Quick answer: for a pet leaving the United States, start with the USDA APHIS export page, choose the destination country and animal type, and confirm the current requirements with a USDA-accredited veterinarian. The destination government sets entry rules; an APHIS page that does not list a requirement does not mean none exists.

Reviewed November 3, 2026. Method: this guide points to APHIS’s live destination-specific pages and summarizes how to use them. It does not copy requirements into a static country list because conditions can change.

Start with the trip details

Before contacting a veterinarian, note the animal species, destination, departure date, any countries where the pet will clear customs or leave the airport, and whether the pet will travel with you, in the cabin, or as cargo. APHIS asks for these details because requirements can depend on the animal and route.

Once you have current written amounts, use the pet flight trip-cost worksheet to total airline, carrier, transport, veterinary-document, lodging and other entered costs. It does not look up fees or determine travel requirements.

For lodging booked at multiple stops, use the pet travel lodging itinerary planner to total dated room rates, pet fees, taxes and charges, while keeping refundable deposits separate. Confirm each current property policy directly.

1. Open the USDA APHIS Pet Travel portal and choose Take a Pet From the United States to Another Country (Export).
2. Use APHIS’s export process page to find the destination country and the relevant animal type. Check the page for your specific trip; APHIS says there is no single international pet certificate that works everywhere.
3. Contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as travel is planned. Ask them to confirm which exams, vaccinations, tests, treatments, forms and endorsement steps apply, and the exact timing for each.
4. Check the airline’s animal transport rules separately. APHIS notes that airlines can have requirements beyond the destination country’s entry rules.

Check every border on the route

For a trip with stops, check whether the pet will formally enter each country, including any stop where you leave the airport or clear customs. APHIS says requirements for additional countries depend on the travel mode and time spent there; confirm with your veterinarian and the relevant officials which documents each border will accept.

Record the official requirement page, the date you checked it, the certificate version, and any time windows for tests, treatments, signatures or endorsement. Recheck with the veterinarian and destination authorities before departure because the official pages can change after you first plan the trip.

If the country or animal type is missing

APHIS says that if a destination or animal type is not listed, it has not been officially informed of that country’s requirements. This is not evidence that the country has no entry rules. Follow APHIS’s unknown requirements guidance and ask the destination country’s animal health authority, embassy or consulate for instructions in writing. Share the written response with your veterinarian and the officials handling the certificate.

Keep export and return requirements separate

This checklist covers pets leaving the United States. A later return to the United States is a separate trip with its own federal, state and territorial rules. APHIS directs travelers bringing animals into the U.S. to a separate import process; for dogs, the CDC is the primary authority for U.S. dog import requirements. Check the current APHIS Pet Travel portal and the relevant agency pages for the return route. For dogs, see the CDC dog importation requirements.

Sources and limits

• USDA APHIS: Pet Travel — entry points for export, import and interstate travel.
• USDA APHIS: Take a Pet From the United States to Another Country (Export) — destination lookup, veterinarian coordination and certificate endorsement steps.
• USDA APHIS: Pet Travel Process Overview — planning, certificate timing and travel-document process.
• USDA APHIS: Pet Travel—Unknown Requirements — what to do when a country’s requirements are not listed.
• USDA APHIS: Find a USDA-Accredited Veterinarian — veterinarian lookup and accreditation context.
• USDA APHIS: Frequently Asked Questions About Traveling With Your Pet — confirms destination-specific certificates and explains requirements for multi-country routes.
• CDC: Bringing a Dog into the United States — current federal dog-import entry point for a return trip.

This U.S.-oriented guide is a navigation aid, not a travel authorization or veterinary instruction. APHIS and destination-country authorities publish the current requirements; verify them for the exact species, route and travel date. The page does not provide country-specific rules, guarantee entry, or replace official documents. For trip-specific questions, work with an accredited veterinarian and the destination government.