CDC Dog Import Form: step-by-step guide (2026)

By Aaron Houston · Last checked 2026-10-25 against official CDC/USDA sources

Before you start

Have ready: your date of birth and passport or driver's license number (or the air waybill number), the email where the receipt should go, your phone number, and the dog's age, sex, breed and color. If your dog has been in a high-risk country in the last 6 months, you also need the microchip number, a photo of the dog's face and body (.jpg/.jpeg/.png, max 10MB), the U.S. address where the dog will stay, and your flight or port details. (CDC: Dog Import Form and Instructions)

The first question decides everything

The form asks whether the dog has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies in the last 6 months. Check the CDC list carefully: your answer determines which fields appear.

Section A: person importing the dog

The importer can be the owner, a shipper, a "flight parent" (someone transporting dogs for rescue, resale or adoption) or anyone else bringing the dog. Enter your date of birth plus one ID: passport, driver's license, or air waybill/bill of lading number. Double-check the email; the receipt goes there. For low-risk trips you may add one consignee/additional owner so either person can travel with the dog. (CDC: Dog Import Form and Instructions)

Section B: animal information

Name, age, sex, breed ("mixed breed/other" if unsure), color and markings, and the importation purpose: - Personal Pet: includes emotional support animals. - Commercial: adopted abroad, sold to someone in the U.S., or brought by/for a rescue or business. - Service animal: only dogs meeting 14 CFR 382.3, traveling with the person they assist. - Government-owned and Education, Exhibition, or Research for those specific cases.

High-risk entries also need the microchip number and photo. Dogs under one year old should be photographed within 15 days before arrival. (CDC: Dog Import Form and Instructions)

Section C: travel information

Travel type (air, land, sea), country of departure, and arrival date. For low-risk trips you can enter the earliest approximate date. For high-risk trips you also list every country the dog was in during the last 6 months, the port of entry, the flight/vehicle/vessel, and how the dog flies (cargo, checked baggage or hand-carried). If a port or travel type is missing from the dropdown, your answers don't allow it. (CDC: Dog Import Form and Instructions)

Section D: signature

You are making legal attestations that can carry penalties, including criminal penalties. Type your name (or "[your name] on behalf of [importer]") and the date as dd/mm/yyyy.

After you submit

1. Look for a verification email from 1cdpwebsurvey@cdc.gov (check spam).
2. Verify; the receipt arrives within about 15 minutes of submitting.
3. Show the receipt on your phone or on paper to the airline before boarding and to U.S. Customs and Border Protection on arrival.

How long is the receipt valid?

(CDC: Dog Import Form and Instructions; CDC: Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries)

Sources

• CDC: Dog Import Form and Instructions
• CDC: Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries
• CDC: Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries

More guides

• Airline and CDC timing: a countdown for flying your dog into the U.S.
• 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?)
• CDC high-risk countries for dog rabies: the list explained
• 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)