Bringing a dog from Brazil to the U.S.: CDC high-risk rules
Brazil is a high-risk country for dog rabies
CDC lists Brazil as high risk for dog rabies. Any dog that was in Brazil during the 6 months before arriving in the U.S. must meet the high-risk rules, including U.S. dogs that went on a vacation. (CDC: High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies; CDC: Bringing a Dog into the U.S.) Source: CDC and USDA APHIS pages below, last checked 2026-10-28.
The good news for Brazil: unlike many high-risk countries, it has three labs on CDC's approved titer list, so most owners can get the test done in-country and avoid quarantine.
The three CDC-approved titer labs in Brazil
CDC's list (updated July 13, 2026) names these Brazilian labs (CDC: Approved Rabies Serology Laboratories):
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Raiva (Laboratório de Virologia Clínica e Molecular do Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas)
- TECSA Laboratórios Ltda
- TECPAR (Instituto de Tecnologia do Paraná)
Rules CDC applies to the result:
- the sample is drawn at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccine and at least 28 days before entry; CDC suggests starting 60+ days out because turnaround varies;
- the report must come directly from the approved lab, not from a clinic or another lab that forwarded the sample;
- the report must be in English or with a certified translation (a signed statement on a licensed translator's letterhead with their license number and stamp or seal). Ask the lab whether it can issue the report in English;
- a passing result is valid for the dog's life if rabies vaccination never lapses and the lab stays on CDC's list.
A titer from a lab not on the list (for example, a local lab that is fine for Brazilian domestic purposes) will not be accepted by CDC.
Dog vaccinated in Brazil: what you need
For dogs whose rabies vaccine was given in Brazil, CDC requires (CDC: Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries):
- a microchip readable by a universal scanner, implanted before the rabies vaccine;
- a dog at least 6 months old at entry, first vaccinated at 12 weeks (84 days) or older;
- the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, filled in by your vet no more than 30 days before travel and endorsed by an official government veterinarian;
- a passing titer from a CDC-approved lab, or a 28-day quarantine;
- a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility for exam and revaccination, and a flight that lands directly at that airport;
- a free CDC Dog Import Form receipt for each dog, matching the arrival date and airport.
All facility costs (exam, vaccine, any quarantine) are yours. Domestic connections inside the U.S. are only allowed after the facility is done with the dog.
Airports with CDC-registered facilities
As of Sept 1, 2026: Atlanta (ATL), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX, cargo preferred), Miami (MIA), New York JFK (not Newark or LaGuardia), Philadelphia (PHL, cargo only), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA) and Washington Dulles (IAD). Book the facility first, then the flight. (CDC: CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities)
Timeline example: moving from São Paulo in March
Say you plan to fly with your adult dog, chipped and vaccinated in Brazil, on March 15:
| When | What |
|---|---|
| By mid-January (60+ days) | Blood draw sent to one of the three approved labs |
| By mid-February (30+ days) | Facility reservation at, say, MIA or JFK; titer result in hand, so no quarantine booked |
| Feb 14 or later | Vet signs the foreign-vaccination form and gets it endorsed (valid 30 days) |
| March 10-14 | CDC Dog Import Form; print two copies of the endorsed form and the reservation |
| March 15 | Land at the facility's airport; exam and U.S. revaccination |
If the vet signs the form too early (before Feb 14 in this example), it expires before the flight and must be redone. Dates are illustrative, built from CDC's checklist. (CDC: foreign-vaccinated travel checklist)
No titer in time? Book the 28-day quarantine. It may be shortened through prospective serologic monitoring if the dog is a personal pet or service dog with records of at least 2 rabies vaccines on U.S.-style schedules, is healthy, and the facility gets CDC approval. Dogs imported for rescue, resale, adoption or transfer of ownership don't qualify. (CDC FAQ)
U.S. dog visiting Brazil and coming back
Before leaving the U.S., have a USDA-accredited vet complete the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form and get it endorsed by USDA. With it, your dog returns as a U.S.-vaccinated dog through any port, with no titer or facility. Without it, the dog must re-enter under the foreign-vaccinated rules above, including a facility reservation. (CDC: U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries; CDC FAQ) See returning with a U.S.-vaccinated dog.
For the trip into Brazil, USDA APHIS says the dog travels under Brazil's international health certificate, which is valid for 60 days from the day the USDA-accredited vet signs it and must still be valid when you arrive in Brazil. It can be issued and endorsed electronically. (USDA APHIS: Pet Travel From the U.S. to Brazil, last modified July 23, 2026)
Two different documents, two different jobs: the Brazil health certificate gets the dog into Brazil; the CDC U.S.-issued rabies form gets it back into the U.S.
Cruises that stop in Brazil
A service dog that stays aboard while a ship docks in Brazil is not considered to have been in a high-risk country. If it goes ashore, the high-risk rules apply when the ship returns to a U.S. port. (CDC FAQ)
Related: Colombia to the U.S. · Rabies vaccine and titer rules · Why dogs are denied entry · High-risk countries explained
Sources
- CDC: High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
- CDC: Bringing a Dog into the U.S.
- CDC: Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
- CDC: Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
- CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations (updated Aug 27, 2026)
- CDC: Approved Rabies Serology Laboratories for Testing Dogs (updated July 13, 2026)
- CDC: CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities (updated Sept 1, 2026)
- USDA APHIS: Pet Travel From the United States to Brazil
Keep going: This page is part of our main guide to bringing a dog into the U.S., which walks through every decision in order. Related questions: High-risk countries explained. Ready to act? See CDC Dog Import Form.
More guides
- Airline and CDC timing: a countdown for flying your dog into the U.S.
- Bringing a Dog into the U.S. in 2027: Current CDC Rules
- CDC Dog Import Form: step-by-step guide (2026)
- Bringing a dog from Colombia to the U.S. (CDC high-risk rules)
- Common reasons dogs are denied entry to the U.S. (and how to avoid them)
- Microchip rules for dogs entering the U.S. (is ISO required?)
- Dominican Republic to the U.S. with a dog: CDC rules
- CDC high-risk countries for dog rabies: the list explained
- Bringing a dog from India to the U.S.: CDC high-risk rules
- Bringing a dog from Mexico to the U.S. (CDC rules for 2026)
- Bringing a dog from the Philippines to the U.S. (CDC high-risk rules)
- Rabies vaccine, titer and certificate rules for dogs entering the U.S.
- U.S. dog entry requirements by risk category (comparison table)
- Returning to the U.S. with your U.S.-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country
- Bringing a dog from Thailand to the U.S. (CDC high-risk rules)
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