Pet Transport Iceland to United States

Bringing your dog or cat from Iceland to United States takes some coordination, but the requirements are well defined. Around 4-8 weeks should do it, as this is an easier route to plan. There is no …

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4-8

Weeks lead time needed

Start this early minimum

None

Quarantine on arrival

Low

Route complexity

Airlines on this route

Lead time needed

4-8 weeks

Quarantine

None

Route complexity

Low

Airlines

3 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Iceland to United States typically takes around 4-8 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.

Regulations checked July 2026

Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team

Step by step

The Iceland to United States import process

Start of planning.

Confirm your dog's travel history. If it has not visited a country on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies in the last 6 months, the simplified route applies.

Responsible: You

Before travel, ideally 4-6 weeks out.

Implant or confirm a universal-scanner-readable microchip in the dog.

Responsible: Icelandic vet

Any time from 6 months before travel up to travel day itself, though doing it a few days ahead avoids last-minute stress.

Complete the free CDC Dog Import Form online. Print the receipt or save it to your phone.

Responsible: You

Within 10 days of travel, to satisfy airline requirements.

Get the MAST-endorsed export certificate from an accredited vet, close enough to your flight date that it is still current for airline and CBP purposes.

Responsible: MAST-accredited vet, endorsed by MAST

4-8 weeks before travel for cargo space, longer in peak summer months.

Book the move through Icelandair Cargo, or price a connecting routing via a European hub if Icelandair Cargo dates do not fit.

Responsible: You or a cargo agent

Day of travel.

Arrive in the US, present the CDC Dog Import Form receipt if asked, and clear CBP.

Responsible: Airline cargo handler, then CBP and CDC officers on arrival

Requirements

United States entry requirements

Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.

Microchip

A microchip readable by a universal scanner is required for dogs. There is no federal microchip requirement for cats, though it is strongly recommended and often expected by airlines.

Rabies vaccination

Not required at the federal level for a dog arriving from Iceland. Under the CDC's consolidated dog importation rule, effective 1 August 2024, Iceland is not on the high-risk list for dog rabies, so proof of rabies vaccination is not demanded on entry. Cats have no federal rabies vaccination requirement at all, from any country. Source: CDC, cdc.gov/importation/dogs, list reviewed 2026.

Quarantine

None. Dogs must be at least 6 months old and appear healthy on arrival; CDC officers can refuse entry or refer an animal for further inspection if it looks unwell, but there is no routine holding period for a compliant Iceland-origin pet.

Import permit

No CDC import permit needed for a dog from a rabies-free or low-risk country. Instead, complete the free CDC Dog Import Form, which generates a receipt valid for 6 months from issuance provided the dog has not visited a high-risk country in that window. Source: CDC, cdc.gov, 2026.

Health certificate

USDA APHIS has no federal health certificate requirement for pet cats entering the US. For dogs, no federal certificate is mandated from a low-risk country, though most airlines still ask for a vet-issued certificate dated within 10 days of travel, and US Customs and Border Protection can inspect any animal on arrival regardless of paperwork. Source: CBP, cbp.gov, 2026.

Leaving Iceland

Export requirements

Export permit

No separate export permit. MAST's endorsement of the health certificate is the export step itself.

Health certificate

Official certificate completed by a MAST-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by MAST (Matvaelastofnun, the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority). The US does not mandate a specific certificate format for dogs from a low-risk country, but airlines and the destination state will still expect one dated close to travel. Source: mast.is, 2026.

Costs

What this route typically costs

CDC Dog Import Form: free

MAST certificate endorsement fee: around ISK 6,600 (roughly EUR 44 / USD 48)

Vet consultation and microchip if not already done: ISK 15,000-30,000 (roughly USD 110-215)

IATA-compliant travel crate: EUR 60-250 (roughly USD 65-270)

Cargo fee, Keflavik to a US gateway: USD 900-2,200 depending on crate size, weight and season

Agent fee, if used: USD 200-500

Total typical range: USD 1,300-3,300

Critical points

The light-touch US entry rule applies to dogs whose recent travel history is clean of any CDC high-risk country. If your dog has been anywhere on that list within 6 months, the whole process reverts to the standard rabies-vaccination-and-certificate route. Check the current list before assuming the simplified path applies.

Cats face essentially no federal import hurdle from Iceland, but airlines and the destination state may still ask for a health certificate or proof of vaccination. Do not skip the vet visit just because the CDC does not require one.

Icelandair stopped taking pets as checked baggage on 1 November 2024. Whichever US gateway you fly into, the booking now goes through Icelandair Cargo, with its own lead times, separate from an ordinary passenger fare.

A CDC Dog Import Form receipt is valid for 6 months, but only while the dog stays clear of high-risk countries in that window. Do not complete it too early if your travel plans might change.

Airlines

Approved carriers on this route

Airline	Notes	Type
Icelandair	Icelandair flies Keflavik (KEF) nonstop to nine year-round US gateways: Boston (BOS), New York JFK, Newark (EWR), Washington Dulles (IAD), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Denver (DEN), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA), Raleigh-Durham (RDU) and Orlando (MCO), plus seasonal service to cities including Miami, Nashville and Pittsburgh. Since 1 November 2024, Icelandair no longer carries pets as checked or excess baggage on any route. A pet now travels as manifested cargo through Icelandair Cargo, booked separately from a passenger ticket.	Cargo Only
United Airlines	No direct United service Iceland to the US, but United's PetSafe cargo programme can pick up a connection at a European gateway if you route the pet onward from a hub such as Frankfurt or Amsterdam rather than flying Icelandair the whole way. Worth pricing if Icelandair Cargo capacity is tight on your dates.	Cargo Only
Delta Air Lines	Delta Cargo does not serve Keflavik directly. Relevant only as a US-side connecting carrier if your routing brings the pet in via a Delta hub after an initial Icelandair or European-carrier leg; confirm any interline cargo agreement before booking rather than assuming one exists.	Cargo Only

Meeting United States's entry requirements

The requirements for United States are light, but not zero. A little planning goes a long way on a route like this.

Advice worth following

Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.

Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.

Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.

Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.

FAQ

Common questions about this route

No, not at the federal level. Iceland is not on the CDC’s high-risk list for dog rabies, so under the CDC’s rule effective 1 August 2024, the only requirement is a free CDC Dog Import Form and a universal-scanner-readable microchip. Confirm the current high-risk list before travel, since the simplified rule only applies if your dog’s recent travel history is clean.

No. There is no routine quarantine for a dog or cat arriving from Iceland with correct documentation. CDC and CBP officers can inspect any animal on arrival and act if it appears unwell, but this is not a standard holding period.

No. Icelandair stopped accepting pets as checked or excess baggage on 1 November 2024, on every route including Iceland to the US. The pet now travels as manifested cargo through Icelandair Cargo, booked separately from a normal passenger ticket.

Year-round nonstop service covers Boston, New York JFK, Newark, Washington Dulles, Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Seattle-Tacoma, Raleigh-Durham and Orlando, with seasonal routes to cities such as Miami, Nashville and Pittsburgh added in warmer months.

Yes, cats face fewer federal hurdles. There is no federal rabies vaccination requirement for cats entering the US from any country. USDA APHIS has no specific animal-health import requirement for pet cats, so a health certificate is mainly there to satisfy airline and state rules rather than a federal import condition.

Airline guides

Icelandair
United Airlines
Delta Air Lines

Breed guides

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