China to the U.S. with a dog: CDC rules (and Hong Kong)
First question: mainland China, or Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan?
CDC lists China as a high-risk country for dog rabies, but the listing says "excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan" (CDC: High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies). That one line changes everything for the trip:
| Where the dog was in the 6 months before the flight | CDC category | What CDC asks for |
|---|---|---|
| Only Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan (or other low-risk places) | Low-risk | Healthy, microchipped, at least 6 months old, CDC Dog Import Form receipt |
| Mainland China, even briefly, with a U.S. rabies vaccine | High-risk, U.S.-vaccinated | Plus the USDA-endorsed U.S. vaccination certificate |
| Mainland China with a Chinese (foreign) rabies vaccine | High-risk, foreign-vaccinated | Plus a titer from an approved lab and an animal care facility, or quarantine |
Sources: CDC: Low-Risk Countries, CDC: Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, and the comparison in requirements by risk category. Source: CDC and USDA APHIS pages listed below, last checked 2026-11-02.
Watch the 6-month look-back. A dog living in Hong Kong that spent a weekend in Shenzhen four months ago counts as having been in a high-risk country.
Dogs vaccinated in mainland China: the lab advantage
Unlike most of Asia, mainland China has eight labs on CDC's approved rabies serology list (updated July 13, 2026), including the Changchun Veterinary Research Institute (CAAS), South China Agricultural University, a Shanghai customs technical centre, Jilin University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and two private labs in Beijing and Guangdong. Taiwan has one approved lab: the Animal Health Research Institute (CDC: Approved Rabies Serology Laboratories).
CDC's titer conditions:
- Microchip before vaccine: the chip has to be implanted before the rabies shot that the titer relies on.
- Draw window: at least 30 days after the first vaccine and at least 28 days before U.S. arrival. CDC suggests drawing 60+ days ahead.
- Straight from the lab: results must come directly from the lab, in English or with a certified translation.
- Long-lasting: a passing result stays valid for life as long as the vaccination never lapses and the lab stays on the approved list.
Source: CDC: Approved Rabies Serology Laboratories.
Arrival airports from China
A foreign-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country must land at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility. The list (Sept 1, 2026) is: Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles (cargo preferred), Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia (cargo only), Seattle-Tacoma and Washington Dulles. San Francisco is not on the list, a common trap on Beijing and Shanghai routes (CDC: CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities). There are no facilities in Hawaii, Alaska or U.S. territories (CDC FAQ).
Taking a U.S. dog to mainland China (and getting back)
China's import conditions come from USDA APHIS: Pet Travel From the U.S. to China (last modified Feb 11, 2026; digital endorsement accepted). To skip China's quarantine and enter at any port, the dog needs:
- two or more lifetime rabies vaccinations, current at arrival;
- an ISO 11784/11785 microchip (or bring your own reader);
- a rabies titer of at least 0.5 IU/mL from one of China's accepted U.S. labs: DoD FADL, Kansas State, Auburn, CDC or the University of Missouri. The sample can be taken on or after the day of the second vaccine, and the result is valid for one year from sampling;
- a health certificate issued within 14 days of arrival and endorsed through VEHCS, with the traveller's name on it. China allows one pet per traveler.
On arrival you go to the customs (GACC) office at the airport with the original vaccine records, titer report, a passport copy and a printed photo of the pet, and register the dog with local police within a month. Dogs from Hawaii or Guam don't need the titer. Without a valid titer, the dog has to enter through a designated port and spend 30 days in quarantine. Pets that don't comply can be returned or euthanized (APHIS: U.S. to China).
Coming home: before leaving the U.S., get CDC's Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination endorsed by USDA. Keep the U.S. vaccine valid, and the dog can return at any port on its CDC receipt with no titer or facility (CDC: U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries). A booster given in China doesn't replace the U.S. record (CDC FAQ). See returning with a U.S.-vaccinated dog.
Related: Vietnam to the U.S. · Philippines to the U.S. · Microchip rules · High-risk countries explained
Sources
- CDC: High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
- CDC: Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries
- CDC: Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
- CDC: Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
- CDC: Approved Rabies Serology Laboratories (updated July 13, 2026)
- CDC: CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities (updated Sept 1, 2026)
- CDC: Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations (updated Aug 27, 2026)
- USDA APHIS: Pet Travel From the U.S. to China
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: Requirements by risk category. Ready to act? See CDC Dog Import Form.
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