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Pet Transport from the United States to the Bahamas

If you are relocating a pet from United States to Bahamas, the process is manageable once you know the sequence. This is one of the more straightforward routes, and roughly 3-5 weeks is usually …

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3-5
Weeks lead time needed
Start this early minimum
None
Quarantine on arrival
Low
Route complexity
3
Airlines on this route
Lead time needed
3-5 weeks
Quarantine
None
Route complexity
Low
Airlines
3 carriers on this route
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Route at a glance
3-5
Weeks prep needed
None
Quarantine
Low
Complexity
3
Airlines
FromUnited States
ToBahamas
In short: Preparing to move a pet from United States to Bahamas typically takes around 3-5 weeks. There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets. A rabies titre test is not required.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step

The United States to Bahamas import process

01
As early as possible; account activation can take a few working days on its own.
Register for a Click2Clear account by emailing BAHFSA.

Responsible: Owner

02
Once the travel date is set. The permit runs 6 months from the intended date, so applying somewhat ahead of a firm flight is workable.
Apply for the BAHFSA ePermit through Click2Clear, budgeting for the current USD 50 fee rather than an older lower figure.

Responsible: Owner

03
Well ahead of travel.
Microchip checked and rabies vaccination confirmed current, within the 30-day-to-10-month window.

Responsible: US vet

04
Within 48 hours of departure, not earlier.
US vet health certificate issued.

Responsible: US vet, no APHIS endorsement needed

05
Once the ePermit is approved.
Flight booked: American Airlines (cabin or PetEmbark cargo) from Miami, or Delta/JetBlue cabin-only from Atlanta, New York or Fort Lauderdale.

Responsible: Owner

06
At the point of entry.
ePermit and health certificate presented on arrival in Nassau.

Responsible: Owner

Requirements

Bahamas entry requirements

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

Microchip
Microchip identification required before the rabies vaccination used for entry.
Rabies vaccination
Primary rabies vaccination given between 30 days and 10 months before entry; boosters must be given before the previous dose expires. Confirm the current window directly with BAHFSA before booking, since published figures vary slightly across sources.
Rabies titre test
Not required. The Bahamas does not ask any country of origin, the US included, for a rabies antibody titre test.
Quarantine
None published for a pet arriving with a valid ePermit, current rabies vaccination and vet health certificate.
Import permit
A BAHFSA ePermit, applied for through the government's Click2Clear online system, is required before travel. Register first by emailing click2clear@bahamas.gov.bs for a username and password, then apply for the pet permit. Since BAHFSA moved its import permitting from the older Mygateway system to Click2Clear on 1 September 2024, the fee has changed from the USD 11.20 figure quoted on some older guidance to USD 50, and the permit is now valid for 6 months from the intended travel date rather than a single fixed trip. Confirm the current fee directly with BAHFSA before applying. Source: bahfsabahamas.com, ePermitting for Imports; BAHFSA Pet Import Permits Step-by-Step User Guide, 2025.
Health certificate
Veterinary health certificate dated within 48 hours of embarkation, confirming health and active rabies immunity. That window is tight for a US departure: book the vet appointment too early relative to the flight and the certificate is already invalid by boarding.
Leaving United States

Export requirements

Export permit
No export permit required from the US side for companion animals.
Health certificate
A licensed US veterinarian signs the health certificate for this route. APHIS confirms no federal endorsement is required for Bahamas-bound pets, unlike most of the destinations on this site, so there's no separate USDA State Vet appointment or its usual endorsement fee to build into the schedule. Source: APHIS, 'Pet Travel From the United States to the Bahamas,' aphis.usda.gov, checked 17 July 2026.
Costs

What this route typically costs

BAHFSA ePermit processing fee: USD 50, valid 6 months from the intended travel date (confirm current fee directly with BAHFSA)
US vet visit and health certificate, no APHIS endorsement required: USD 100-250
IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 100-300
American Airlines or Delta cabin pet fee (small pets): USD 150-200, or American PetEmbark cargo for a larger dog: USD 600-1,500
Total typical range: USD 350-750 travelling in-cabin, or USD 800-2,200 travelling as cargo

Critical points

BAHFSA's fee and validity period changed when import permitting moved from Mygateway to Click2Clear on 1 September 2024. Older guidance quoting a USD 11.20 fee for a single trip is out of date; budget for USD 50 and a 6-month validity window instead, and confirm directly with BAHFSA since government fee schedules can move again.

The 48-hour certificate validity window is genuinely tight. A vet visit three days before the flight produces a certificate that's already expired by boarding; time it as close to departure as your travel plans allow.

Only American Airlines currently offers a cargo option, through PetEmbark, for a dog too large for the cabin. Delta and JetBlue carry small pets in the cabin only, with no fallback for a bigger animal on either of those two carriers.

Hurricane season, June to November, can disrupt Nassau arrivals with little notice; a rebooked flight can also mean a lapsed 48-hour health certificate that has to be redone.

Airlines

Approved carriers on this route

AirlineNotesType
American AirlinesRuns the busiest US-Nassau schedule of any carrier, mainly out of Miami with frequent daily departures. Small pets travel in the cabin under standard limits; a larger dog moves through American PetEmbark, its dedicated cargo service.Cabin and Cargo
Delta Air LinesConnects Atlanta and New York to Nassau. Delta carries pets in the cabin only on this route, under its usual size and weight limits, with no cargo hold option.Cabin Only
JetBlueFlies New York and Fort Lauderdale to Nassau. In-cabin pet travel only, one pet per carrier fitting under the seat; JetBlue offers no cargo option on any route.Cabin Only

The rules for bringing a pet into Bahamas

Bahamas has a modest set of rules compared with stricter destinations. Get the essentials in place and confirm the finer points below.

How to keep this move on track

If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.

Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.

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.

FAQ

Common questions about this route

USD 50, following BAHFSA’s move from the Mygateway system to Click2Clear on 1 September 2024. Some older guidance still quotes the previous fee of USD 10 plus 12% VAT, USD 11.20 total, which is out of date. Confirm the current fee directly with BAHFSA before applying.
6 months from the intended travel date, under the current Click2Clear system. This is a change from the older single-trip permit structure, and it means a rebooked flight within that window doesn’t necessarily require a fresh application.
No. The Bahamas doesn’t require a titre test from any country of origin, including the US. A current rabies vaccination, given within the 30-day-to-10-month window, and the vet health certificate are what’s checked on arrival.
No. Unlike most destinations on this site, the Bahamas accepts a health certificate signed by a licensed US veterinarian without a separate USDA APHIS State Veterinarian endorsement. It does, however, need to be dated within 48 hours of the flight.
American Airlines, through its American PetEmbark cargo service. Delta and JetBlue both fly US routes into Nassau but carry pets in the cabin only, with no cargo alternative for a dog too big to travel under the seat.
Airline guides
  • American Airlines
  • Delta Air Lines
  • JetBlue
Breed guides

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