MX
Mexico
✈️
US
United States
Pet Transport Mexico to USA: 2026 Guide
See key factsQuarantine on arrival
Medium routeExpert coordination essential
4-8 weeksPreparation lead time
Fully managedDoor to door service available
Official rules on this page checked
Step by step
The Mexico to United States pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Confirm Mexico is still absent from the CDC high-risk list at cdc.gov/importation/dogs, then complete the CDC Dog Import Form
Responsible: Owner
Research now before booking. Rules changed significantly in 2024.2
Confirm the microchip is in place and was implanted before the rabies vaccination
Responsible: Your vet
Verify now. Missing microchip or incorrect documentation can result in dog being refused entry.3
Cats: confirm microchip is present (recommended but not federally required for cats). No CDC restrictions for cats.
Responsible: Your vet
Verify before travel.4
Book airline cargo or cabin space. Confirm pet-accepted status on your specific route.
Responsible: Owner or agent
4-6 weeks ahead.5
Travel to USA via CDC-approved airport of entry if required
Responsible: Owner/airline
On travel date.Which United States rules depend on a pet coming from Mexico?
The United States sorts countries into 2 groups, and Mexico falls in “Dog rabies-free or low-risk countries”.
Dog has been only in these countries for 6 months before entry: CDC Dog Import Form receipt (valid 6 months), age 6 months, microchip, healthy; any airport, seaport or land border. Official source
These rules apply to that group, on top of the rules every pet follows:
- Import permit: For dogs only in rabies-free or low-risk countries, the receipt is valid 6 months unless the dog visits a high-risk country or a different low-risk country in that time. Applies to dogs from rabies-free or low-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: No document beyond the CDC Dog Import Form receipt is listed for dogs only in rabies-free or low-risk countries. Applies to dogs from rabies-free or low-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Health certificate: Not required: CDC does not require a general health certificate for pets (cats, and dogs only in rabies-free or low-risk countries). Airlines and some states may still ask for one.
Bringing an Animal into the U.S., checked 2 October 2026 - Rabies vaccination: CDC recommends, but for dogs only from rabies-free or low-risk countries does not list as an entry requirement, rabies vaccination. Applies to dogs from rabies-free or low-risk countries.
Bringing a Dog into the United States, checked 2 October 2026 - How your pet may travel: Not required: no federal restriction on mode of travel for dogs only in rabies-free or low-risk countries; they may arrive by air, sea or land. Cabin, checked baggage or cargo is an airline matter. (Seattle's CDC facility takes cargo-only reservations, and the LAX facilities prefer cargo, for high-risk dogs.) Applies to dogs from rabies-free or low-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Arrival points and notice: Dogs only in rabies-free or low-risk countries may enter at any airport, seaport or land border. Applies to dogs from rabies-free or low-risk countries.
Entry Requirements for Dogs from Dog-Rabies Free or Low-Risk Countries, checked 2 October 2026 - Other vaccines and tests: For Mexico the screwworm certificate may be signed by an authorised clinical vet on behalf of the official vet. Applies to dogs from Mexico.
Bringing a Pet Dog into the United States, 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 Mexico require before your pet leaves?
- Export permit: Not required: SENASICA lists every document needed to obtain the CZE (application form, owner ID, letter of authority if applicable, vet health certificate, vaccination record, deworming, microchip and lab results where the destination asks); no separate export permit is among them. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Mexico.
Solicita el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para mascotas (7 April 2026), checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: Pets leaving Mexico need a Certificado Zoosanitario para Exportación (CZE), procedure Senasica-05-001-B, requested at any authorised SENASICA office (page dated 7 April 2026). Applies to dogs and cats leaving Mexico.
Solicita el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para mascotas (7 April 2026), checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: The CZE is free and valid for 8 calendar days unless the destination sets a different validity. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Mexico.
Solicita el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para mascotas (7 April 2026), checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: Supporting health certificate from a private vet, no more than 5 days old (or per the destination's validity), with pet details (microchip where applicable), owner's Mexican address, and no fresh or healing wounds or signs of infectious disease. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Mexico.
Solicita el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para mascotas (7 April 2026), checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: SENASICA issues the CZE within three working days with a first stamp and signature (the pet need not attend); on travel day an official at the SENASICA office at the exit point examines the pet and adds the second stamp and signature. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Mexico.
Solicita el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para mascotas (7 April 2026), checked 2 October 2026 - Export health certificate: The CZE is delivered within three working days after the application with supporting documents is submitted. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Mexico.
Solicita el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para mascotas (7 April 2026), checked 2 October 2026 - Other conditions: A vaccination record showing rabies vaccination (from three months of age), plus any other vaccines the destination requires, must be presented; a vaccine without a stated validity is treated as valid for one year. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Mexico.
Solicita el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para mascotas (7 April 2026), checked 2 October 2026 - Other conditions: Destination requirements (certification wording, vaccines, treatments) are looked up in SENASICA's requirements module (Módulo de requisitos) before applying. Applies to dogs and cats leaving Mexico.
Solicita el Certificado Zoosanitario de Exportación para mascotas (7 April 2026), checked 2 October 2026
Costs
What this route typically costs
Mexican health certificate: approximately MXN 1,000-3,000 (USD 55-165)
Microchip (if not already in place): MXN 300-600
Airline cargo Mexico City to US city: approximately USD 150-500 depending on carrier and size
Pet transport agent fee (if used): USD 300-800
Total typical range: USD 300 to USD 900 for a straightforward personal pet move
Critical points to read before you book
Mexico is not a CDC high-risk country, so the designated-airport restriction does not apply and you can fly into any US port of entry. Guidance saying otherwise is describing the high-risk pathway, which is a real thing that does not cover this route.
Cats are not subject to CDC dog import restrictions. A healthy, vaccinated cat with a standard health certificate can enter the USA from Mexico without the CDC documentation steps that apply to dogs.
This route is also used by people moving between Mexico and the US for work or study. The rules apply equally regardless of whether you are a US citizen or a Mexican national.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
AMERICAN
American Airlines
Mexico City (MEX) to multiple US cities. Small pets in cabin on some routes. American Airlines Cargo for larger pets. Popular route for pet moves.
AEROMEXICO
Aeromexico
Direct flights to many US cities. Small pets in cabin. Cargo service via Aeromexico Cargo.
UNITED
United Airlines
Mexico to US routes including Houston and Chicago. Small pets in cabin. United Cargo for larger animals.
DELTA
Delta
Mexico City and other Mexican airports to US hubs. Cargo service available.
FAQ
Common questions about Mexico to United States pet transport
No. The CDC high-risk country dog import rules do not apply to cats. Cats entering the USA from Mexico need a current health certificate from a Mexican vet and are typically cleared without the additional documentation steps that dogs require. Hawaii is an exception: cats going to Hawaii need the HDOA 5-day or standard quarantine programme.
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Route at a glance
FromMexico
ToUnited States
Prep time4-8 weeks
ComplexityMedium
Related routes
Country and airline guides
Sources
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