International Health Certificates

 International travel certification includes three steps:

  • Certificate filled out by owner

  • Certificate signed by accredited veterinarian and sent to USDA

  • Certificate endorsed by USDA veterinarian and sent back to owner (digitally or by mail, if digital endorsement is not accepted by destination country)

To ensure that your pet’s travel certificate does not get rejected, please carefully read ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION prior to your pet’s visit. If your certificate is incorrect, or if you do not provide the necessary documents, your travel will be disrupted.

General requirements and timelines vary by country.

Most countries require:

  • Microchip - microchips must be ISO-compliant (15-digits in length)

  • Rabies vaccination and certification - Rabies vaccination must be current, and you must have a valid Rabies certificate. A Rabies certificate is not considered valid if it does not include the pet’s microchip number, which is why all pets must have a microchip prior to Rabies vaccination. If the pet was not microchipped prior to Rabies administration, a new vaccine will need to be administered, and a new certificate (which includes the microchip number) will need to be provided.

  • Rabies quarantine (in some cases) - for patients who recently received their first Rabies vaccine (i.e. puppies, kittens, or any pet who has never been vaccinated against Rabies), there may be a 21-day wait period after vaccination before you can travel with your pet.

  • Rabies titers (in some cases) - some countries require Rabies immunity testing (titers) prior to travel, in addition to proof of vaccination. If your destination country requires titer testing, you must schedule your pet’s bloodwork within the time frame indicated on the USDA website. Please note that Rabies titers take several weeks to process, and the lab that runs these tests does not offer rush services. To prevent a disruption to your pet’s travel, make sure that you schedule your pet’s Rabies titers early.

  • Examination and international health certificate - which should be signed by an accredited veterinarian and endorsed by the USDA. Please note that endorsed certificates are only valid for travel within a small window of time. To prevent a disruption to your pet’s travel, make sure that you schedule your pet’s international health certificate exam early within that window (for instance, if you are traveling to France, your certificate must be endorsed by the USDA within 10 days of your scheduled arrival. If you are traveling on January 10, you should schedule your appointment on January 1, to allow time for USDA endorsement, plus the time it takes for the USDA to mail you your endorsed certificate).

Step-by-step instructions 

  • Step 1: Identify destination country requirements

    You can find your pet’s travel requirements on the USDA Pet Travel Requirements website.

  • Step 2: Schedule your health certificate exam

    Make sure to schedule your pet’s visit within the time frame dictated by the USDA travel requirements. If your pet’s travel requires a Rabies titer, make sure to schedule testing accordingly.

  • Step 3: Complete the certificate digitally

    Health certificates vary by destination country. You can find the correct certificate form by using the link in Step 1.

    Consignor: The name, address (in USA), phone number of the owner or person who will be traveling with the pet. Make sure that all names match the information in your passport.

    Consignee: The name, address (abroad), phone number of the owner or person with whom the pet will be staying. Make sure that all names match the information in your passport.

    Identification: Include all identifying information (species, sex, color, etc.) requested in the form. For any section marked “Identification Number” or “Alphanumeric Code,” input the 15-digit microchip number. For sections marked “Identification System,” input “Transponder”.

    Dates: All dates must be put in as dd / mm / yyyy. For instance, October 31, 2021 should read 31/10/2021. *If you do not correctly input dates on your certificate, it will not be endorsed.

    Rabies vaccine: In the Rabies vaccine section, input all vaccine information (including date of administration, name and manufacturer - i.e. Merial Imrab, and batch/lot number). The “validity of vaccination” section should read “from [date administered] to [due date of next Rabies vaccine]”. All information for this section can be found on your pet’s Rabies Certificate.

    Official veterinarian: This section should be filled out with the Laytonsville Veterinary Practice information, including:

    Name of veterinarian (i.e. Claire Godwin, DVM)

    Qualification / Title of veterinarian (Accredited Veterinarian)

    Address (5910 Sundown Road, Laytonsville, MD 20882)

    Telephone (301-948-0158)

    Date and signature should be left blank, and will be completed by your veterinarian upon exam

    I, the undersigned: Type the name of the owner / transporter into this section

    Date and place: date and place where certificate originated (Laytonsville, Maryland)

  • Step 4: Print + email certificate

    Once you have completed your certificate, print one copy and send a digital copy (in PDF form) to frontdesk@laytonsvillevet.com. In order for us to complete your pet’s appointment, you MUST bring a printed copy of your completed form, and send a digital PDF copy prior to your appointment. Please submit all documents as PDFs, as the digital endorsement system will not accept any other file types.

  • Step 5: Print + email Rabies certificate

    Print a copy of your pet’s signed Rabies certificate to bring to your pet’s exam, and email a PDF copy to frontdesk@laytonsvillevet.com. The Rabies certificate must include the pet’s microchip number.

  • Step 6: Determine whether your destination accepts digital endorsement

    Digital endorsement means that when the USDA Veterinarian signs (endorses) your certificate, they can send a digital file to you immediately. Many countries do NOT accept digital endorsement. If your destination does NOT accept digital endorsement, the USDA will need to send your endorsed certificate to you via FedEx.

  • Step 7: Create and email FedEx shipping label

    If your destination country does NOT accept digital endorsement, you will need to provide a FedEx shipping label for an overnight envelope. You MUST select overnight service, as delayed mailing times can result in you not receiving your endorsed certificate in time for travel. When creating your FedEx shipping label, put YOUR ADDRESS in the recipient information. Please print a copy of the shipping label, and email a PDF copy to frontdesk@laytonsvillevet.com with the other documents.

  • Step 8: Arrive to your pet's appointment

    Make sure to give staff all necessary documents during intake. After your pet has been examined, the Accredited Veterinarian assigned to your pet will sign the completed certificate form you have provided, and prepare all documents to be submitted to the USDA.

  • Step 9: LVP staff will review your paperwork, and submit for endorsement

    Once the certificate has been signed by one of our Accredited Veterinarians, we will submit it to the USDA for endorsement. Endorsement typically takes 1 - 2 business days. Once your certificate has been endorsed by the USDA, it will be mailed to you using the FedEx label you have provided. Certificates that have not adequately been filled out will not be endorsed until the errors are resolved, which will result in delays.

    Once you have received your endorsed certificate, you and your pet will finally be cleared for international travel!