Taking your pet from the US mainland to Korea
Korea has no waiting period after arrival. Instead, quarantine officers check the microchip and the rabies antibody titer on arrival, and once those are confirmed your pet can leave the airport with you. The US mainland is a rabies-affected region, so the titer test is the key step — and it can only be drawn at least 30 days after vaccination.
Official rules last verified: 2026-08-27
The essentials
- Waiting periodNone (same-day release once conditions are confirmed)
- Rabies vaccinationOne dose · after the microchip
- Titer threshold0.5 IU/mL or higher
- Blood draw timingAt least 30 days after vaccination · within 24 months before arrival
- MicrochipISO 11784/11785 · before the vaccination
- Quarantine certificateIssued by a USDA-accredited vet + APHIS endorsement
Step by step
Order matters. A vaccination given before the microchip is not recognized, and neither is a blood draw taken less than 30 days after the dose. If one step is out of order, you start again from that point.
Microchip
FirstImplant an ISO 11784/11785 microchip. It must come before the rabies vaccination, and the chip number is later recorded on the quarantine certificate.
Rabies vaccination
After the chipKorea asks for one dose and does not require a second. The vaccination must still be valid on arrival, so check the validity period on the certificate. An English-language certificate is recommended.
A shot given before the microchip does not count. Enter the dates and the app checks the order. Check in the app →
Rabies titer test (blood draw)
At least 30 days after the doseBlood is drawn at least 30 days after the vaccination. The result must be 0.5 IU/mL or higher, and the draw must fall within 24 months before arrival in Korea. Check with the laboratory beforehand that its results are accepted by the destination authority.
Whether the titer test applies depends on where your pet was born. Pick the birth country in the app. Check in the app →
Health certificate
Before departureHave a USDA-accredited veterinarian issue the health certificate. It must list the microchip number and the rabies antibody result (0.5 IU/mL or higher; the threshold applies to pets 90 days or older).
USDA APHIS endorsement
Before departureHave USDA APHIS endorse the health certificate. What Korea requires is a quarantine certificate issued by a government authority before departure, and the endorsement is what satisfies that. Endorsement takes time to process, so leave room in your schedule.
Departure and quarantine on arrival in Korea
Arrival dayYour pet goes through import quarantine by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) at Incheon or your arrival airport. Once the microchip and the titer (0.5 IU/mL or higher) are confirmed, your pet is released at the airport the same day. If the titer is unverified or below the threshold, extended quarantine of up to 90 days may apply.
Documents to carry on arrival day
- Quarantine certificate (issued by a USDA-accredited vet, endorsed by USDA APHIS)
- Microchip identification (number recorded on the certificate)
- Rabies vaccination certificate (English)
- Titer test result (0.5 IU/mL or higher, English)
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Korea has no waiting period?
Yes. There is no rule like Japan’s 180 days or the wait that applies for Hawaii and Guam. That said, the blood draw comes at least 30 days after the vaccination and results take time to come back, so starting more than a month ahead is safer in practice.
The titer came back below 0.5 IU/mL.
A result below the threshold can mean extended quarantine of up to 90 days on arrival. The usual response is to revaccinate and draw blood again, which means meeting the 30-day interval once more. Please discuss the retest schedule with your veterinarian and with APQA.
My puppy is still young. Is the titer test required?
Korea exempts dogs and cats under 90 days of age from the rabies titer requirement. The threshold does apply from 90 days, so judge by your pet’s age on arrival. For young animals, also check the airline’s minimum age for travel.
When should I get the quarantine certificate?
Korea requires a quarantine certificate issued by a government authority before departure and does not set a number of days for when it must be issued. Since it certifies your pet’s health and the APHIS endorsement itself takes time, plan it comfortably around your departure date.
Is the process the same for cats?
Yes. Microchip, rabies vaccination, titer test and quarantine certificate are identical, and so are the release conditions on arrival.
Can I bring several pets together?
Bringing 10 or more dogs and cats requires submitting an advance notification to APQA and obtaining prior approval to use an animal quarantine facility. It does not apply to nine or fewer pets brought in personally.
Sources and verification dates
- Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) — pet quarantine guide · 2026-07-25
- Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) — import conditions for dogs and cats by country · 2026-08-27
- USDA APHIS — Pet Travel · 2026-07-17
This guide is reference information compiled from publicly available official rules. Final decisions rest with APQA, USDA APHIS 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 vaccination dates and planned departure in the TabiPet app, and it lays out the steps above around your own dates. Your first diagnosis is free.
- Vaccination order and validity checks
- Document order and D‑Day alerts
- Airline boarding conditions by weight and breed
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