Bring a pet dog or cat to the USA from the UK: the full official process
Taking a pet dog or cat from Great Britain to the United States is one of the easier international pet routes, because the US side is genuinely light. The CDC does NOT list the United Kingdom as a high-risk country for dog rabies, so a dog avoids the strict high-risk regime entirely — no rabies antibody (titre) test, no mandatory quarantine, and no need to arrive through a CDC-registered animal care facility. For a dog, the only document the CDC requires is a free online CDC Dog Import Form; the dog just has to be microchipped, at least 6 months old, and healthy on arrival, and it can enter at any US airport, seaport or land border. Cats are lighter still: the CDC asks for no rabies proof and no health certificate, only that the cat looks healthy. The real administrative work is on the UK side, where you get an export health certificate (EHC) signed by an official vet through APHA before you fly. Always re-check both governments' current pages before booking, since rules can change.
This page tells you where the official rule is and what it says. It is not the rule and it is not legal advice. The official source decides, and the official source is the one that counts if this page and it ever disagree.
The UK is NOT on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, so a dog needs only the free online CDC Dog Import Form — no rabies titre test, no quarantine, no CDC-registered facility — and can enter at any US port. The dog must be at least 6 months old, microchipped and healthy on arrival; the import-form receipt is valid 6 months and covers multiple entries. Cats need no CDC paperwork at all. The main effort is the UK-side export health certificate signed by an official vet.
At a glance
The whole journey in order. Every point below is spelled out in full further down.
- Good news: the UK is NOT a CDC high-risk rabies country, so this is one of the simpler pet routes to the US.
- On the UK side, microchip your pet before (or at the same time as) any rabies vaccination.
- Standard GB pet-travel prep includes a rabies vaccination with at least a 21-day wait; the pet must be 12+ weeks old to be vaccinated.
- Apply for an export health certificate (EHC) and, in England/Scotland/Wales, an export application form (EXA); nominate an official vet to sign it.
- For a dog, complete the free online CDC Dog Import Form — the receipt is valid 6 months and covers multiple entries.
- A dog must be at least 6 months old, microchipped, and look healthy on arrival, and can enter at any US airport, seaport or land border.
- No rabies titre test, no quarantine and no CDC-registered facility — those apply only to high-risk countries, which the UK is not.
- Cats need no CDC rabies proof and no CDC health certificate — just a healthy appearance on arrival (Hawaii and Guam have their own rules).
Leaving Great Britain — the APHA export health certificate route
Great Britain controls what leaves through the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). For a non-EU destination like the USA you need an export health certificate (EHC) that confirms your pet meets the destination's health rules, signed by an official vet you nominate. You cannot use a GB pet passport, so start the EHC process early.
Authority: GOV.UK / Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
Microchip your pet before (or at the same time as) any rabies vaccinationDon't get this wrong
GOV.UK's pet-travel guidance is clear that you must get your pet microchipped before, or at the same time as, its rabies vaccination. If a pet is vaccinated before it is chipped, the vaccination does not count and has to be redone. Getting the order right at the start avoids having to repeat steps later.
- Microchip comes first, or at the same time as the rabies shot
- A vaccination given before the chip does not count and must be redone
- The microchip identifies the pet on all paperwork
Get the rabies vaccination and observe the 21-day wait (standard GB pet-travel prep)
GOV.UK's pet-travel guidance states that your vet needs proof the pet is at least 12 weeks old before vaccinating against rabies, and that you must wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination before travel (day 1 is the day after the shot). Some vaccines take longer, so confirm the exact date with your vet. Note that the US import rules themselves do not require rabies vaccination for a dog coming from a non-high-risk country like the UK, but rabies vaccination remains standard travel preparation and is strongly recommended.
- Pet must be at least 12 weeks old to be vaccinated
- Wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination
- Day 1 is the day after the shot; some vaccines need longer
- The US does not itself require rabies proof for non-high-risk-country dogs, but it is recommended
Check the destination (USA) rules before you travel
GOV.UK tells you to check the rules of the country you are travelling to for any additional restrictions or requirements before you travel. For the USA that means the CDC rules for dogs and cats (and USDA APHIS, plus the specific US state you are entering). The export health certificate you obtain is built to confirm your pet meets those destination requirements.
- You must check the destination country's rules yourself
- For the USA: CDC (primary), USDA APHIS, and the destination US state
- The EHC confirms your pet meets the destination's health requirements
Apply for an export health certificate (EHC) and the export application form (EXA)Don't get this wrong
For a non-EU country you must get an export health certificate (EHC), which confirms that your pet meets the health requirements of the country you are travelling to. If you live in England, Scotland or Wales you also complete an export application form (EXA). The EHC and EXA for each country and pet tell you how to apply. A GB pet passport cannot be used, so the EHC is your travel document — start it early because it involves an application to APHA.
- A non-EU destination requires an export health certificate (EHC)
- England/Scotland/Wales owners also complete an export application form (EXA)
- The EHC/EXA for your specific country and pet explain how to apply
- You cannot use a GB pet passport
Nominate an official vet to sign the certificate and check your pet before travel
You must nominate an official vet (or local authority inspector) who will be sent the EHC. That vet checks your pet has met the correct health and identification requirements before you travel, then signs the certificate. Build in time for this final check and signing so it lines up with your flight rather than being left to the last day.
- You nominate an official vet (OV) who is sent the EHC
- The OV verifies health and identification before travel, then signs
- Leave enough time before the flight for the check and signing
Entering the USA — the CDC import side (the simpler, non-high-risk path)
The CDC is the primary authority for dog imports. Because the UK is not a high-risk country for dog rabies, dogs follow the CDC's simplest route — a single free import form, no titre and no quarantine. USDA APHIS adds nothing for cats and only touches dogs from FMD/screwworm origins, and individual US states can set their own rules.
Authority: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); USDA APHIS
Know that the UK is NOT a CDC high-risk country for dog rabiesDon't get this wrong
The CDC's import rules for dogs depend on whether the dog has been in a country that is high-risk for dog rabies in the six months before entry. The United Kingdom does not appear anywhere on the CDC's high-risk list, and the CDC states that if a country is not listed, it is not considered high-risk. This single fact means a dog coming straight from the UK follows the CDC's much simpler non-high-risk path — no rabies antibody titre test, no mandatory quarantine and no CDC-registered animal care facility.
- The UK is NOT on the CDC high-risk-country list
- CDC uses a 6-month lookback window for where the dog has been
- Non-high-risk origin = the simpler import path
- No titre test, no quarantine, no CDC-registered facility required
Microchip the dog with a universal-scanner-readable chip
For a dog arriving from a non-high-risk country the CDC still requires that the dog has a microchip that can be detected with a universal scanner to identify it. Make sure the chip is in place and readable before travel, since the dog is identified by it on arrival.
- Universal-scanner-readable microchip required
- Used to identify the dog on arrival
- This aligns with the UK-side microchip step
Meet the minimum age: at least 6 months old
The CDC requires that a dog be at least 6 months old at the time of entry (or return) to the United States. This applies on the non-high-risk path too, so a younger puppy cannot be imported.
- Dog must be at least 6 months old at entry
- Applies even on the simpler non-high-risk route
Complete the free online CDC Dog Import Form — the only required documentDon't get this wrong
For a dog that has only been in rabies-free or low-risk countries (which includes the UK), the CDC states the only required documentation is the CDC Dog Import Form. It is free, completed online, and generates an emailed receipt you can print or show on your phone. The receipt is valid for 6 months from when it is issued and can be reused for multiple entries, as long as the dog has not been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months. Each dog needs its own form, and the country of departure on the receipt must match where the dog actually departs from.
- The CDC Dog Import Form is the ONLY required document for a UK-origin dog
- Free, online, produces an emailed receipt to print or show on a phone
- Receipt valid 6 months and reusable for multiple entries
- Each dog needs its own form; departure country must match the receipt
Dog must look healthy on arrival — and can enter at any US port
Dogs must appear healthy upon arrival. Unlike dogs from high-risk countries, a dog on this path is not restricted to a CDC-registered facility airport — it can enter the US at any airport, seaport or land border crossing. A dog that looks ill can still be inspected and referred for further examination at the owner's expense.
- Dog must appear healthy on arrival
- May enter at any airport, seaport or land border crossing
- No CDC-registered animal care facility reservation needed
- An unwell dog can be inspected and referred at the owner's cost
Cats: no CDC rabies proof and no CDC health certificate
Cats face a very light path. The CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination for importing a cat and does not require a general health certificate; the cat only has to appear healthy upon arrival. It can be inspected at the port of entry and denied entry or referred for veterinary examination (at the owner's expense) if it shows signs of a zoonotic disease. CDC still recommends vaccinating all cats against rabies, and Hawaii and Guam have their own quarantine rules.
- No CDC rabies-vaccine proof required for cats
- No CDC general health certificate required for cats
- Cat must appear healthy on arrival
- CDC still recommends rabies vaccination
- Hawaii and Guam have separate quarantine rules
USDA APHIS: no cat rules, and dog rules only for FMD/screwworm origins
USDA APHIS Veterinary Services has no animal-health requirements for importing a pet cat. For dogs, APHIS only adds requirements if the dog is coming from a country affected by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) or screwworm — the UK is not affected, so these do not apply to a dog travelling straight from the UK. Separately, individual US states and territories set their own entry requirements, so check the rules for the state you are entering.
- APHIS has no animal-health requirements for pet cats
- APHIS dog rules apply only to FMD- or screwworm-affected origins (not the UK)
- CDC is the primary authority for dogs
- Individual US states/territories may add their own entry rules
The kit this move actually needs
Heads up: some links below are affiliate links. Buy through one and Animalsss may earn a small commission — it costs you nothing extra, and it never changes what we list. We put down the kit this particular move actually needs, and nothing we were paid to.
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An IATA-approved travel crate or carrier
Airlines check the container against the IATA live-animal rules before they will load it: hard-sided, well ventilated, and big enough for the animal to stand up and turn around. The wrong crate is the most common reason a booked pet gets bumped at the counter.
See options on Amazon → -
Clip-on food and water cups
The crate has to travel with bowls fixed inside that ground staff can top up without opening the door. Free-standing bowls do not count.
See options on Amazon → -
Absorbent crate lining
A layer that holds an accident through a long leg keeps the animal dry and keeps the crate from being pulled off the ramp for leaking.
See options on Amazon → -
"Live Animal" labels and orientation arrows
Most carriers want the crate marked LIVE ANIMAL with "This Way Up" arrows. A cheap sticker set beats hunting for a marker at check-in.
See options on Amazon → -
An ID tag that reaches you at both ends
A number someone can actually answer on the day — not just your home line — is what reunites a pet with you if the crate and the paperwork get separated in transit.
See options on Amazon →
Official sources
Every step above was read off one of these pages. They are the version that counts — check them before you travel or ship.
- US CDC — bringing a dog into the United States
- US CDC — high-risk countries for dog rabies
- US CDC — dogs from non-high-risk countries
- US CDC — bringing a cat into the United States
- USDA APHIS — importing a pet dog to the US
- USDA APHIS — importing a pet cat to the US
- GOV.UK — taking your pet abroad
- GOV.UK — taking your pet to a non-EU country
- GOV.UK — export health certificates
Common questions
The questions people ask most about this corridor, answered from the same official sources above.
Does my dog need a rabies titre test to enter the USA from the UK?
No. The CDC does not list the United Kingdom as a high-risk country for dog rabies, so a dog from the UK follows the simpler non-high-risk path: no rabies antibody (titre) test, no quarantine, and no CDC-registered facility. The dog needs a microchip, must be at least 6 months old, and must look healthy on arrival.
What document does a dog from the UK need to enter the USA?
For a dog that has only been in rabies-free or low-risk countries like the UK, the CDC says the only required document is the free online CDC Dog Import Form. It produces an emailed receipt you can print or show on your phone; the receipt is valid for 6 months and can be used for multiple entries.
Do cats need any CDC paperwork to enter the USA from the UK?
No. The CDC does not require rabies vaccination proof or a general health certificate for a cat — it only has to appear healthy on arrival. The CDC still recommends rabies vaccination, and Hawaii and Guam have their own quarantine rules.
Can a dog from the UK enter the USA at any airport?
Yes. Because the UK is not high-risk, the dog is not restricted to a CDC-registered facility airport — it can enter at any airport, seaport or land border crossing, provided it looks healthy on arrival.
What does the UK side require before I fly to the USA?
Great Britain controls what leaves through APHA. For a non-EU destination like the USA you need an export health certificate (EHC), and in England, Scotland or Wales an export application form (EXA). You nominate an official vet who checks your pet and signs the certificate. You cannot use a GB pet passport, so start the EHC early.
How long does it take to bring a pet from the UK to the USA?
Around 2 to 4 weeks in most cases — it is one of the easier international pet routes because the US side is light. The main work is the UK-side export health certificate signed by an official vet; the rabies vaccination (if you get one) needs the pet to be 12+ weeks old with a 21-day wait, though the US does not itself require rabies proof for a non-high-risk-country dog.
Where to go next
Everything Animalsss holds on these animals — care, prices and listings.
This page tells you where the official rule is and what it says. It is not the rule and it is not legal advice. The official source decides, and the official source is the one that counts if this page and it ever disagree.
Reviewed by the Animalsss Movement Desk. Last reviewed 21 Sep 2026. Every rule and day-count was read off the official CDC, USDA APHIS and GOV.UK pages and adversarially fact-checked against the source text before publishing.
This page is free to read and always will be. It is written from the official pages linked above; those pages can change, and if one has, the link is the fastest way to see what it says now.
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