US
United States
✈️
SV
El Salvador
Pet Transport from the United States to El Salvador
4-7 weeks
Typical preparation
None
Quarantine on arrival
Moderate
Route complexity
✓ Managed
Full door-to-door service
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from United States to El Salvador
typically takes around 4-7 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is not required.
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Overview
A move from United States to El Salvador with a dog or cat is mostly about preparing the documents in the right order. Expect about 4-7 weeks. Nothing here is unusually complex, but the deadlines matter. There is no routine quarantine, provided the paperwork is in order.
This route does not call for a rabies titre test. Read on for the requirements, timing and carrier options for this route.
Step by step
The United States to El Salvador process
1
Before booking the vet appointment for the health certificate.
Confirm or implant a microchip and check the rabies vaccination is current.
Responsible: Your US vet
2
Valid for 30 days once issued, so time it close to your travel date if applying in advance.
Apply for the MAG import permit in advance, through the Division de Cuarentena, or plan to complete it on arrival at San Salvador.
Responsible: You or an El Salvador-side agent
3
1-2 weeks before travel.
Book a licensed vet appointment for the international health certificate.
Responsible: You
4
Close to the travel date, per the certificate's practical validity window.
Vet issues the health certificate in duplicate, no USDA endorsement needed for this destination.
Responsible: Licensed US veterinarian
5
3-5 weeks before travel.
Book cargo or hold space on a nonstop routing into San Salvador.
Responsible: You or your agent
6
Travel day.
Travel; present the health certificate, vaccination record and import permit (or complete it on the spot) to MAG officials on arrival.
Responsible: You
Checklist
El Salvador: entry requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Microchip | Not explicitly mandated by MAG's published import guidance, but strongly recommended for identification, and required in practice by most airlines. |
| Rabies vaccination | A current vaccination record must accompany the pet, original or copy, alongside the health certificate. |
| Rabies titre test | Not required by El Salvador for pets arriving from the United States. |
| Quarantine | No routine quarantine stated in MAG's published guidance for a pet arriving with complete documentation. APHIS separately describes a quarantine permit obtained at the port of entry, which functions as the same import clearance step under a different name; treat it as one requirement, not two. |
| Import permit | Import permit issued by the Direccion General de Sanidad Vegetal y Animal at MAG, the same office referred to elsewhere as the Division de Cuarentena. Can be obtained in advance or, per APHIS's own guidance, at the point of entry itself. Fee USD 9.04 where applied for in advance. Valid 30 days, single entry only. |
| Health certificate | The US-issued international health certificate, plus the completed MAG import application form. |
Leaving United States of America
Export requirements
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Export permit | No general US export permit for pet dogs or cats. Unusually for a US-origin route, APHIS's own country-specific page states plainly that USDA endorsement is not required for a pet health certificate travelling to El Salvador, a step most other destinations do require. Source: aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/us-to-another-country-export/pet-travel-us-el-salvador, checked 14 July 2026. |
| Health certificate | A standard international health certificate (also referred to as Certificado Veterinario de Salud), issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian, prepared in duplicate. It does not need USDA endorsement, notarisation or El Salvadoran consular sign-off. The rabies vaccination certificate should travel with it. |
Costs
What this route typically costs
| 1 | US vet appointment and international health certificate: USD 100-250 |
| 2 | MAG import permit: USD 9.04 (roughly the same in local currency), free of the USDA endorsement fee most other destinations require |
| 3 | IATA-compliant travel crate: USD 80-250 |
| 4 | Airline cargo or hold fee, a US gateway to San Salvador: USD 400-900 depending on departure city, carrier and crate size |
| 5 | Total typical range: USD 600-1,500 |
Critical points
Read before you book
⚠ El Salvador is one of the few destinations where APHIS's own guidance states USDA endorsement is not required on the export health certificate. Do not pay for an APHIS eFile endorsement on this route unless a specific circumstance requires it. Confirm directly with your vet if in doubt.
⚠ The MAG import permit is valid for 30 days only and covers a single entry. If applying in advance, time it to sit close to, not months ahead of, your actual travel date. It can also be completed at the port of entry itself if that suits your schedule better.
⚠ No CDC high-risk rabies rule applies to this direction of travel. That classification governs animals entering the United States, not pets leaving it, so nothing on this route mirrors the complications a dog faces coming the other way from El Salvador.
Carriers
Airlines on this route
American Airlines
Runs year-round nonstop flights from both Miami (MIA) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) into San Salvador (SAL), the most direct routing available from the US. No CDC high-risk complication applies on this outbound direction, since that rule governs animals entering the US, not leaving it.
Avianca
San Salvador's historic hub carrier, formerly TACA, with year-round nonstop service from Miami, New York JFK, Los Angeles, Houston, Boston, Orlando, Washington Dulles and San Francisco. The widest choice of US departure cities for this route. Avianca does not accept brachycephalic breeds as checked baggage or cargo.
United Airlines
Year-round nonstop from Houston (IAH) and Los Angeles (LAX), plus a seasonal Washington Dulles (IAD) service. A solid alternative if your departure city favours a United connection over Avianca or American.
What El Salvador requires
The path into El Salvador is straightforward to follow once you know the steps. Give the time-sensitive items priority and check the details below.
Avoiding the common mistakes
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.
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
FAQ
Common questions
No. APHIS’s own guidance for this specific route states that USDA endorsement is not required, unlike most other destinations. A standard international health certificate signed by a licensed vet, prepared in duplicate, is what El Salvador actually asks for.
No. El Salvador does not require a rabies titre test for pets arriving from the United States. A current rabies vaccination record travelling with the health certificate is sufficient.
USD 9.04 if applied for in advance through MAG’s Division de Cuarentena. It is valid for 30 days from issue and covers one entry only. It can also be completed at the port of entry on arrival, according to APHIS’s own guidance, which gives some scheduling flexibility.
Yes, several. Avianca flies nonstop from eight US cities including Miami, New York JFK, Los Angeles and Houston. American Airlines runs nonstop from Miami and Dallas-Fort Worth, and United from Houston and Los Angeles, with a seasonal Washington Dulles service.
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