PetTravelPass

Bringing a dog or cat from Ireland to the United States

Under the United States's rules, pets from Ireland are in the group “Dogs only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries in the last 6 months”. A dog from Ireland needs a microchip, a rabies vaccine and an official health certificate. There is no quarantine if every rule is met. There is no long waiting period, so a few weeks of preparation is usually enough.

About the United States: Easy for dogs that have only been in low-risk countries (microchip, 6 months old, CDC Dog Import Form). Hard for foreign-vaccinated dogs that were in a CDC high-risk country in the last 6 months: they must fly into one of a handful of airports with a CDC-registered animal care facility and have a CDC-approved-lab titer or do 28 days' quarantine. Cats have no CDC federal entry requirement beyond being healthy.

Dogs: Dogs only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries in the last 6 months Paperwork only

Titer test
Not required
Wait after blood test
—
Import permit
Not required
Quarantine
None if rules are met

No long wait: No titer or waiting period.

Step by step

  1. Microchip the dog

    The dog needs an ISO-compatible microchip that a universal scanner can read. The chip number goes on the CDC Dog Import Form.

  2. Wait until the dog is 6 months old

    Every dog entering the US must be at least 6 months old on arrival, wherever it comes from.

  3. Submit the CDC Dog Import Form

    Fill it in online for free, one form per dog, with a recent photo. Photos for dogs under 1 year must be taken within 15 days of travel.

  4. Carry the receipt

    Show the receipt to the airline and to CBP. For low-risk dogs it can be reused for 6 months if the departure country stays the same. Any US port (air, land or sea) can be used.

  5. Check state and airline rules

    Many states require a rabies vaccine and/or a health certificate. Check the destination state and your airline separately from CDC.

No CDC quarantine. Dogs that look sick on arrival can be refused entry or sent for examination at the owner's cost.

Cats: Cats (any origin) Paperwork only

Titer test
Not required
Wait after blood test
—
Import permit
Not required
Quarantine
None if rules are met

No long wait: No federal CDC requirement.

Step by step

  1. Check state rules

    CDC does not require a rabies vaccine or form for cats, but many states require a current rabies vaccine. Check the destination state's rules.

  2. Check airline rules

    Airlines often ask for a recent health certificate and set their own crate and cabin rules.

Cats that look sick on arrival can be examined and refused. Hawaii and Guam have their own quarantine rules.

Good to know

Cats
No CDC federal entry requirement for cats: they must only look healthy on arrival. Rabies vaccines and health certificates depend on the state and the airline.
How many pets
No CDC limit on the number of dogs. Each dog needs its own CDC Dog Import Form. Importing for resale or adoption falls under extra USDA commercial rules.
Parasite treatment
No CDC parasite rule. USDA: dogs from New World screwworm-affected countries (including Mexico) need a certificate signed by a full-time government vet (in Mexico, a SENASICA-authorized vet) stating the dog was inspected within 5 days before shipment and is screwworm-free, or was treated until free. Dogs from foot-and-mouth disease regions must have clean coat and bedding, be bathed on arrival and kept away from livestock for 5 days.
Arrival
Low-risk dogs and all cats: any US port. Foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries: only airports with a CDC-registered animal care facility (ATL, DFW, IAD, JFK, LAX, MIA, PHL, SEA), on a direct international arrival.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to bring a dog from Ireland to the United States?

Ireland counts as "Dogs only in dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries in the last 6 months" for the United States. There is no rabies blood test or long wait. No titer or waiting period. Allow a few weeks for the vet visits and the health certificate.

Does my pet need a rabies titer test to travel from Ireland to the United States?

No. Pets from Ireland do not need a titer test for the United States if the other rules are met.

Will my pet be quarantined in the United States?

Not if every rule is met. No CDC quarantine. Dogs that look sick on arrival can be refused entry or sent for examination at the owner's cost.

Do I need an import permit?

No import permit is needed for pets from Ireland.

Are the rules the same for cats?

No. Cats from Ireland fall under "Cats (any origin)": no titer test is needed.

Sources

Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Full rules: United States pet import rules.

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