The CDC Dog Import Form: What It Is and How to File It

What it is

The CDC Dog Import Form is a free, online document that every person bringing a dog into the United States has been required to file since 2024. It's part of the CDC's updated dog import rules that replaced the older country-of-origin-based system.

You fill it in, you get a receipt emailed to you, you print the receipt, and the receipt travels with the dog. At the border, the document gets checked.

When it applies

• Every dog entering the United States by land, air, or sea
• Regardless of origin country (including Canada)
• Regardless of whether the dog has been in the US before
• Regardless of how short the visit is

What you need to file

• The dog's name, breed, date of birth, microchip number
• Rabies vaccination details (date, manufacturer, lot number)
• Arrival date and US port of entry
• The importer's (you or the buyer's) contact info
• An email address to receive the receipt

How to file it

1. Go to the CDC's Dog Import Form page (search "CDC Dog Import Form" or go directly to cdc.gov/importation/dogs.html).
2. Click through to the import form online tool.
3. Enter the dog's information and the import details.
4. Submit. You'll receive an email verification link.
5. Click the verification link. You'll receive a second email with the receipt.
6. Print the receipt. Keep a digital copy too.

The entire process takes about 10 minutes per dog. The receipt usually arrives within an hour of verifying your email.

Timing

File it at least a few days before travel. The receipt's validity window (commonly 6 months for multiple entries) starts from the date of issuance. File too early and you're fine. File too late and you may not receive the receipt before the crossing.

Common mistakes

• Entering the wrong microchip number. The CDC form microchip must match the rabies certificate microchip exactly. Check both before filing.
• Not verifying the email.The receipt doesn't issue until you click the verification link. Check spam folders.
• Forgetting to print.Border agents may ask for a paper copy. Don't rely on phone screens.
• Using the wrong port of entry. You specify the port when you file. If your route changes, you may need to file a new form.

How Dreamer's Bliss handles it

On every cross-border trip, we verify that the CDC Dog Import Form receipt is in the paperwork folder before we leave the pickup point. If it's missing, we pause the trip until we have it. This is non-negotiable since the CDC enforcement started, and it's better to delay an hour at pickup than to turn around at the border.

Official source

CDC: Bringing a Dog to the United States is the authoritative source. Rules change. Always verify current requirements before travel.

Related: full cross-border dog transport checklist · complete cross-border requirements