Mainland China
United States
Bringing your dog or cat from mainland China to the USA
The CDC lists China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) as a high-risk country for dog rabies, so dogs face the strictest U.S. entry rules. Which ones apply depends on where your dog's rabies vaccine was given. Cats are far simpler.
At a glance
Rules on this page apply to: dogs and cats.
- CDC status
- China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) is high-risk. Applies to any dog there in the 6 months before entry.
- Minimum age
- Dogs must be at least 6 months old on arrival.
- Foreign-vaccinated dogs
- Titer from a CDC-approved lab drawn at least 28 days before entry, or 28 days of quarantine.
- Arrival airports
- Foreign-vaccinated dogs: only ATL, DFW, IAD, JFK, LAX, MIA, PHL or SEA, with a facility reservation.
- Screwworm certificate
- Chinese official veterinarian's inspection within 5 days before shipment (APHIS lists China).
- Cats
- No CDC rabies requirement; must appear healthy. States and airlines may ask for more.
Who this guide is for
Chinese families moving to the United States for work, study or immigration; American families coming home after a posting in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen or elsewhere on the mainland; and anyone who adopted a dog or cat in mainland China.
It also applies if your dog only passed through the mainland. A dog counts as having entered a country when it clears customs there, and any dog that was in a high-risk country during the 6 months before arriving in the U.S. follows the high-risk rules. Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are not on the CDC list and have their own pages, for example Hong Kong to USA and Taiwan to USA.
What we coordinate
- Working out which CDC pathway your dog is on, from its vaccination records.
- The titer test at a CDC-approved lab, timed to CDC's windows.
- The reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, and a flight that lands at that airport.
- The CDC Dog Import Form, the CDC certification form and the screwworm certificate from China's official veterinary service.
- Carrier, aircraft and mode, and help after landing through local partners where available. See U.S. pet import.
Moving to the U.S. from China with your pet?
Get My Free Quote (opens the enquiry form in a new tab)Dogs and cats
The CDC rules on this page apply to dogs only. The CDC does not require proof of rabies vaccination for cats entering the United States (it recommends vaccination), and USDA APHIS says it has no animal health requirements for importing a pet cat. A cat must look healthy on arrival. Your destination state and your airline may ask for a health certificate or a vaccination record, so we check both. See bringing a cat into the USA.
Timeline
For a dog vaccinated in China, plan at least two to three months:
- Day 0: microchip (if not already done), then rabies vaccination. A chip implanted after the vaccine makes the vaccine invalid for CDC.
- Day 30 or later: blood draw for the titer at a CDC-approved lab. CDC's checklist suggests collecting the sample 60 or more days before travel, because results take time.
- 30+ days before travel: reserve the animal care facility and book a flight to its airport.
- Within 30 days of travel: the veterinarian completes the CDC certification form and an official government veterinarian endorses it. The screwworm inspection must fall within 5 days before shipment.
- Before travel: submit the CDC Dog Import Form for that exact date and airport.
A dog vaccinated in the U.S. that already has its endorsed CDC certification can move much faster.
CDC rules for dogs from a high-risk country
Every dog must be at least 6 months old, have a microchip readable by a universal scanner, appear healthy, and travel with a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. For dogs from high-risk countries the receipt covers one entry on the arrival date listed; change the date or the airport and you submit a new form. It needs a photo of the dog's face and body (taken within 15 days of travel for dogs under one year). The airline checks the receipt before boarding, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) checks it on arrival.
Dogs vaccinated in the United States
- A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes the CDC Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination, and USDA endorses it before the dog leaves the U.S.
- For a first vaccine, the dog must have been at least 12 weeks old, and the form completed at least 28 days after vaccination.
- The form can be reused while that vaccine stays valid. No titer is required.
- The dog may arrive at any airport, seaport or land crossing that matches the import receipt.
- A USDA-endorsed export health certificate issued no later than July 31, 2025 can still replace the form if it meets CDC's conditions; later certificates are not accepted for re-entry.
If the certification was not done before your dog left the U.S., or the U.S. vaccine lapsed while you lived in China, your dog is treated as foreign-vaccinated.
Dogs vaccinated outside the United States
- The Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, completed by a veterinarian and endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the exporting country, no more than 30 days before travel. It is valid for one entry.
- A valid titer, or 28 days of quarantine.
- A reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, where the dog is examined and revaccinated with a U.S.-licensed rabies vaccine.
- Arrival by air at that facility's airport. No domestic connection until the facility's services are complete.
- Documents in English, or with a certified English translation.
Full details: CDC dog import rules.
Microchip
CDC requires a chip that a universal scanner can read, implanted before the rabies vaccine; otherwise the vaccine does not count. The chip number must appear on every form. If your dog was chipped after its last rabies shot, it needs a new vaccination and, if foreign-vaccinated, a new titer at least 30 days later.
Rabies vaccination
The first rabies vaccine must be given at 12 weeks (84 days) of age or older; for dogs from high-risk countries CDC does not accept earlier vaccines, whatever the product label says. A foreign-vaccinated dog's vaccine must have been given at least 28 days before entry. Keep boosters on time: a lapse means a new vaccine and a new titer.
Titer test
Only foreign-vaccinated dogs need one. The sample goes to a CDC-approved laboratory, drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before entry. A passing result stays valid for the dog's life as long as vaccination never lapses and the lab stays approved.
CDC's approved list includes eight laboratories in China, among them the National Reference Laboratory for Animal Rabies at the Changchun Veterinary Research Institute (CAAS), South China Agricultural University, and the Technical Centre for Animal, Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine of Shanghai Customs. We confirm the lab's current submission process for your dates.
Without a valid titer, the dog spends 28 days in quarantine at the animal care facility. CDC allows a shorter stay only in narrow cases it approves.
Import permit
The United States does not issue an import permit for pet dogs or cats. The equivalents are the CDC Dog Import Form receipt and, for foreign-vaccinated dogs, the animal care facility reservation confirmation, which must be shown to the airline before boarding and to CBP on arrival.
Health certificate
CDC does not require a general health certificate. Dogs need the CDC rabies certification for their pathway and the screwworm certificate below. Some U.S. states and many airlines require a recent health certificate, so we plan one for most moves.
Chinese official endorsement
Two U.S. documents need a Chinese government veterinarian:
- CDC foreign-vaccination form: endorsed by an official government veterinarian of the exporting country.
- Screwworm certificate: USDA APHIS lists China as a region where screwworm exists. Dogs from such regions need a certificate signed by a full-time salaried veterinary official of the region of origin, stating the dog was inspected within 5 days before shipment and is free of screwworm.
China's exit certificate for pets, the Animal Health Certificate, is issued by customs. Shanghai's government explains the local version: a health check 7–10 days before departure, an application with the vaccination certificate, titer result if needed, passport and flight details, then about three working days to issue through Huangpu Customs. The certificate is valid 10 or 14 days depending on the destination.
Other cities follow their own customs district's procedure, and the CDC and screwworm statements have to fit the same dates (30 days for the CDC form, 5 days for the screwworm inspection). We confirm with the local customs office how both are issued for your dates.
Airlines
Routes between mainland China and the U.S. are limited. For a foreign-vaccinated dog the flight must land at the airport of its facility reservation, and the airline must see the reservation and the CDC receipt before boarding. Snub-nosed breeds are restricted on most carriers. Airline policies change; we confirm the carrier, aircraft and mode for your pet.
Cabin, checked baggage or cargo
The mode affects which airports work. CDC notes that the Seattle facility takes cargo-only reservations, and at Los Angeles cargo is preferred to avoid clearance delays. Cabin travel depends on the airline and the dog's size and is never guaranteed. A connection matters too: a dog that clears customs in a third high-risk country during a layover is treated as having entered it. See airline cargo for pets.
Arrival in the United States
A foreign-vaccinated dog must land at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility: Atlanta (ATL), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York JFK, Philadelphia (PHL), Seattle (SEA) or Washington Dulles (IAD). For New York, Newark and LaGuardia do not count. The facility examines and revaccinates the dog. More on U.S. arrival airports.
China is not on APHIS's list of regions free of foot-and-mouth disease. APHIS asks that dogs from such regions arrive with fur and bedding free of excess dirt, hay or straw, be bathed on arrival and kept away from livestock for 5 days.
A dog refused entry cannot continue its trip; the airline returns it to the last country of departure at the owner's expense.
Quarantine
A foreign-vaccinated dog without a valid titer is quarantined for 28 days at the animal care facility, at your expense. With a valid titer there is no quarantine, but the dog still goes through the facility for the exam and revaccination. U.S.-vaccinated dogs with the endorsed certification are not quarantined by CDC. A dog that looks sick may be examined and refused entry.
State and territory rules
There are no CDC-registered animal care facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. territories, so a foreign-vaccinated dog from mainland China cannot enter there. CDC also notes that cats arriving in Hawaii or Guam are subject to local quarantine rules. Hawaii and Guam set their own requirements for dogs and cats, and other states can ask for health certificates; we check them for your destination.
What drives the cost
- The CDC pathway: the animal care facility's exam, revaccination and any quarantine are paid by the importer and priced by each facility.
- The titer test and sample shipping.
- Chinese export certification and the screwworm inspection.
- Flight mode, crate size and a routing that reaches an eligible airport.
- Onward domestic travel after release.
The CDC Dog Import Form is free. We quote once we know your dog's records, route and dates.
Mistakes we see on this route
- Assuming a U.S. dog is still "U.S.-vaccinated". Without the endorsed CDC certification made before it left, or after a lapse, it counts as foreign-vaccinated.
- Booking the wrong airport. Foreign-vaccinated dogs land only where their facility reservation is.
- Drawing the titer too late. It must be at least 28 days before entry, and labs take time.
- Chipping after vaccinating. The vaccine then does not count.
- Forgetting the screwworm certificate. It must come from China's official veterinary service, within 5 days of shipment.
Questions about this route
Is Hong Kong treated like mainland China for CDC?
No. CDC's list names "China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan)". But a dog that lived on the mainland in the last 6 months and then flies from Hong Kong is still covered by the high-risk rules.
My dog was vaccinated in the U.S. before we moved to Shanghai. Can it come back easily?
Only if a USDA-accredited veterinarian completed the CDC Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination and USDA endorsed it before your dog left, and that vaccine is still valid. Otherwise your dog follows the foreign-vaccinated rules.
Can the titer be done in China?
Yes, if the lab is on CDC's approved list; it currently includes eight laboratories in China. The sample must be drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before entry.
Can my dog fly into San Francisco or Chicago?
Not if it is foreign-vaccinated: it must land at an airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility (ATL, DFW, IAD, JFK, LAX, MIA, PHL or SEA). A U.S.-vaccinated dog with the endorsed certification can use any port.
What does my cat need?
No CDC rabies document is required for cats, and APHIS has no requirements for pet cats. The cat must look healthy; your state and airline may ask for a health certificate.
Official sources
The requirements on this page come from these authorities.
- CDC — High-risk countries for dog rabies (April 15, 2026): "China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan)" listed
- CDC — Bringing a dog into the United States, overview (August 1, 2024)
- CDC — Entry requirements for U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries (April 28, 2026)
- CDC — Entry requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries (July 22, 2024)
- CDC — FAQs on dog importations (August 27, 2026)
- CDC — CDC-registered animal care facilities (September 1, 2026)
- CDC — Approved rabies serology laboratories (July 13, 2026): eight laboratories in China
- CDC — Layovers (April 29, 2026)
- CDC — Bringing a cat into the United States (August 22, 2025)
- USDA APHIS — Bring a pet dog into the United States (modified April 1, 2026)
- USDA APHIS — Animal health status of regions (modified October 27, 2026): China listed as screwworm-affected; not on the FMD-free list
- 9 CFR 93.600 — Importation of dogs (screwworm certificate)
- 9 CFR 94.1 — Regions where FMD exists (all regions except those declared free)
- USDA APHIS — Bring a pet cat into the United States (modified December 24, 2025)
- Shanghai Municipal Government — How to take pets out of China (Huangpu Customs issues the Animal Health Certificate; health check 7–10 days before departure; about 3 working days; valid 10 or 14 days by destination)
Requirements last verified against these sources on .
Requirements change. Before anything is booked, we confirm each one again with the authorities, the airline and your veterinarian for your pet and your dates.
Going the other way?
Other destinations
Moving to the U.S. from China with your pet?
Send us your dog's vaccination records and your target dates. We tell you which CDC pathway applies and plan the titer, the facility and the flight.
Takes a few minutes. No account needed.