TechnicaI Instructions Document: For USDA-accredited Veterinarians Completing the
Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination (For Live Dog Re-Entry into the United States)
The purpose of this document is to provide instructions for owners of U.S.-vaccinated dogs and U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA)-accredited veterinarians to complete the Certification of U.S.-issued
Rabies Vaccination (For Live Dog Re-Entry into the United States) form. This document provides instructions
to owners for how to have this form completed by their USDA-accredited veterinarian prior to traveling
outside the United States with their dogs.
Purpose
The Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination (For Live Dog Re-Entry into the United States) form is required for the
importation (re-entry) of U.S.-vaccinated dogs that have been in countries with high risk of dog-maintained rabies virus variant
(DMRVV high-risk countries)
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within six months of re-entry into the United States. Although owners are required to have the
Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form completed before leaving the United States, CDC realizes that a transition
period is needed to allow owners who left the United States without this form to align with these requirements.
CDC has designated a transition period which will expire on July 31, 2025. Dogs that leave the United States before July 31,
2025, may return to the U.S. using their USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-endorsed export health
certificate that was used to ship the dog from the United States to a DMRVV high-risk country in lieu of the Certification of
U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form. The USDA-endorsed export health certificate must be issued on or before July 31,2025,
by a USDA-accredited veterinarian for travel out of the United States. The export health certificate must document the age or
date of birth of the dog, the microchip number, and a valid rabies vaccination administered in the United States. Return on the
same export health certificate will be accepted as long as the rabies vaccination is valid (not expired) on the date of return; if
the vaccination has expired, the form will be invalid.
Example: If a dog is vaccinated with a 3-year U.S. rabies vaccine on September 1, 2024, then leaves the United States to travel
to a high-risk country with a USDA-endorsed health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian before July 31,2025,
the dog may re-enter the U.S. using that certificate until August 31, 2027.
Example: If a dog is vaccinated with a 3-year U.S. rabies vaccine on April 1, 2025, then leaves the United States to travel to a
high-risk country with a USDA-endorsed health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian after July 31, 2025, the
dog must also have a valid Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form to be able to re-enter the United States until
March 31, 2028. The USDA endorsed health certificate issued after July 31, 2025 will not be accepted for re-entry into the
United States.
The Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form may also be used by those re-entering the United States with dogs
from DMRVV-free and low-risk countries. Please note the use of this form is not required.
Additionally, during the transition period, owners may contact their USDA-accredited veterinarian to complete and certify the
form after the dog has left the United States based on official medical records, when available (see requirements below for a
USDA-accredited veterinarian to certify the form). Again, during the transition period, a copy of the USDA APHIS-endorsed
export health certificate originally used to ship the dog from the United States to a DMRVV high-risk country can be used in
lieu of this form, provided the microchip number is listed and the rabies vaccination documented on that export health
certificate has not expired.
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List of DMRVV high-risk countries is available at: www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/high-risk.html