Pet Transport from Indonesia to the USA
The CDC keeps a list of laboratories it will accept a rabies titre from, and it will not take a result from anywhere else. Indonesia has none on that list, so your dog’s blood has to leave the country before your dog does.
The Indonesia to United States import process
Every step must be completed in sequence. A single missed deadline can add months to your timeline. We own the entire process.
Responsible: Your veterinarian
Responsible: Your veterinarian + an approved laboratory overseas
Responsible: You (or your agent)
Responsible: Official government veterinarian
Responsible: Official government veterinarian
Responsible: You + the facility operator
Which United States rules depend on a pet coming from Indonesia?
The United States sorts countries into 2 groups, and Indonesia falls in “High-risk countries for dog rabies”.
Dog has been in one of these within 6 months: rabies vaccination mandatory. US-vaccinated dogs need USDA-endorsed CDC certification form; foreign-vaccinated dogs need foreign certification form, CDC-approved titre or 28-day quarantine, facility reservation and arrival at that facility's airport. Official source
These rules apply to that group, on top of the rules every pet follows:
- Quarantine: Without a valid titre, the dog is admitted only after 28 days' quarantine at a CDC-registered animal care facility; this can be shortened if criteria are met. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Quarantine: All foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs need a reservation at a CDC-registered animal care facility before entry, where they are examined and revaccinated with a US-licensed rabies vaccine. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Quarantine: The 28-day CDC facility quarantine may be shortened only if all of these are met: personal pet or service dog; documentation of at least 2 rabies vaccines; healthy on exam; the facility gets CDC approval for a prospective serologic monitoring (PSM) assessment; the dog gets a US-issued rabies vaccine under PSM; and a titre is obtained from a CDC-approved US lab (CDC FAQ updated 27 August 2026). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries without a valid titre.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs need a passing rabies serology titre from a CDC-approved laboratory; blood drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before entry. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Passing titre results are valid for life while vaccination does not lapse and the lab remains approved. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies titre test: Not required: US-vaccinated dogs returning from a high-risk country need valid (unexpired) documentation of a US-issued rabies vaccination, not a titre. If that documentation is invalid, the foreign-vaccinated rules (including titre or 28-day quarantine) apply. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries need the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, completed by a vet and endorsed by an official government vet of the departure country. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: That form must be completed no more than 30 days before travel, is single use and is valid 30 days from the vet's signature. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries need the Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination form, completed by a USDA-accredited vet and USDA-endorsed before the dog leaves the US (at least 28 days after a first vaccine). Page updated 28 April 2026. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: USDA-endorsed export health certificates issued after 31 July 2025 are no longer accepted for re-entry; the CDC certification form is needed instead. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies vaccination: For high-risk dogs the first rabies vaccine must be given at or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age; earlier vaccines are not accepted. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - How your pet may travel: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs must arrive by air; only service dogs (14 CFR 382.3) may arrive by sea. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs must arrive at the airport where their CDC-registered facility is. CDC list (updated 1 Sept 2026): Atlanta (ATL), Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), New York (JFK), Philadelphia (PHL), Seattle (SEA, cargo only), Washington DC (IAD). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
CDC-registered Animal Care Facilities, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: There are no CDC-registered facilities in Alaska, Hawaii or US territories, so foreign-vaccinated high-risk dogs cannot enter the US through those places. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries may arrive at any airport, land border or seaport matching the receipt. Applies to US-vaccinated dogs returning from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Foreign-vaccinated dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the past 6 months cannot enter at a land border crossing (Canada or Mexico). Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations, checked 2 October 2026 - Microchip: For dogs from high-risk countries the chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccine, otherwise the vaccine is invalid. Applies to foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026
One rule for every pet entering the United States decides whether yours can travel at all:
- Minimum age: Every dog must be at least 6 months old on entry or return to the US.
Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Minimum age: Not listed: cats. CDC's cat section requires only that cats appear healthy on arrival (they may be inspected, examined at the owner's cost if ill, or refused if they show a zoonotic disease); rabies vaccination proof is not required. APHIS states it has no animal health requirements for pet cats (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/cats). Neither sets a minimum age; destination states may.
Bringing an Animal into the U.S., checked 2 October 2026
The rules that apply to every pet entering the United States, whatever the origin, are listed with their official sources in our United States guide.
What does Indonesia require before your pet leaves?
- Export permit: The owner reports the planned export through PTK Online (ptk.karantinaindonesia.go.id) and submits the veterinary certificate, disease test results, vaccine book and rabies titre result. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Indonesia.
Jangan Bingung, Gini Cara Bawa Anabul Ke Luar Negeri, checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: Barantin issues the Animal Health Certificate after quarantine action if the pet meets the destination's requirements and is free of quarantine pests and diseases (Barantin article, 23 July 2026). A veterinary certificate from the national veterinary authority is also required. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Indonesia.
Jangan Bingung, Gini Cara Bawa Anabul Ke Luar Negeri, checked 2 October 2026 - Other conditions: Export documents: veterinary certificate from the national veterinary authority, disease test results, vaccine book and rabies protective antibody titre result; vaccination and titre testing at a veterinary authority or accredited laboratory. Fees are PNBP under Minister of Finance Regulation No. 27 of 2024, paid by e-billing. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Indonesia.
Jangan Bingung, Gini Cara Bawa Anabul Ke Luar Negeri, checked 2 October 2026 - Other conditions: For travel in the cabin, the airline's own rules and charges apply. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Indonesia.
Jangan Bingung, Gini Cara Bawa Anabul Ke Luar Negeri, checked 2 October 2026
What this route typically costs
Critical points
There is no CDC-approved rabies serology laboratory in Indonesia. The blood sample has to be couriered abroad and the result must come direct from the approved laboratory, which adds two to four weeks that most timelines omit.
Indonesia carries both burdens at once: CDC high-risk status and an APHIS screwworm certificate requiring inspection within 5 days of shipment.
The facility reservation is mandatory for every foreign-vaccinated dog from Indonesia even when the titre passes, and the dog must land at the airport where that facility sits.
Bali does not clear international pet movements. A Denpasar-based dog leaves Indonesia through Jakarta, which means a domestic leg before the international one.
Cats face no CDC requirements at all. A cat from Jakarta is a fundamentally simpler move than a dog from Jakarta.
Approved carriers for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals. We book only with carriers that handle live animal cargo correctly.
The laboratory problem, and what it costs you
Indonesia sits on the CDC’s high-risk list for dog rabies, which means a foreign-vaccinated dog needs a rabies antibody result of at least 0.5 IU/ml before it can travel without quarantine. The blood must be drawn at least 30 days after the first valid rabies vaccination and at least 28 days before the dog enters the United States.
The complication is where it gets tested. The CDC publishes its own list of approved laboratories and states plainly that it will not accept results from any others. There is no approved laboratory in Indonesia. So the sample is drawn in Jakarta and couriered abroad, and the result has to come back direct from the approved laboratory rather than through your vet.
In practice that adds two to four weeks to the timeline, plus a courier bill, plus the risk that attaches to shipping a biological sample internationally. It is the single biggest difference between this route and a move from, say, China, which has eight approved laboratories of its own, or the Philippines, which has one in Muntinlupa.
The compensation is that a passing titre lasts. The result stays valid for the dog’s life provided the vaccination cover never lapses and the laboratory remains on the CDC’s list. Get it once and get it right.
The screwworm certificate on top
The CDC is not the only agency with an interest. USDA APHIS lists Indonesia among the screwworm-affected regions, so a dog also needs an official government veterinary certificate based on an inspection carried out within five days before shipment.
That five-day window sits right on top of the Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip, which an official government vet has to sign and which expires 30 days after signature. Neither can be done early, so the final fortnight is dense: the endorsed rabies certification, then the screwworm inspection, then the flight, in that order and to those deadlines.
Indonesia is also outside the APHIS foot-and-mouth-free list, which sounds worse than it is because nothing needs documenting. The dog’s fur and bedding must be free of excessive dirt, hay or straw, it should be bathed on arrival, and it should be kept away from livestock for five days.
Six airports, and one of them has to be yours
A foreign-vaccinated dog from a high-risk country must arrive by air at the airport where its reserved CDC-registered facility is located. Not a land border, not Alaska or Hawaii, not a US territory. Seven facilities operate across six airports: Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, New York JFK, Philadelphia and Washington Dulles.
The reservation is required whether or not the titre passes. It is not a fallback for animals that fail; it is a condition of entry for all of them. Without a valid titre, the reservation must also cover a 28-day quarantine following revaccination, at your cost.
Since no airline flies Jakarta to the United States nonstop, this shapes the whole itinerary. Whatever the first sector, the last one has to terminate at a facility airport, which in practice means routing through Changi, Doha or a similar hub into Los Angeles or JFK. Book the facility and the flights as one decision rather than two.
Getting out, and the Bali detour
Export certification runs through the Agricultural Quarantine Agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, at the departure airport, with Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta handling the large majority of live animal movements.
For anyone based in Bali there is an extra step that catches people badly. Bali is classified as a rabies-affected province and Denpasar does not clear international pet movements. A Bali-resident dog therefore leaves the country through Jakarta, which means a domestic sector, ground handling at both ends, and an animal that has already flown once before it starts the long leg. Build that in from the start rather than discovering it when you try to book.
One last thing worth saying plainly, because it changes the size of the job entirely: none of the American requirements above apply to cats. The CDC has no import requirements for cats at all. No form, no titre, no facility, no quarantine. A cat leaving Jakarta needs its Indonesian export certification and whatever the airline asks for, and that is the whole American side. Hawaii and Guam run separate schemes of their own.
Common questions
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Requirements on this page were checked against the authorities below. Rules change, so confirm current conditions with the relevant authority before you travel.
- USDA APHIS · United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
- CDC · United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dog import rules