Home/Routes/Dominican Republic to United States
DO
Dominican Republic
✈️
US
United States

Pet Transport Dominican Republic to USA: 2026 Guide

12-16 weeks
Typical preparation
None
No quarantine required
High
Route complexity
✓ Managed
Full door-to-door service
Regulations verified

Regulations sourced from DEFRA, USDA APHIS, DAFF and other official authorities. How we source our data →

Overview
The Dominican Republic is on the CDC’s high-risk countries list for dog rabies, which means dogs travelling from Santo Domingo to the USA need a serology titer, a DIGEGA-endorsed Certification form, and must arrive at a CDC-registered facility. The process takes 12-16 weeks. Cats face no CDC requirements. American Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit all serve Santo Domingo to CDC-registered US airports including Miami and JFK, making routing relatively straightforward once the paperwork is in order.
Step by step

The Dominican Republic to United States process

1
First step.
Microchip (ISO 11784/11785) before vaccination

Responsible: Dominican vet

2
After chipping.
Rabies vaccination (dog at least 12 weeks old)

Responsible: Dominican vet

3
At least 30 days after vaccination. Allow 3-5 weeks for results. CDC-approved labs are listed at cdc.gov/importation.
Serology titer blood draw at CDC-approved laboratory

Responsible: Dominican vet + CDC-approved lab

4
After confirming titer process is underway. Book early, as MIA and JFK facilities have limited capacity.
Reserve CDC-registered facility at your US arrival airport

Responsible: Owner or agent

5
Within 30 days of US entry. Coordinate DIGEGA endorsement carefully.
Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination form: vet signs, DIGEGA government vet endorses

Responsible: Dominican vet + DIGEGA

6
A few days before travel.
Complete CDC Dog Import Form online at cdc.gov/importation

Responsible: Owner

7
Travel day. SDQ to MIA is approximately 3 hours direct.
Travel SDQ or POP to CDC-registered US airport. Present all documents at CDC facility.

Responsible: Airline + owner

Checklist

United States of America: entry requirements

RequirementDetail
MicrochipRequired. ISO 11784/11785. Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination.
Rabies vaccinationRequired for dogs. First vaccination at 12+ weeks. 28-day post-vaccination wait before US entry.
Rabies titre testRequired for dogs from the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is on the CDC high-risk countries list. Serology titer at a CDC-approved lab. Blood drawn 30+ days after first vaccination and 28+ days before entry. Minimum 0.5 IU/mL. Source: CDC cdc.gov/importation/dogs, April 15, 2026.
Quarantine28-day quarantine at CDC facility if no valid titer. No quarantine with passing titer after examination.
Import permitNot required for personal companion animals.
Health certificateCertification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form (vet-completed, DIGEGA endorsed). CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
Leaving Dominican Republic

Export requirements

RequirementDetail
Export permitNo formal export permit required for companion animals from the Dominican Republic.
Health certificateOfficial veterinary health certificate from a DIGEGA-registered vet, endorsed by the Dirección General de Ganadería (DIGEGA) of the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Agriculture. For the USA, the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form requires endorsement by a DIGEGA government vet. Departure airports: Las Américas International (SDQ), Santo Domingo, or Gregorio Luperón (POP), Puerto Plata.
Costs

What this route typically costs

1Serology titer at CDC-approved lab (blood draw + processing): DOP 4,000-12,000 (approximately USD 70-210)
2Certification form and DIGEGA government endorsement: DOP 2,000-6,000 (approximately USD 35-105)
3CDC facility reservation and examination: USD 200-600
4Cargo SDQ to US CDC airport: USD 300-1,000
5IATA crate: USD 80-300
6Pet transport agent: USD 300-900
7Total typical range: USD 900-3,000 over 3-4 months
Critical points

Read before you book

⚠ The Dominican Republic is CDC high-risk. Dogs cannot enter the USA from the Dominican Republic on a standard health certificate alone.
⚠ Must arrive at a CDC-registered airport. American Airlines via MIA and JetBlue via JFK are the most direct options from SDQ.
⚠ The Certification form is valid for 30 days from the vet's signature only. Coordinate the DIGEGA endorsement with care.
⚠ Cats have no CDC requirements. This process applies to dogs only.
⚠ Reserve the CDC facility early. MIA handles a high volume of Caribbean arrivals and slots fill up.
Carriers

Airlines on this route

American Airlines
American Airlines has direct flights from SDQ and POP to Miami (MIA), New York JFK, and other US CDC-registered airports. AA Cargo handles live animals on Caribbean routes. Small pets may travel in cabin on qualifying aircraft.
Cargo and Cabin
JetBlue
JetBlue connects SDQ and POP to New York JFK and Boston (BOS). Both JFK and BOS are CDC-registered airports. JetBlue allows small pets in cabin on Caribbean routes and offers cargo for larger animals.
Cargo and Cabin
Spirit Airlines
Spirit connects SDQ and POP to Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and other Florida gateways. Fort Lauderdale is adjacent to MIA. Check whether cargo pets are accepted on Spirit Caribbean routes.
Cargo and Cabin
United Airlines
United connects SDQ to Newark (EWR) and Chicago (ORD), both CDC-registered airports. United Cargo handles live animals on Caribbean routes.
Cargo Only

The CDC high-risk process for dogs from the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic’s placement on the CDC high-risk list means dogs follow the foreign-vaccinated high-risk country path. Three requirements sit above the standard health certificate. First, a serology titer at a CDC-approved laboratory confirming rabies immunity of at least 0.5 IU/mL. Second, the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed by the attending vet and endorsed by a Dirección General de Ganadería (DIGEGA) government vet. Third, a reservation at a CDC-registered facility at the US arrival airport.

If the titer passes, no quarantine applies after the facility examination. Without a valid titer, the dog enters 28-day quarantine at the CDC facility. DIGEGA is the veterinary authority within the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture. The Certification form is valid for only 30 days from the vet’s signature, so the DIGEGA endorsement must be timed carefully against your travel date.

Routing from Santo Domingo to a CDC-registered US airport

Las Américas International (SDQ) in Santo Domingo has direct flights to multiple CDC-registered US airports. American Airlines flies SDQ to Miami (MIA) in around three hours and to New York JFK in about four. JetBlue connects SDQ to JFK and Boston (BOS). United Airlines serves SDQ to Newark (EWR) and Chicago (ORD). Spirit Airlines connects to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), adjacent to MIA.

Miami is the closest CDC-registered airport to Santo Domingo and handles a high volume of Caribbean pet cargo. The MIA CDC facility is familiar with Dominican Republic origin pets. Book the CDC facility reservation early: MIA has limited capacity and popular arrival slots, particularly on weekends. JFK is the better choice for those settling in the New York area, with JetBlue offering the most direct service.

FAQ

Common questions

CDC classifications are based on the presence of dog-mediated rabies transmission in each country, using country-specific surveillance data. Jamaica is not on the CDC high-risk list because its rabies situation was assessed differently. The Dominican Republic is on the list based on CDC’s own data. The Caribbean geography does not create a common classification. Always check the current CDC list at cdc.gov/importation/dogs before making plans, as classifications can change.
DIGEGA is the Dirección General de Ganadería, the official veterinary authority within the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture. The CDC requires the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form to be endorsed by the origin country’s official government veterinary authority. In the Dominican Republic, that is DIGEGA. The endorsement confirms the document is authentic and officially recognised.
Puerto Plata Gregorio Luperón International (POP) serves some US routes, including American Airlines and JetBlue services. Whether live animal cargo is accepted on specific POP routes depends on the airline and aircraft type. Confirm with the carrier. The documentation process (titer, DIGEGA endorsement, CDC facility reservation) is the same regardless of departure airport.
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