United States
Mainland China
Moving your dog or cat from the USA to mainland China
China's customs rules let each traveler bring one dog or one cat. From the U.S. mainland, a pet with an ISO microchip, two rabies vaccinations and a passing titer from an approved lab can be released at the airport; a pet missing the chip or the titer goes into 30 days of quarantine.
At a glance
Rules on this page apply to: dogs and cats.
- Pets allowed
- Dogs and cats only; one pet per traveler per entry.
- Microchip
- ISO 11784/11785, 15 digits; otherwise bring your own reader.
- Rabies
- At least two lifetime vaccinations, current on arrival; inactivated or recombinant vaccines.
- Titer test
- ≥ 0.5 IU/mL at an approved lab, drawn on or after the second shot, within one year of arrival.
- Health certificate
- Issued within 14 days of arrival and endorsed by USDA APHIS through VEHCS.
- Quarantine
- None if every condition is met; otherwise 30 days at a designated facility, via a designated port.
Who this guide is for
Chinese families heading home after years of study or work in the U.S., American employees transferring to Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen or another mainland city, and anyone taking a dog or cat they adopted in the U.S. to mainland China. It covers pets that travel with their owner (携带入境), which is what China's customs rules describe.
Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan have their own systems and their own pages: see USA to Hong Kong and USA to Taiwan. Pets leaving from Hawaii or Guam follow a simpler track, covered below.
What we coordinate
- Checking your pet's chip and rabies history against China's two-vaccination rule before anything is booked.
- The titer test at one of the U.S. labs China accepts, and the timing of the blood draw.
- The USDA-accredited veterinarian's China certificate and its APHIS endorsement within the 14-day window. See U.S. pet export.
- Carrier, aircraft and mode, and a crate that fits the airline's rules.
- If your pet may come back to the U.S. one day, the CDC paperwork that has to be done before it leaves.
- Help on arrival through local partners where available.
Planning a move to China with your pet?
Get My Free Quote (opens the enquiry form in a new tab)Dogs and cats
China's rules for pets carried by travelers apply to dogs and cats only, and to both in the same way: same chip, same vaccinations, same titer, same quarantine consequences. Other animals cannot be brought in under this procedure.
Each traveler may bring one pet per entry. A family of three can bring up to three pets if each person travels with one and each pet has its own certificate in that traveler's name. A pet over the limit is returned or destroyed, so this is not a rule to test at the airport.
Timeline
China sets no waiting period after the titer blood draw, so the calendar depends mostly on your pet's vaccination history:
- Microchip. If your pet has no ISO chip, implant one first and keep the paperwork showing the date and location.
- Two rabies vaccinations. Many adult U.S. pets already have two on record. If yours has only one, it needs another before the blood draw.
- Titer blood draw on or after the date of the second vaccination, sent to an approved lab. Allow time for the result to come back.
- Within 14 days of arrival: exam and China certificate by a USDA-accredited veterinarian, then APHIS endorsement through VEHCS.
- Fly while the vaccination and the titer (one year from the draw) are both valid.
For an adult pet that already has two rabies shots on file, this is often a matter of weeks, mostly lab turnaround. Start earlier if you need a second vaccination or are moving during a holiday peak.
Microchip
China asks for a chip that meets ISO 11784/11785: a 15-digit, numbers-only code that a reader can scan. If your pet has a non-ISO chip, you can still enter, but you must bring a reader that can read it.
The certificate must show the chip number, the implant date and where it was implanted. A pet arriving from the U.S. mainland without a chip is quarantined for 30 days, even with a passing titer.
Rabies vaccination
For the no-quarantine route, APHIS states the pet must have been vaccinated against rabies at least twice in its lifetime and be current on arrival. China's own requirements add that vaccines must be inactivated or recombinant/modified, not live virus vaccines, and the certificate must list the vaccination date, validity period, vaccine type, product name and manufacturer.
Bring the original current rabies certificate. APHIS notes Chinese quarantine officials may keep it.
If you might bring your dog back to the U.S., ask your veterinarian for the CDC Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination now. USDA must endorse it before the dog leaves the U.S.; China is a CDC high-risk country, so without it your dog would later face the stricter foreign-vaccinated rules. See China to USA.
Titer test
The U.S. mainland is not on China's list of designated (rabies-free) countries and regions, so a pet needs a rabies antibody test of at least 0.5 IU/mL from a laboratory China accepts. APHIS lists five U.S. labs:
- Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory (Manhattan, KS)
- Auburn University Virology Laboratory (Auburn, AL)
- University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (Columbia, MO)
- CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (Atlanta, GA)
- DoD Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory (Fort Sam Houston, TX)
The blood must be drawn on or after the date of the second rabies vaccination (the same day is fine). APHIS states the result is valid for up to one year from the draw. China's requirements say the result stays valid longer if the pet is revaccinated before its vaccine expires; we plan to the one-year reading unless customs confirms otherwise. Bring the original lab report.
Shanghai's government notes that individuals cannot send serum to the lab themselves; your veterinary clinic handles the whole submission.
Import permit
China does not ask travelers for an import permit for a pet that meets the conditions on this page. On arrival you fill in a pet registration form (携带入境宠物信息登记表) at the customs counter.
If your pet is going to be quarantined, APHIS says Chinese customs must be notified in advance. If your pet would fly without you on the same flight, the procedure must be confirmed with Chinese customs before anything is booked; the rules on this page describe pets carried by a traveler.
Health certificate
A USDA-accredited veterinarian examines your pet and issues the China certificate within 14 days of arrival in China. APHIS publishes separate dog and cat templates (January 2026). The certificate must show:
- your pet's details, including date of birth or age;
- chip number, implant date and location;
- rabies vaccine details;
- the titer result, lab and blood-draw date;
- the clinical exam result and date.
One pet per certificate, and the traveler named on it must match the passport. China's requirements say altered information voids a certificate and a defective certificate can lead to the pet being returned or destroyed, so we check every line before endorsement.
USDA APHIS endorsement
APHIS endorses the China certificate electronically through VEHCS, and a printed copy travels with your pet. APHIS's endorsement fee (as of June 18, 2026) is US$101 for a certificate with no lab tests and US$160 with one or two tests; vaccines are not counted as tests. We confirm which tier applies to your certificate. Your veterinarian's fees are separate.
Airlines
Routes between the U.S. and mainland China are limited, and each carrier has its own rules on pets, crate sizes, breeds and seasonal temperature limits. We do not assume a route is available. Airline policies change; we confirm the carrier, aircraft and mode for your pet before you book your own ticket.
Cabin, checked baggage or cargo
China's customs rules apply the same way whether your pet is in the cabin or in the hold, as long as it travels with you. Cabin travel depends on the airline, the aircraft and your pet's size and is never guaranteed on this route; larger dogs travel in the hold or as cargo. Snub-nosed breeds face extra airline restrictions. See airline cargo for pets and crate guidance.
Arrival in China
Take your pet, the documents and the fees to the customs (GACC) office at the airport. APHIS advises bringing one passport photocopy per pet and a printed photo of the pet (plus a copy); for a large dog, the photo should show an object for scale. Officers check the certificate, vaccination record, titer report and chip, and examine the pet.
A pet that meets every condition can enter at any port. After arrival, dogs must be registered with the local police within one month, according to APHIS. Cities also have their own dog-keeping rules, which we check for your destination.
Quarantine
From the U.S. mainland, a pet that arrives without a valid titer report from an approved lab, without a chip, or both is quarantined for 30 days at a customs-designated facility. Pets showing signs of disease on inspection are also quarantined. A pet that needs quarantine must arrive through a port with quarantine facilities; arriving elsewhere means return or destruction.
APHIS's China page lists these designated ports: Beijing Capital Airport, Beijing West Railway Station, Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai Pudong airports, Shanghai Railway Station, Shanghai International Passenger Transport Center, Wusongkou International Cruise Terminal, Urumqi Diwopu Airport, Alashankou, and Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. Shanghai's government also counts 10 such ports nationwide. GACC publishes the authoritative list, and we confirm it for your dates.
A pet arriving without a valid official certificate or rabies vaccination certificate is returned or destroyed, not quarantined.
From Hawaii or Guam
Hawaii and Guam are on China's designated list. A pet from there needs a chip, the official certificate and its vaccination record, but no titer, and is released after inspection.
What drives the cost
- Whether your pet already has two rabies shots and an ISO chip.
- The titer test and shipping the sample to the lab.
- Veterinary exam, certificate and the APHIS endorsement fee.
- Airline mode, crate size and the route available on your dates.
- Quarantine, if the conditions are not met (facility fees are not published on the pages we read).
We quote once we know your pet, its records and your dates. See pet relocation cost.
Mistakes we see on this route
- Two pets, one traveler. China allows one pet per person per entry; the second pet is returned or destroyed.
- Drawing blood before the second rabies shot. The titer must be on or after the second vaccination.
- Using a lab China does not accept. Only the approved labs count; anything else means 30 days of quarantine.
- Certificate too early. It must be issued within 14 days of arrival.
- Landing at a port without quarantine facilities when a document is missing.
- Forgetting the CDC form before leaving. A dog without the U.S.-issued vaccination certification faces the harder rules on its way back.
Questions about this route
Can I bring my dog and my cat to China on the same trip?
Only if two travelers each bring one. China's limit is one pet per person per entry, and each pet needs its own certificate in the name of the person traveling with it.
My dog had a three-year rabies shot two years ago. Is that enough?
The vaccine must be current on arrival and your dog must have at least two rabies vaccinations on record. A current three-year vaccine can work if the second-shot and titer conditions are met. We check the certificates before the blood draw.
Do I need a titer test if I already did one for another country?
China accepts a titer from an approved lab drawn on or after the second vaccination and within one year of arrival. A report from Kansas State or Auburn done for another destination may be reusable if it meets those conditions.
What happens if the titer is missing at the airport?
Your pet is placed in 30 days of quarantine at a customs-designated facility. That only works if you landed at a port with quarantine facilities; otherwise the pet is returned or destroyed.
We might move back to the U.S. in two years. What should we do now?
Have a USDA-accredited veterinarian complete the CDC Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination and get it endorsed before your dog leaves, and keep the rabies vaccine from lapsing. See China to USA.
Official sources
The requirements on this page come from these authorities.
- GACC Announcement No. 5 of 2019 on pets carried into China (海关总署公告2019年第5号), official copy on the State Council policy library (gov.cn), effective May 1, 2019
- Attachment 1 to GACC Announcement No. 5 of 2019 — Quarantine Requirements for Pets Entering the People's Republic of China (bilingual copy hosted by the Beijing Municipal Government, Invest Beijing)
- Shanghai Municipal Government — How to bring a pet to Shanghai (updated October 16, 2025): 10 ports with pet quarantine facilities nationwide; serum cannot be sent to labs by individuals; titer valid one year from the draw
- USDA APHIS — Pet travel from the United States to China (last modified February 11, 2026)
- USDA APHIS — Cost to endorse your pet's health certificate (modified June 18, 2026)
- CDC — Entry requirements for U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries (April 28, 2026)
- CDC — High-risk countries for dog rabies (April 15, 2026): China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) listed
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
Planning a move to China with your pet?
Tell us your pet, your city and your dates. We check the chip, vaccinations and titer timing first, then plan the certificate and the flight.
Takes a few minutes. No account needed.