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Pet Transport Ecuador to USA: CDC High-Risk Pathway and Quito to US in 2026

Ecuador is a high-risk country for dog rabies under the CDC’s dog import rules. A dog vaccinated in Ecuador needs the full high-risk documentation set: an …

12-20 wks
Preparation needed
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Quarantine on arrival
Medium-High
Route complexity
Managed
Full door to door
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Lead time needed
12-20 weeks
Quarantine
Check guide
Route complexity
Medium-High
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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What's required
MicrochipISO-compatible microchip for dogs. Must …
Rabies vaccinationRequired for dogs, and the dog must be …
Rabies titre testRequired for dogs with an Ecuador-issued …
QuarantineDepends on the pathway. A dog with a …
Import permitCDC Dog Import Form receipt required for …
Health certificateDogs: the AGROCALIDAD-endorsed …
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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Ecuador to United States typically takes around 12-20 weeks. A rabies titre test may be required depending on your pet's origin, so check the requirements below.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by , Senior Pet Relocation Consultant
Step by step

The import process, in full

1
Start of planning, 3-5 months before travel.
Confirm ISO-compatible microchip predates rabies vaccination.

Responsible: Your vet

2
3-5 months before travel.
Primary rabies vaccination confirmed. Note date.

Responsible: Your vet

3
2-5 months before travel.
Serology titre blood drawn 30+ days post-vaccination, 28+ days before US entry. CDC-approved lab. OR reserve CDC facility for 28-day quarantine.

Responsible: Vet and lab

4
Confirm with AGROCALIDAD when you book the flight.
Apply for the AGROCALIDAD export permit and arrange the AGROCALIDAD endorsement of the certification form. Ask AGROCALIDAD for the current lead time: the published four-week window is for pets entering Ecuador, not leaving.

Responsible: You or agent

5
Before travel.
CDC Dog Import Form completed online. Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form obtained (AGROCALIDAD-endorsed).

Responsible: You and vet

6
6-8 weeks before travel.
Book cargo from Quito (UIO) or Guayaquil (GYE) to a US airport that has a CDC-registered facility on site, and reserve the facility slot at the same time. Confirm live animal acceptance on every segment.

Responsible: You or cargo agent

7
Travel day.
Travel day. Present the full CDC document set at the Ecuador cargo terminal and again on US arrival, then complete facility processing before any onward US flight.

Responsible: You and the airline cargo team

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
ISO-compatible microchip for dogs. Must be in place before the rabies vaccination, or the vaccination does not count. Source: CDC.
Rabies vaccination
Required for dogs, and the dog must be at least 6 months old on the day it enters the USA. Puppies under 6 months cannot enter, whatever their vaccination record. A dog vaccinated in Ecuador needs the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed by the vet and endorsed by AGROCALIDAD. A dog whose rabies vaccination was issued in the USA follows a different CDC pathway, so confirm your dog's position with the CDC before assuming these requirements apply. Source: CDC.
Rabies titre test
Required for dogs with an Ecuador-issued rabies vaccination, unless you choose the 28-day facility quarantine instead. Blood drawn at a CDC-approved laboratory at least 30 days after the first valid vaccination and at least 28 days before US entry. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml. Source: CDC.
Quarantine
Depends on the pathway. A dog with a valid serology titre is processed at the CDC-registered facility on arrival and released the same day. A dog without one stays at that facility for four weeks at the owner's cost. Cats are not quarantined.
Import permit
CDC Dog Import Form receipt required for every dog, completed online before travel. A dog with an Ecuador-issued rabies vaccination also needs an advance reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, and must land at the US airport where that facility is located, whether or not it holds a titre result. No domestic US connection before facility processing is complete. Source: CDC.
Health certificate
Dogs: the AGROCALIDAD-endorsed certification form above is the document US border inspection checks. Cats: no federal CDC or USDA requirement to enter the USA, although your airline and Ecuador's own export rules still require a vet health certificate. Source: CDC and USDA APHIS.
Export permit
AGROCALIDAD export permit required. Confirm the current application lead time directly with AGROCALIDAD or your agent. The four-week window published by AGROCALIDAD applies to pets coming into Ecuador and should not be assumed for an export.
Health certificate
Official certificate from AGROCALIDAD-registered official vet, endorsed by AGROCALIDAD. Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form (AGROCALIDAD-endorsed) required for CDC high-risk pathway.
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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
American flies Quito (UIO) and Guayaquil (GYE) to Miami (MIA). American restricts checked pets to active-duty US military and State Department personnel on orders, so a civilian move goes through American PetEmbark cargo, booked separately from your own ticket. Confirm acceptance and the arrival airport's CDC facility status for your dates.
Cargo Only
Delta Air Lines
Delta operates Ecuador to Atlanta (ATL). Delta restricts hold carriage to military and State Department moves, so for most families Delta is not a usable option for a dog. Check before planning a routing around it.
Cargo Only
LATAM
LATAM operates from Quito and Guayaquil, but we hold no confirmed live-animal policy for this corridor, so check acceptance, crate rules and seasonal embargoes directly before planning around it. A routing that transits a third country, for example Madrid or Lima, brings that country's own transit rules on top of the CDC requirements on this page, so a direct US routing is simpler.
Cargo Only
Costs

What this route typically costs

Serology titre test: USD 200-400
AGROCALIDAD permit and certification: USD 80-200
IATA crate: USD 80-300. This route is cargo only, so a compliant crate is not optional
Pet cargo Ecuador to US: USD 900-2,300
Agent fees: USD 200-500
Total (titre pathway): USD 1,460-3,700
CDC-registered facility quarantine, if you take that route instead of the titre: USD 1,500-3,500 for the 28 days
Total (quarantine pathway): USD 2,760-6,800

Critical points

Ecuador is CDC high-risk. A dog vaccinated in Ecuador must land at a US airport that has a CDC-registered facility, whether or not it has a titre result, and cannot connect through another US city first. Check the CDC's current facility list before you book.

Quito and Guayaquil apply municipal restrictions to American Pit Bull Terriers, Rottweilers and Dogo Argentinos, covering liability insurance, muzzling and lead rules while the dog is in Ecuador. Those are ownership rules inside Ecuador, and nothing in Ecuador's export rules stops you taking such a dog out. The US has no federal breed ban, but check the breed-specific legislation in your destination city and state, and check the airline's own breed restrictions before booking.

Two departure airports: Quito Mariscal Sucre (UIO) and Guayaquil Jose Olmedo (GYE). American Airlines serves both. Confirm carrier and routing for your city.

The serology blood draw timing has two constraints: at least 30 days after vaccination AND at least 28 days before US entry.

What high-risk actually means and the two pathways available

The CDC’s high-risk classification for Ecuador means dogs cannot enter the USA on the same simplified paperwork available to dogs from low-risk countries like Chile. The classification reflects Ecuador’s status on the CDC’s rabies risk assessment.

The practical consequence is a choice. Submit a valid serology titre result with your arrival documentation, or accept 28 days at a CDC-registered animal care facility after landing. Both routes need the facility reservation booked in advance, and both land at the airport where that facility sits. The titre changes the length of the stay, not the airport. Facility fees on the quarantine route typically run USD 1,500 to 3,500 for the 28 days, which is why most families take the titre route even though it needs more preparation.

Quito and Guayaquil both connect to Miami and other US East Coast cities via American Airlines and other carriers. Miami (MIA) is the most practical arrival airport for Ecuador pets, given its established CDC facility network and strong cargo connections from South America.

The serology titre timing and why it trips people up

There are two time gaps that must both be satisfied for a valid CDC titre: first, the blood draw must happen at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccination; second, the blood draw date must be at least 28 days before your US entry date. These are independent constraints.

Most people get the first one right (wait 30 days after vaccination, then blood draw). The second one catches those who book travel before realising the 28-day pre-entry gap. If you draw blood on Day 0 and want to fly on Day 20, the titre is not valid for US entry. You need to wait until Day 28 after the blood draw at the earliest.

For families relocating from Quito or Guayaquil, work backwards rather than forwards. A dog that is not already vaccinated waits 30 days from the vaccination to the blood draw, then at least 28 days from the draw to the US entry date, and the laboratory needs time on top of that. Those two fixed gaps alone come to almost two months before any lab turnaround, which is why the realistic window for this route is the 12 to 20 weeks given above, not eight.

FAQ

Common questions

Yes. Ecuador is on the CDC’s high-risk list for dog rabies. A dog vaccinated in Ecuador needs the full high-risk pathway: the AGROCALIDAD-endorsed Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, a CDC Dog Import Form, an advance reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility, and either a valid serology titre test at a CDC-approved laboratory or a 28-day quarantine at that facility. A dog whose rabies vaccination was issued in the USA follows a different pathway, so confirm that with the CDC. Classifications change, so check your dog’s position against the CDC’s current list before you book. Source: CDC.
No. A dog vaccinated in Ecuador has to land at a US airport that has a CDC-registered animal care facility, whether or not you hold a titre result. The titre changes what happens at the facility, not where you can land: with a valid titre the dog is processed and released the same day, and without one it stays for the 28-day quarantine. No domestic US connection can be taken before facility processing is complete. Miami (MIA) is the usual arrival point from Ecuador. Check the CDC’s current facility list against your routing before you book, because it changes. Source: CDC.
AGROCALIDAD (Agencia de Regulacion y Control Fitosanitario y de Sanidad Animal) endorses the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, which your official vet in Ecuador completes. Both the vet signature and the AGROCALIDAD endorsement are required. Source: CDC high-risk pathway documentation.
Dogs from Ecuador with a valid titre test are processed at the CDC-registered facility at the arrival airport. With a clean titre and complete documentation, this is typically completed on the day of arrival and the dog is released. Without a titre, the dog is admitted to the facility for 28 days of quarantine. No domestic US travel is permitted until processing or quarantine is complete.
There are no federal CDC or USDA requirements for pet cats from Ecuador: no titre test, no quarantine, no CDC facility and no restriction on which airport you land at. That covers the US side only. Your cat still needs an AGROCALIDAD-endorsed health certificate to leave Ecuador, and the airline will require a veterinary health certificate before it accepts the booking. Check your destination US state’s own rules as well. Source: USDA APHIS.
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Sources

Requirements on this page were checked against the authorities below. Rules change, so confirm current conditions with the relevant authority before you travel.

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