TechnicaI Instructions Document: For USDA-accredited

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)

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.

List of DMRVV high-risk countries is available at: www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/high-risk.html

Only owners of dogs with a current rabies vaccine administered within the United

States

may use this form.

Owner Instructions

Owners must have the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian prior

to traveling outside the United States with their dog. People who leave the United States with their dogs without first

obtaining this form will be required to have their dogs re-enter the United States as if they are foreign-vaccinated dogs. See

information above on how owners may complete this form after leaving the United States during the transition period.

The dog must be accompanied by a printed copy of the certified document to re-enter the United States; a copy of the USDA

APHIS Veterinary Services (VS)-endorsed certificate can be obtained in electronic form from the issuing USDA-accredited

veterinarian. Failure to present this document upon arrival could result in the dog being denied entry and returned to the

country of departure at the owner’s expense.

This form is required for U.S.-vaccinated dogs that have been in a DMRVV high-risk country within the six months before

arrival in the U.S. If the owner of a dog that has been in a DMRVV high-risk country within six months before arrival in the U.S.

cannot obtain the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form certified by the USDA or if the dog’s rabies vaccination

lapses while abroad, the owner must follow the requirements for importing a foreign-vaccinated dog from a DMRVV high-risk

country available at www.cdc.gov/dogtravel

. Owners of dogs from DMRVV-free or low-risk countries may also use this form.

Dogs accompanied by a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form may enter the U.S. at any port of entry. Rabies

titer results and quarantine are not required for dogs accompanied by a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form.

Dogs must receive their initial rabies vaccination on or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age or in accordance with manufacturer

recommendations if licensed for use in older dogs (i.e., 16 weeks of age or older). Vaccines administered prior to 12 weeks of

age will not be accepted, regardless of manufacturer product licensing. The initial rabies vaccine must be administered at

least 28 days before a USDA-accredited veterinarian may issue this form.

Vaccines will be considered valid for a period of 1 or 3 years depending on manufacturer guidelines.

Booster vaccines are considered immediately valid in dogs over 15 months of age provided the dog has received at least 1

previous rabies vaccine administered on or after 12 weeks of age. If there is a lapse in vaccination coverage, the next

vaccination will be considered an initial vaccination valid for 1 year, which must be administered at least 28 days before this

form may be issued.

Owners of dogs which receive U.S.-issued rabies vaccines and maintain a current, valid U.S. rabies vaccination status will not

be required to submit rabies titer results for their dogs or have their dogs quarantined to be eligible for importation. Any

lapses in U.S.-issued vaccination coverage while abroad will result in having to have the dog revaccinated and submit a titer or

have the dog undergo a 28-day quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility

to be eligible for importation. For example,

if a dog has a 1-year U.S.-issued rabies vaccine that was administered on February 1, 2026, the dog must return to the United

States on or before January 31, 2027, to use the Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form for entry. If the dog’s U.S.-

issued rabies vaccine expires while the dog is abroad, then the dog must be revaccinated, and a titer or quarantine will be

required for the dog to be eligible for importation into the United States. This applies even if the vaccine administered abroad

is a USDA-licensed vaccine.

United States means the 50 States, District of Columbia, and the territories (also known as possessions) of the United States, including American

Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Requirements for USDA-accredited Veterinarians Completing the

Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination Form

This form is valid for one dog only.

This form can be used for multiple re-entries into the United States as long as the rabies vaccine is valid (not expired).

For the form to be considered valid, all the following requirements must be met:

1. The dog must have been vaccinated in the United States using a USDA-licensed rabies vaccine.

2. The form must be completed prior to the dog’s departure from the United States.

o During the transition period, the form may be completed and certified retroactively based on official medical

records after the dog has departed the United States.

3. The form must be completed at least 28 days after the dog’s initial rabies vaccine administration or 28 days after

booster vaccine administration if the dog’s previous rabies vaccination had expired prior to receiving the booster.

4. The form must be completed by the USDA-accredited veterinarian that vaccinated the dog in the United States.

o In the event the USDA-accredited veterinarian that vaccinated the dog is unavailable or if the veterinarian is not a

USDA-accredited veterinarian, a USDA-accredited veterinarian may certify the form if:

o A valid, in-person, veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) as defined by the American Veterinary

Medical Association

exists with at least one veterinarian currently in the practice in which the USDA-

accredited veterinarian practices medicine; and

o The dog’s information (breed, sex, age, microchip) and vaccination history can be verified using the

practice’s existing medical records. Vaccinations administered at other clinics may be added to the

practice’s medical records if all required information (including microchip) is contained on those records.

If a dog received previous rabies vaccines but did not have a microchip at the time of vaccination:

1. The veterinarian must microchip the dog and administer a 1-year rabies vaccine.

1.1. Rabies vaccines administered prior to the microchip implantation date are invalid because they cannot be

verified.

2. Future rabies vaccinations may be valid for 3 years, but the initial vaccine administered after microchip implantation

is only valid for 1 year.

3. Do not enter any rabies vaccination information in VEHCS for vaccines administered prior to the microchip

implantation date.

4. The rabies vaccine must be given at least 28 days prior to issuance of this form (the Certification of US-issued rabies

vaccination form).

If the USDA-accredited veterinarian completing the form cannot verify all required information via the

clinic’s medical records or a VCPR does not exist, the USDA-accredited veterinarian may not issue this form.

Requirements for USDA Endorsement of the Certification of U.S.-issued

Rabies Vaccination form

The USDA-accredited veterinarian must submit this form electronically to USDA APHIS VS for endorsement via the Veterinary

Export Health Certification System (VEHCS system). CDC will only accept digital USDA APHIS VS endorsement through VEHCS.

There will be a VS User Fee

associated with endorsement of the certificate; certificates will not be processed until payment is

received.

The veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) | American Veterinary Medical Association (avma.org)

Instructions for USDA-accredited Veterinarians Completing the

Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form through VEHCS

To complete the form in VEHCS:

Select “New Certificate”

Destination Country: Choose United States

Commodity Type: Dogs

Intended Use: Pet

Type of Admission: Choose a value from the dropdown

Figure 1. Example of completed form.

In the form, enter the following information:

Place of Origin

List the name, address, and phone number of the consignor (shipper) of the dog.

List physical address. P.O. boxes are not permitted.

Consignor

List the name, address, phone number and email address of the consignor (shipper) of the dog.

List physical address. P.O. boxes are not permitted.

If the owner lives overseas and receives veterinary care (including rabies vaccination) in the United States, you should list the

foreign home address in this section.

Consignee

List the name, U.S. address, U.S. phone number and email address of the consignee (owner) of the dog. This individual may

also be the consignor.

List physical U.S. address where dog will be located upon return to the United States. P.O. Boxes are not permitted.

If the owner lives in Canada or Mexico and receives veterinary care (including rabies vaccination) in the United States, you may

list the physical address of the U.S. veterinary clinic where the dog was vaccinated against rabies in this section if the owner

does not have a U.S. address. Dogs that will be in the United States temporarily (such as for a vacation or other short-term

travel) should have their temporary U.S. address listed.

State of Origin

Enter state of residence where the dog resides in the United States

Date of Inspection

Enter date that the USDA-accredited veterinarian examined the dog.

If the USDA-accredited veterinarian did not examine the dog, then enter the date the dog was last examined by a veterinarian

in the clinic based on the clinic’s existing medical records.

Port of Embarkation/Border Crossing

List intended port of re-entry when arriving back in the United States.

Estimated Date of Shipment

Enter estimated date of travel out of the United States.

Means of Transport

Choose the expected means of transport when arriving back in the United States

Total Number of Packages/Containers

Leave blank

Identification/Seal Numbers

Leave blank

Identification of Commodities

Enter name of dog, microchip number

, microchip implant date

, breed, date of birth, sex, and color of dog.

Microchip is required for re-entry into the United States. The microchip must be implanted on or before the date of the most

recent rabies. Rabies vaccines administered prior to the microchip implantation date are invalid.

If the implant date is unknown, input the earliest date when the microchip is documented in the dog’s medical or vaccination

records.

Total Quantity

Enter 1

Certification Statements

Read and verify all the statements before certifying the form. The form may be completed either based on direct examination

of the animal or based on official medical records maintained by the vaccinating clinic in the United States.

Enter the estimated date of return. USDA-accredited veterinarians are not certifying the estimated date of return as the date

of return may change and this form can be used for multiple entries as long as the rabies vaccine is valid (not expired). Please

inform the owner the date of return must be before the expiration date of the dog’s current rabies vaccination information

listed on this form or this form will be invalid.

During the transition period, if this form is completed retroactively (after the pet has left the United States), the USDA-

accredited veterinarian may complete the form based on official medical records maintained by the vaccinating clinic in the

United States where the animal was vaccinated.

Rabies vaccine information

Vets may include all U.S.-issued rabies vaccines the dog has received in the previous 3 years after the microchip was implanted

(if the vaccination history can be verified using the practice’s existing medical records). If the dog has received more than 5

vaccines in the past 3 years, input the 5 most recent rabies vaccines.

Enter product name, vaccine manufacturer, lot number, vaccine product expiration date, date the rabies vaccine was

administered, and date the next rabies vaccine is due.

For each row of vaccine data, each column must be completed, or the document will be invalid. If the vaccine product

expiration date for the most recent vaccination is unknown CDC will not accept the vaccine record, and the dog will be

required to be revaccinated prior to leaving the United States.

A U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate must be uploaded into VEHCS for each vaccine entered into the form.

Certificates should be uploaded at the attachments page.

Additional Information

On the Summary/Submit page, list all the countries dog is expected to travel to during its time outside the United States.

If the dog has more than one microchip you can enter the additional microchip information and implant date here.