA endorsement | China-specific certificate issued by a USDA-accredited vet within 14 days of your arrival in China and endorsed electronically by USDA-APHIS through VEHCS (digital endorsement is accepted on this route — print the endorsed copy). One dog per certificate, and the traveler's name on it must match the passport. | Final 14 days |
| Arrival documents | Present the printed endorsed health certificate, the original rabies vaccination certificate, the original titer laboratory report, one photocopy of your passport, and a printed photo of your dog at the GACC (customs) office at the airport. Officials may keep the originals. | On arrival |
| Register the dog | Dogs must be registered with the local police at your place of residence within one month of arrival in China. Local rules on size and breed vary by city — check your destination city's dog regulations before you fly. | Within 1 month of arrival |
Your preparation timeline
- 1~3 months out — Microchip, and confirm two lifetime rabies vaccinations are on record (give the second shot now if not)
- 2After vaccination #2 — Titer blood draw at a recognised laboratory; result valid for one year
- 3Final 14 days — USDA-accredited vet issues the health certificate; APHIS endorses it digitally in VEHCS
- 4Arrival — GACC inspection at any port — released without quarantine if every document checks out
- 5Within 1 month — Register the dog with local police at your residence
Costs you can plan for
GACC does not publish a pet-import fee schedule on its official pages, so we do not quote Chinese government fees here. The costs you can plan for are the US-side ones — two rabies vaccinations if they are not already on record, the titer test at a recognised laboratory, USDA endorsement, and the flight — plus, if your dog falls into the quarantine path, 30 days of quarantine boarding at your expense at a designated facility. That fallback, not the paperwork, is the real financial risk on this route.
Questions people ask about this route
Is the United States a 'designated country' for China?
The mainland is not. China's designated list (19 countries and regions) includes Hawaii and Guam but not the continental US. Mainland pets therefore follow the non-designated path: microchip, two rabies vaccinations, a passing titer report from a recognised laboratory, and a health certificate — and in exchange they are exempt from quarantine at any port of entry.
Can I bring two dogs, or a dog and a cat?
Not on one trip. China allows each traveler to bring exactly one pet (a dog or a cat) per entry. A second pet needs a second traveler, with that pet's documents in the second traveler's name.
What happens if my paperwork is incomplete on arrival?
Your dog can only enter through a port with a quarantine facility (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and a few others) and must complete 30 days of quarantine at your expense. USDA's China page warns that a pet that can neither qualify for exemption nor enter through a designated port will be returned to the United States or euthanized — do not fly until the file is complete.
How long is the titer result valid for China?
One year from the blood sampling date, and your dog must arrive in China while both the titer and the rabies vaccination are still valid. Under China's rules, if the rabies vaccination is boosted while the titer is still valid, the titer result remains valid.
Related guides
- Bringing a cat from the United States to China
- Rabies titer tests (FAVN / RNATT): validity and waiting periods by country
- How many days before travel do you need a pet health certificate?
- Pet quarantine by country: how long, where, and how to avoid it
- Microchip before or after rabies vaccination?
- How far in advance should you start preparing?
Official sources for this page
- USDA APHIS — Pet travel from the US to China
- China Customs (GACC, Guangzhou) — Documents for pets (dogs and cats) entering China
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.
Want a professional to run this route for you?
Licensed pet relocation companies handle permits, vet paperwork and flights daily. We are adding vetted partners for this route — check back soon.