Flying with a Dog from Brazil to United States — Requirements

Your dog must be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. The dog must be at least 12 weeks (84 days) old at the time of vaccination. The vaccination must be administered at least 28 days before your dog enters the United States. Vaccines given before 12 weeks of age are not accepted.

A government-endorsed veterinary certificate confirming the dog's microchip number, rabies vaccination details, and titer test results. This must be completed by a licensed veterinarian in Brazil and endorsed by an official government veterinarian. The certificate is valid for only 30 days after the veterinarian signs it, so coordinate the vet appointment carefully with your travel date. This certificate is single-use: valid for one US entry only.

A free online form completed by the person bringing the dog into the US (the owner, shipper, or flight parent). Each dog requires a separate form. After submitting, you receive a receipt by email — print it or have it ready on your phone. For dogs from high-risk countries like Brazil, the receipt is valid for ONE entry only and is only valid on the arrival date shown. A recent photo of the dog (face and body) is required when completing the form.

Brazil is a screwworm-affected country. A full-time salaried veterinary official from the region of origin must certify that the dog was inspected and found free of screwworm within 5 days before shipment to the US. This can be a standalone document or incorporated into the export health certificate.

A blood sample must be drawn at least 30 days after the dog's first valid rabies vaccination AND at least 28 days before US entry. The sample must be tested at a CDC-approved laboratory only — results from non-approved labs are rejected. The required passing level is ≥0.5 IU/mL. Plan well ahead: the minimum timeline from first vaccination to US entry is about 60 days (30-day wait for blood draw + lab processing + 28-day wait before entry). Realistically, allow 3+ months. Results remain valid for the life of the dog as long as rabies vaccination coverage does not lapse.

Your dog must have a microchip that can be read by a universal scanner. CRITICAL: the microchip must be implanted BEFORE the rabies vaccination is given. If your dog was vaccinated before being microchipped, that vaccine does not count and the dog must be re-vaccinated after the microchip is implanted. The microchip number must appear on all required forms.

If your dog does not have a passing titer test result (≥0.5 IU/mL) at the time of arrival, it will be held for 28-day quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility at your expense. Ensure all documentation is complete and verified before travel to avoid this.

Your dog must be at least 6 months (approximately 180 days) old at the time it arrives in the United States.

Dogs from high-risk countries must arrive in the United States by air and must enter through an airport that has a CDC-registered animal care facility. You must also have a reservation at that facility before you travel. Entry at land borders is not permitted for dogs from high-risk countries. Alaska and Hawaii do not have CDC-registered facilities and cannot be used as entry points. Check the CDC website for the current list of approved airports.