Malaysia
United States
Pet relocation from Malaysia to the United States
Malaysia is on the CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies, so a dog moving to the US follows the strictest CDC path. Which version applies depends on one question: was your dog's current rabies vaccination given in the US or abroad?
At a glance
Rules on this page apply to: dogs and cats.
- CDC status
- Malaysia is a high-risk country for dog rabies.
- Dog age
- At least 6 months old on arrival in the US.
- Foreign-vaccinated dogs
- Valid titer from a CDC-approved lab and a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility.
- US-vaccinated dogs
- CDC Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination, completed before leaving the US.
- Screwworm
- Dogs need a Malaysian official-vet certificate, inspected within 5 days before shipment.
- Cats
- No federal rabies or health certificate requirement; must appear healthy.
Who this guide is for
This page is for families moving a dog or cat from Malaysia, peninsular or Borneo, to the United States: Americans returning after a posting, Malaysians relocating for work or study, and families adopting a dog locally. It covers the US federal rules (CDC, USDA APHIS, CBP), state rules, and the Malaysian side of the departure.
It also applies to dogs that only passed through Malaysia: any dog that was in Malaysia during the six months before US entry is treated as coming from a high-risk country.
What we coordinate
We establish which CDC path your dog is on, plan the vaccination and titer sequence if needed, reserve the CDC-registered animal care facility, and time the official veterinary documents so each falls inside its validity window. We confirm DVS's current export conditions for your dates, the airline, aircraft and mode, and the US arrival airport. Collection, boarding and delivery are provided through local partners where available.
Moving from Malaysia to the US with a dog or cat?
Get My Free Quote (opens the enquiry form in a new tab)Dogs and cats: very different rules
Everything on the CDC's high-risk list applies to dogs only. A cat coming from Malaysia has no federal rabies requirement: the CDC asks only that it appear healthy on arrival, and APHIS states it has no animal health requirements for pet cats. Airlines and some states may ask for more. If you are moving a dog and a cat together, the dog sets the timeline.
Timeline
Foreign-vaccinated dog, no valid titer yet (the most common case for dogs that grew up in Malaysia):
- Microchip first, then a rabies vaccination given at 12 weeks of age or older.
- At least 30 days after that first valid vaccination, the blood draw for the titer at a CDC-approved laboratory.
- At least 28 days after the draw, the earliest US entry, once a passing result is in hand.
- Within 30 days of travel: the CDC Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, endorsed by a Malaysian government veterinarian.
- Within 5 days of shipment: the screwworm inspection and certificate.
Plan on roughly three months from a standing start. A dog with a valid passing titer and no lapse in vaccination can move in a few weeks, limited mainly by the facility reservation and flights.
US-vaccinated dog with a completed CDC Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination: the official side is mostly the screwworm certificate and the Dog Import Form, so a few weeks is usually enough.
CDC rules for dogs from Malaysia
All dogs need a CDC Dog Import Form receipt (free, one per dog, with a recent photo and the microchip number) and must be at least six months old. Unvaccinated dogs that were in a high-risk country in the last six months cannot enter. After that, two paths:
Foreign-vaccinated dogs
- Rabies vaccination given at 12 weeks or older and at least 28 days before entry, after the microchip.
- The Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, completed by a vet and endorsed by an official government veterinarian in Malaysia, no more than 30 days before travel (one entry only).
- A valid rabies titer from a CDC-approved laboratory, or a 28-day quarantine at the CDC-registered facility instead.
- A reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility at the arrival airport, for a veterinary exam and revaccination with a US-licensed vaccine, paid by the owner.
- Arrival by air at that airport, matching the Dog Import Form.
US-vaccinated dogs
- The Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination, completed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA before the dog left the US.
- Entry at any airport, land border or seaport matching the Dog Import Form.
- USDA export certificates issued after July 31, 2025 are not accepted in place of this form. Without it, the dog follows the foreign-vaccinated path.
Our CDC dog import rules guide goes through each form.
Microchip
The CDC requires a microchip that a universal scanner can detect, implanted before the rabies vaccination that the paperwork relies on. If the chip went in after the vaccine, the vaccine does not count and the sequence restarts. The chip number must appear on every form.
Rabies vaccination
For a foreign-vaccinated dog, the first valid rabies vaccination must be given at 12 weeks (84 days) of age or older and at least 28 days before entry. Vaccines given before 12 weeks are not accepted for dogs that were in a high-risk country. If vaccination lapses, the dog needs a new vaccine and a new titer drawn at least 30 days after the booster. Cats need no rabies proof for federal entry.
Rabies titer test
The titer sample must be tested at a laboratory on the CDC's approved list (if none exists in the dog's country, the closest approved laboratory may be used). The sample is drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccination and at least 28 days before entry. A passing result stays valid for the dog's life as long as vaccination does not lapse and the lab stays approved. Without a valid titer, the dog must spend 28 days in quarantine at the CDC-registered facility. US-vaccinated dogs on the US-vaccinated path do not need a titer.
Permits
The US issues no import permit for a pet dog or cat; the CDC Dog Import Form receipt and, for foreign-vaccinated dogs, the facility reservation do that job. On the Malaysian side, we confirm with DVS the current export certificate procedure for your dates.
Health certificate
The CDC does not require a general health certificate, but the documents above are veterinary certificates in all but name: the CDC rabies certification and the screwworm certificate. Many airlines also ask for a recent health certificate. We align all of them so none expires before the flight.
Official endorsement and the screwworm certificate
Malaysian official veterinarians are involved twice. First, the CDC foreign-vaccination form must be endorsed by an official government veterinarian in Malaysia. Second, USDA APHIS lists Malaysia among regions affected by screwworm (region status page, modified October 27, 2026). A dog from Malaysia must arrive with a certificate signed by a full-time salaried veterinary official of Malaysia, stating that it was inspected for screwworm within five days before shipment and found free of it, or was treated until free. APHIS has no template for it.
Malaysia does not appear among the regions APHIS lists as free of foot-and-mouth disease, so we plan for APHIS's FMD steps: bathe the dog as soon as it reaches its destination and keep it away from all livestock for five days. No document is required for that part.
Airlines
Airline policies change; we confirm the carrier, aircraft and mode for your pet. A foreign-vaccinated dog must land on an international flight at the airport of its CDC-registered facility, which narrows the routing. The CDC Dog Import Form receipt must be shown to the airline before boarding. Large dogs generally fly as cargo; cabin travel is not available on many long-haul routes.
Cabin, checked baggage or cargo
Whatever the mode, the arrival airport is fixed for a foreign-vaccinated dog, and domestic onward travel is not allowed until the facility has completed its services. If you have a connection inside the US, plan the facility visit before it. See cabin, checked baggage and cargo.
Arrival in the US
CBP processes the arrival with the CDC and USDA. A foreign-vaccinated dog goes from the aircraft to the CDC-registered facility for its exam and revaccination; the reservation confirmation is shown to the airline and to CBP. A dog that does not meet the requirements is refused entry and returned to the last departure country at the owner's expense. CBP recommends contacting the port of arrival before importing a pet. See US airports.
Quarantine
Federal quarantine applies to a foreign-vaccinated dog that arrives without a valid titer: 28 days at the CDC-registered facility. With a valid titer and complete paperwork, the dog is released after the facility's exam and revaccination. Cats have no federal quarantine. State and territory rules can add quarantine (below).
State and territory rules
The CDC states there are currently no CDC-registered animal care facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or US territories, so a foreign-vaccinated dog from Malaysia cannot make its first US landing in Hawaii or Guam. The CDC also notes that all cats arriving in Hawaii and Guam are subject to local quarantine requirements. For any destination state, we confirm its entry and licensing rules for your dates.
What drives the cost
The biggest variables are the CDC-registered facility (exam, revaccination and, without a titer, 28 days' quarantine, all paid by the owner), the titer test, the airline mode and crate size, and the Malaysian official veterinary documents. We quote on your dog's actual vaccination history, because that determines the path.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a US-born dog is "US-vaccinated" when its current vaccine was given in Malaysia.
- Relying on a USDA export certificate issued after July 31, 2025 instead of the CDC form.
- A microchip implanted after the rabies vaccination, which voids the vaccine.
- Booking a flight to an airport without the reserved CDC facility, or a domestic connection before the facility visit.
- Getting the screwworm inspection more than five days before shipment.
Questions about this route
Is Malaysia a high-risk country for the CDC?
Yes. Malaysia is on the CDC's list of high-risk countries for dog rabies (updated April 15, 2026). The rules apply to dogs, not cats.
My dog was vaccinated in the US before we moved to Malaysia. Which rules apply?
If a USDA-accredited vet completed the CDC Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination and USDA endorsed it before you left, the US-vaccinated path applies. If not, or if the current vaccine was given in Malaysia, the foreign-vaccinated path applies.
Does my dog need a titer test?
On the foreign-vaccinated path, yes, from a CDC-approved laboratory; otherwise the dog spends 28 days in quarantine at a CDC-registered facility. On the US-vaccinated path, no.
Why does my dog need a screwworm certificate?
USDA APHIS lists Malaysia as a region affected by screwworm. Dogs from listed regions need a certificate from a Malaysian government veterinarian stating they were inspected within five days before shipment.
What does my cat need?
Federally, only to appear healthy. Airlines may ask for a health certificate, and Hawaii and Guam have their own cat quarantine rules.
Official sources
The requirements on this page come from these authorities.
- CDC — High-risk countries for dog rabies (Apr. 15, 2026): Malaysia listed
- CDC — Entry requirements for foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries (July 22, 2024)
- CDC — Entry requirements for U.S.-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries (Apr. 28, 2026)
- CDC — Bringing a dog into the United States, overview (Aug. 1, 2024)
- CDC — FAQs on dog importations (updated Aug. 27, 2026): no CDC-registered facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or US territories
- CDC — Layovers (Apr. 29, 2026)
- CDC — Bringing a cat into the United States (Aug. 22, 2025)
- USDA APHIS — Bring a pet dog into the United States (last modified April 1, 2026)
- USDA APHIS — Animal health status of regions (last modified October 27, 2026): Malaysia listed as screwworm-affected; not listed as FMD-free
- USDA APHIS — Bring a pet cat into the United States (last modified December 24, 2025)
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Bringing pets and wildlife into the United States (last modified Oct. 1, 2026)
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 from Malaysia to the US with a dog or cat?
Send us your pet's vaccination records and your travel window. We will tell you which CDC path applies and how long it really takes.
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