Documents & Entry Rules
Last verified against USDA APHIS and CDC rules: October 11, 2026
A USDA pet health certificate is two things: a certificate your USDA-accredited vet fills in, and USDA's endorsement on top of it. The endorsement now costs $101 at minimum, not the $38 many sites still quote, and the validity clock for most destinations starts when USDA endorses it, not when your vet examines the pet. If your dog is going somewhere the CDC calls high-risk for rabies, there's a third document you must get before you leave, or coming home gets much harder.
In this guide
| Who signs it | A USDA-accredited veterinarian, then USDA APHIS endorses it |
| Endorsement fee | $101 per certificate with no lab tests; $160+ with 1 or 2 tests |
| Service dogs (ADA) | No endorsement fee; emotional support animals pay |
| How it's submitted | VEHCS (electronic, by your vet) or overnight courier to an Endorsement Office |
| Original document | The endorsed hard copy travels with the pet |
| EU validity | 10 days from USDA issue to EU entry checks, then 4 months within the EU |
| UAE validity | 10 days after issuance |
| Coming home from a high-risk country | Dogs need the CDC Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination, endorsed before departure |
Sources: USDA APHIS endorsement fees, USDA APHIS pet travel process, EU pet entry rules, CDC rules for U.S.-vaccinated dogs, checked October 11, 2026.
Sources: USDA APHIS endorsement fees, USDA APHIS pet travel process, EU pet entry rules, CDC rules for U.S.-vaccinated dogs, checked October 11, 2026.
Sources: USDA APHIS pet export page, USDA APHIS pet travel process, checked October 11, 2026.
| Lab tests listed on the certificate | USDA endorsement fee |
|---|---|
| None | $101 per certificate, any number of pets |
| 1 or 2 | $160 for the first pet, + $10 per additional pet |
| 3 to 6 | $206 for the first pet, + $18 per additional pet |
| 7 or more | $275 for the first pet, + $21 per additional pet |
| ADA service dog | No fee |
Vaccines don't count as tests. The fee applies to each certificate or export document, so a multi-country trip can mean more than one. Payment comes before endorsement: a credit or debit card form in the package, or a User Fee Credit Account. Your vet's exam and paperwork are billed separately and vary by clinic [VERIFY: typical accredited vet fee range for an international health certificate].
Sources: USDA APHIS endorsement fees, checked October 11, 2026.
There's no single USDA validity period. The destination sets it, and it often starts at endorsement:
Work backwards from the arrival date, not the departure date. A Friday endorsement and a Saturday overnight flight to Europe already uses two of the EU's 10 days.
Sources: EU pet entry rules, APHIS rules for the UAE, USDA APHIS pet travel process, checked October 11, 2026.
If your dog will be in a country on the CDC high-risk country list (Colombia, Brazil, Peru, the Dominican Republic, the UAE and many others) in the six months before it returns, it needs two documents to come back:
With both, the dog can land at any US airport that matches the CDC receipt. Without the certification, it falls under the rules for foreign-vaccinated dogs, which include a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility. CDC recommends getting the certification about 30 days before you leave and traveling with at least 3 copies.
This is not your regular rabies certificate. It's a specific CDC form, and it can't be issued retroactively from abroad.
Sources: CDC rules for U.S.-vaccinated dogs, CDC high-risk country list, checked October 11, 2026.
| EU | UAE | Japan | Hawaii | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate timing | 10 days from USDA issue to entry | 10 days after issuance | Final step of a long process | Docs at quarantine station 10+ days before arrival |
| Rabies titer | Not for pets from the US [VERIFY: EU titer exemption for pets from the US] | Yes, 0.5 IU/ml | Yes, 0.5 IU/ml | FAVN test, 30+ days before arrival |
| Waiting period | None if no titer is required | None listed | 180 days after blood draw | 30 days after a successful test |
| Extra paperwork | EU certificate format | MOCCAE import permit, 30 days | Notify quarantine 40+ days ahead | $244 for 5-day-or-less |
| CDC status for the return | Not high-risk | High-risk | Not high-risk | Domestic |
Sources: EU pet entry rules, APHIS rules for the UAE, APHIS rules for Japan, Hawaii Animal Quarantine, CDC high-risk country list, checked October 11, 2026.
$101 per certificate when no lab tests are listed on it, whatever the number of pets. With 1 or 2 lab tests it's $160 for the first pet plus $10 for each additional pet; with 3 to 6 tests, $206 plus $18. Vaccines don't count as tests. Your accredited vet charges separately for the exam and paperwork.
Your USDA-accredited vet completes the certificate and either submits it electronically through VEHCS, or you ship the original documents to a USDA Endorsement Office by overnight courier with payment and a prepaid return label. Use one route, not both.
It depends on the destination. For the EU, the certificate is valid for 10 days from the date the official veterinarian (USDA) issues it until the entry checks, then 4 months for travel between EU countries. The UAE also gives 10 days after issuance. Some destinations give you a set time, such as 30 days, to get it endorsed after your vet signs.
Not for most countries. But if your dog will be in a CDC high-risk country, such as Colombia, the UAE or the Dominican Republic, you need a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination, completed by an accredited vet and endorsed by USDA before the dog leaves the US. It can't be issued retroactively.
Only if it was endorsed on or before July 31, 2025 and meets CDC's conditions. The CDC doesn't accept USDA export health certificates issued after that date for re-entry.
No. APHIS doesn't charge endorsement fees for service dogs covered by the ADA. Emotional support animals pay the normal fee.
Yes, as part of Hawaii's rabies quarantine rules. For the 5-day-or-less program, your documents, including the health certificate, must reach the Animal Quarantine Station at least 10 days before arrival, and the pet needs a successful FAVN rabies test at least 30 days before it lands. The program fee is $244.
Every fee and rule on this page was checked against USDA APHIS, CDC and destination authorities on October 11, 2026. Check the APHIS country page again before each trip.
With the documents sorted, check that your airline takes your pet on your route. Fees, weight limits and banned destinations vary.
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