Health Certificates for Domestic and International Pet Travel

If you are planning on traveling with your pet to another state, your pet may require a domestic health certificate to prevent the spread of diseases. A pet health certificate, or a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI), is a document that your veterinarian fills out to state that your pet is disease free and up-to-date on all the vaccines your pet needs. Your veterinarian will provide this to you after performing a thorough exam.

Animal health requirements may differ state to state; even airlines may have their own pet travel requirements. Check with your airline and the states you’re traveling to see if they require a health certificate. We encourage you to schedule an exam for a health certificate as soon as your travel dates are solidified, as certificates must be issued within 10 days of travel. Your pet must also be at least eight weeks old and fully weaned before traveling.

If you have additional questions, we suggest you visit the USDA - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website for more information. As always, you can also contact us.

Does your pet need a health certificate?

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Pet travel to a foreign country can be complex and time consuming. Before you start the process, you will need to know the type of animal traveling, the country of destination, the date of departure from the U.S., and whether or not the pet will be traveling alone, as cargo, or with a person in the cabin of the plane. Please note that preparing for travel to some countries can take months.

    1. Determine when the pet will be traveling and to what destination.
    2. Work with us to determine destination country requirements, including any necessary vaccinations, tests, and/ or treatments.
    3. We issue the health certificate within the validity period set by the destination country.
    4. If necessary, the pet’s health certificate must be submitted to a USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Endorsement Office.
    5. Finish any outstanding requirements for travel
    6. Enjoy your travel!

Additional helpful resources available on the APHIS Pet Travel Website include: