Pet Transport from the Bahamas to the United States

Planning a pet relocation from Bahamas to United States is easier when you work backwards from your travel date. This is one of the more straightforward routes, and roughly 2-4 …

2-4 wks

Preparation needed

None

Quarantine on arrival

Low

Route complexity

Managed

Full door to door

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Lead time needed

2-4 weeks

Quarantine

None

Route complexity

Low

Airlines

4 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Bahamas to United States typically takes around 2-4 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets. A rabies titre test is not required.

Regulations checked July 2026

Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team

Step by step

The import process, in full

Before any rabies vaccination.

Microchip implanted, if desired. Not federally required by the CDC but useful for airline and state paperwork.

Responsible: Bahamian vet

Ahead of the vet appointment for the export certificate.

Rabies vaccination confirmed current, though not federally required, since airlines and the receiving state commonly expect it.

Responsible: Bahamian vet

Close to departure.

BAHFSA export health certificate obtained; confirm whether a government endorsement is needed for a US-bound pet.

Responsible: Bahamian vet / BAHFSA

Free, shortly before travel.

CDC Dog Import Form completed online (dogs only).

Responsible: Owner

Once the export certificate is ready.

Flight booked, American Airlines, Delta or JetBlue direct to a Florida or Northeast gateway, or Bahamasair where its schedule fits better.

Responsible: Owner

On landing.

Arrival inspection; certificate and CDC form checked, and Florida's own certificate of veterinary inspection rules may apply if landing there.

Responsible: US Customs and Border Protection / state agriculture department where applicable

Checklist

What your pet needs

Every item below must be completed and verified before your pet can travel. Expand each category for the detail.

Microchip

No federal microchip rule applies for entry, but the standard veterinary health certificate most airlines expect assumes one. If fitted, an ISO microchip must go in before any rabies vaccination recorded on the CDC Dog Import Form.

Rabies vaccination

Not required by the CDC for a dog whose 6-month travel history is limited to the Bahamas, which the CDC does not classify as high-risk for dog rabies. Recommended in practice and commonly expected by airlines and by the receiving US state's own rules. Source: CDC, 'Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries,' 2026.

Rabies titre test

Not required. The Bahamas does not appear on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies. Cats face no requirement of any kind.

Quarantine

None. The CDC does not require quarantine for dogs whose recent travel history is limited to rabies-free or low-risk countries, and cats face no federal quarantine requirement at all.

Import permit

No formal import permit. Every dog needs a free CDC Dog Import Form, completed online before travel. Cats need no form or permit at federal level.

Health certificate

No CDC-mandated health certificate. Most airlines still require a standard veterinary health certificate to board a pet, and Florida, the usual port of entry from Nassau, can add its own certificate of veterinary inspection requirement; check with the destination state's department of agriculture.

Export permit

BAHFSA's Trade Facilitation Unit, which runs the ePermit system for animals entering the Bahamas, also handles export certification for pets leaving Nassau. There's no published export fee schedule online in the same detail as the import side, so confirm the current form and any charge directly with BAHFSA before travel.

Veterinary inspection

Pre-export examination by a Bahamian-registered vet, confirming general health and a current rabies vaccination.

Government endorsement

Government endorsement of the vet's certificate by BAHFSA, where required. Confirm with BAHFSA whether a US-bound pet needs this extra step, since the authority's published guidance focuses mainly on animals arriving into the Bahamas rather than leaving it.

Health certificate

Veterinary health certificate confirming rabies immunity and fitness to travel, typically dated close to departure by a Bahamian-registered vet.

We handle the regulations for every animal, every country, every airline, so nothing on your Bahamas to United States move gets missed.

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Airlines

Carriers on this route

Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. Confirm the operating carrier's current policy for every flight segment.

American Airlines

Runs the busiest Nassau-Florida schedule of any carrier, mainly into Miami, with frequent daily departures. Small pets travel in the cabin under standard limits; a larger dog moves through American PetEmbark, its dedicated cargo service.

Cabin and Cargo

Delta Air Lines

Connects Nassau to Atlanta and New York. Delta carries pets in the cabin only on this route, under its usual size and weight limits, with no cargo hold option.

Cabin Only

JetBlue

Flies Nassau to New York and Fort Lauderdale. In-cabin pet travel only, one pet per carrier, fitting under the seat; JetBlue offers no cargo option on any route.

Cabin Only

Bahamasair

The national carrier operates scheduled service from Nassau into several Florida cities. Its pet cargo policy for this route isn't published in the same detail as the major US carriers; confirm capacity and requirements directly before booking.

Cabin and Cargo

Costs

What this route typically costs

BAHFSA export health certificate and any endorsement fee: BSD 50-150 (confirm the current fee directly with BAHFSA)

Bahamian vet visit and rabies vaccination, if not already current: USD 100-250

IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 100-300

CDC Dog Import Form: free

American Airlines or Delta cabin pet fee (small pets): USD 150-200, or American PetEmbark cargo for a larger dog: USD 600-1,500

Total typical range: USD 350-750 travelling in-cabin, or USD 800-2,200 travelling as cargo

Critical points

BAHFSA's export-side process for a US-bound pet isn't documented in the same public detail as its import ePermit system. Confirm directly whether a government endorsement is needed before assuming the standard vet certificate is enough on its own.

Federal US requirements are minimal, but Florida, the usual port of entry from Nassau, can layer its own certificate of veterinary inspection requirement on top. Check before assuming the CDC form is the only document needed.

Only American Airlines currently offers a cargo option, through PetEmbark, for a dog too large for the cabin. Delta and JetBlue carry small pets in the cabin only, with no fallback for a bigger animal on those two carriers.

The rules for bringing a pet into United States

United States keeps its import requirements relatively light, which makes preparing easier. Even so, the basics still need to be right and in the correct order.

How to keep this move on track

Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.

Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.

Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.

If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.

FAQ

Common questions

No. The Bahamas is not on the CDC’s high-risk list for dog rabies, so the titre-test-or-quarantine choice that applies to high-risk-country dogs doesn’t apply here. A current rabies vaccination is recommended but not federally required.

Yes. It costs nothing and is completed online before travel. It’s still mandatory for every dog, even from a low-risk country like the Bahamas, and there is no fee-based way to skip it.

Almost nothing at the federal level. USDA APHIS has no animal-health import requirement for cats, and the CDC’s guidance is minimal. A cat needs the standard Bahamian export health certificate and whatever the booked airline requires for boarding.

Yes, through American Airlines’ PetEmbark cargo service, currently the clearest option on this route for a dog too large for a cabin booking. Delta and JetBlue both fly Nassau to the US but carry pets in the cabin only, with no cargo alternative.

Yes. Florida, the usual port of entry from Nassau, can require its own certificate of veterinary inspection from an accredited vet. This sits outside the CDC’s federal framework, so it’s worth confirming with Florida’s department of agriculture rather than assuming the CDC form is the only document needed.

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