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How to fill out the CDC Dog Import Form (and how long the receipt lasts)
Who fills it in: the importer — the owner, shipper or person bringing the dog in. Someone else may complete it on the importer's behalf if needed. After submitting, you will get an email (from [email protected] — check spam) asking you to confirm your email address; the receipt follows, usually within 15 minutes of verification. Show it printed or on your phone to the airline before boarding and to Customs and Border Protection on arrival.
Section A asks for the importer's date of birth plus one identifier: passport number and issuing country, or driver's licence details, or an air waybill / bill of lading number — plus email and phone. Section B is the dog: name, age, sex, breed, colour and markings, and the purpose of import (personal pet, commercial, service animal and similar). Section C is travel: the fork question is whether the dog has been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months, and your answers from there decide which ports and travel types you may select.
High-risk entries add two things: the microchip number and a photo of the dog showing face and body — for dogs under one year old, that photo must be taken within 15 days before arrival. The signature at the end is a legal attestation with penalties, so read it before typing your name.
| Low-risk route | High-risk routes | |
|---|---|---|
| When to complete | Day of travel is fine; a few days to 6 months ahead recommended | Day of travel is fine; a few days ahead recommended |
| Receipt validity | 6 months, multiple entries, same departure country | Single entry, only on the listed arrival date |
| New form needed if | Dog visits a high-risk country or departs from a different country | Any new entry — or if your date or arrival port changes |
Related questions
Is the form really free?
Yes. CDC charges nothing for the Dog Import Form. (Veterinary forms and facility services on the high-risk route are paid separately.)
Where does the '30-day' rule come from?
From a different document: the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form must be completed within 30 days before travel and is valid 30 days. The Dog Import Form itself has no 30-day rule.
I have two dogs. One form?
No — a separate form and receipt for each dog.
My flight date changed. Is my receipt still good?
On a high-risk route, no: submit a new form with the new date. On the low-risk route, the receipt runs 6 months from issue as long as the departure country stays the same.
Official sources for this page
- CDC — Dogs from rabies-free and low-risk countries
- CDC — Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries
- CDC — U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries
- CDC — Dog Import Form instructions
- CDC — High-risk countries for dog rabies
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.