Canada, Mexico & Dog (Re)Entry to US

(per August 1 2024 US-CDC requirements)

***EFFECTIVE 03 August 2026: ***

All dogs traveling from US to Mexico, must have NewWorld Screwworm (NWS) Inspection Certificate

within 5 DAYS of travel.

(Cats are exempt)

Last updated:

22 July 2026

US Re-Entry Requirements:

(From ANY Low-Risk Rabies country, including Canada, the EU, etc. — Check the CDC List!)

The requirements [for dogs, only — cats are currently exempt] are:

  • Dog must be minimum 6 months of age

  • Appear healthy upon arrival

  • Have a readable microchip (see note below)

  • Have a current valid Rabies Certificate (per Canada requirements)

  • Owner completes online CDC Dog Import Form (see link below)

    (Please note: US State Destinations still require Domestic Health Certificate/CVI! & some travelers are reporting US-Border guards are still asking for Domestic Health Certificates, our “what’s happening In-Real-Life” update, see yellow box above)

A note about microchips — If your dog has a 9-digit chip, it is likely not readable by the newer “universal scanners”, so we recommend you either get a new microchip (the 15-digit ISO chips) or buy yourself your own chip-scanner. But “Buyer-Beware”: many of the scanners do not read a 9-digit AVID chip (read the small print!).

FAQs:

  • Short answer: Probably

    If you are driving THROUGH Canada to the Lower 48, you will still need a destination health certificate for all states except: California, Georgia, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia or Washington.

    If you are traveling to any other US state, then YES you need a Health Certificate (but just a regular old-fashioned one, not the big new USDA certificates recently discussed).

  • We only give Rabies vaccinations & microchips as part of a travel certificate appointment. If you are looking for just a Rabies & chip, we recommend SPCA vaccine clinic for a more affordable experience.

    (Also, please note, regarding microchips: Our clinic does not employ staff to assist with restraint so if you want a chip for your dog, YOU will have to be able to restrain the dog. If the dog is aggressive or skittish, we may not be able to help you.)

  • Maybe not. Please note, not all scanners can read the 9-digit microchips. (We read in one place that the manufacuturer of the 9-digit chips designed them that way so clinics would have to buy their brand of scanner!) You may need to either re-chip your dog or carry your own scanner (see section above re scanners).

  • Sadly, yes. And it’s the CDC making these rules, not individual vet clinics.

  • No, that constitutes fraud and is a criminal offense. You can try your luck with another clinic. If a dog does not look 6 months old, we will not list it as 6 months old. Sorry.

  • As of 03 August 2026, all ***DOGS*** traveling from the US to Mexico are required to have a NewWorld Screwworm (NWS) Inspection certificate signed by a veterinarian within 5 days of travel. (This is already require for dogs traveling the other direction, from Mexico to the US — Now it’s also required from US traveling to Mexico. Dogs only.)

    Our clinic only dispenses a NWS Certificate in association with a Health Certificate.

  • The short version: Human nature.

    You know how, when you go out to a restaurant, sometimes the waiters know the menu & sometimes they don't? Well, it's the same thing in every line of work, including border control (& veterinary clinic staff)! Sometimes even the people enforcing the rules aren't sure what the rules are! -- Sad, but true.

    Even last year, before all this CDC nonsense, we were hearing travelers getting stopped & asked for travel certificates, and it was definitely not legally required at that time! So it all comes down to how much you want to argue with the border patrol (or airline staff). -- So that's why we recommend having a certificate, in case you get asked.

    (And of course, for any other state than those listed above, you are required to have an import "Certificate of Veterinary Inspection" per their state government offices. Don't believe us? Check the USDA website for pet travel to Arizona, Minnesota, etc.)

  • Screwworm are the larvae laid by an invasive species of flies. The veterinary inspection consists of an examination of the dog’s: mouth, nose, eyes, skin folds, paws, & genitals. We are looking for any open sores or ulcers, and the presence of any parasite or larvae.

    (Note: Not all dogs will tolerate this sort of handling without the assistance of a trained assistant, which our clinic does not have on staff, so if that’s your dog, you’ll need to book with a full-service vet clinic, sorry.)