Taking your pet from Japan to the U.S.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies Japan as a low-risk country for rabies, so the federal entry requirements are short and there is no waiting period. The rules differ for dogs and cats, though, and dogs have an age requirement at entry — worth checking before you set a departure date.

Official rules last verified: 2026-08-27

The essentials

• Waiting periodNone · no titer test required either
• Federal rules for dogsCDC Dog Import Form · microchip · at least 6 months old at entry · appears healthy
• Federal rules for catsAppears healthy · the Dog Import Form and microchip do not apply
• Rabies vaccinationNot a federal requirement · recommended, as states and airlines often ask
• CDC form receiptIssued immediately after online filing · valid for 6 months from that date
• Leaving JapanExport inspection requested 14 days ahead · inspection within 10 days before departure

Step by step

Start with your dog’s age. A microchip and paperwork can be sorted out later, but the six-month age requirement at entry is only met by time passing.

1. Check the age at entry (dogs)

   Before you set a departure date

   A dog must be at least 6 months (180 days) old on arrival in the United States. There is no alternative route for younger dogs, so the departure date has to move to a date on or after the day that condition is met. This age rule does not apply to cats.

   Whether your dog is six months old on departure day takes counting. Enter the birthday and the app gives the date it clears. Check in the app →

2. Microchip (dogs)

   Now, whatever the age

   Implant an ISO-standard microchip. For entry to the U.S. mainland the microchip and the age rule are separate requirements, so you can have the chip implanted now even if your dog is still young. Cats are not covered by the federal rule, but the destination state or your airline may ask, so having one is safer.

3. Rabies vaccination (recommended)

   After the microchip

   Japan is a low-risk country, so rabies vaccination is not part of the federal entry requirements. Many U.S. states and airlines do ask for proof of a valid vaccination, so it is worth getting. Entry to the U.S. mainland does not look at the order of microchip and vaccination, but if you plan to move on to Japan or another country later, only doses given after the chip are recognized there.

4. File the CDC Dog Import Form (dogs)

   Online, before departure

   You submit the form yourself on the CDC website and receive a receipt straight away. The receipt is valid for six months from the date it is issued, so entry within that window is fine, and you present it on arrival. Departing from a low-risk country like Japan, this form needs no veterinarian input and no government endorsement.

   The receipt is valid for six months from issue. Enter your departure date to see when to file it. Check in the app →

5. Health certificate (if needed)

   Before departure

   A health certificate is not a CDC federal requirement. Airlines, transit points and destination states may ask for one, so preparing an English certificate is advisable. The same goes for cats — the federal requirement is only that they appear healthy, but state and airline rules are separate.

6. Export inspection in Japan

   Request 14 days ahead · inspection within 10 days before departure

   Apply to the Animal Quarantine Service office covering your departure airport, online through NACCS or by email, and take the inspection within 10 days before departure. The request must be made at least 14 days before the date you want. If you take it outside the office’s regular hours, a health certificate from a private veterinarian must be submitted. This is not a U.S. entry requirement — it is Japan’s export quarantine procedure for taking a pet out of the country.

7. Departure and arrival in the U.S.

   Departure day

   Dogs present the CDC form receipt, and both dogs and cats must appear healthy on arrival. Entry can be refused if there is evidence of a zoonotic disease. Destination states sometimes ask for proof of vaccination or a health certificate, so check that state’s rules before you travel.

Documents to carry on arrival day

• CDC Dog Import Form receipt (dogs)
• Microchip identification (dogs)
• Rabies vaccination certificate (in English, if vaccinated)
• English health certificate (for airlines, transit points and the destination state)
• Export inspection paperwork from Japan’s Animal Quarantine Service (issued at departure)

Frequently asked questions

Sources and verification dates

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — dog importation requirements · 2026-08-24
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA APHIS) — pet travel · 2026-07-17
• Animal Quarantine Service (MAFF) — exporting dogs and cats from Japan · 2026-08-27

This guide is reference information compiled from publicly available official rules. Final decisions rest with the CDC, the authorities of your destination state, Japan’s Animal Quarantine Service and your airline, and actual procedures may differ as rules change or depending on conditions on the day. Please confirm directly with the authorities and your airline before you travel.

If you need help with dates and scheduling

Enter your pet’s date of birth and planned departure in the TabiPet app, and it lays out the steps above around your own dates. Your first diagnosis is free.

• Age requirement checked against your entry date
• Document deadlines and D‑Day alerts
• Airline boarding conditions by weight and breed

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