Rules checked on 10 October 2026 against official sources
Taking your dog to France from the US
Your dog flies to France on a health certificate that USDA endorses no more than 10 days before you arrive, after a microchip and a rabies vaccine given at least 21 days earlier. No rabies titer test is needed, and the way home runs on the CDC Dog Import Form.
- Preparation
- 3 weeks
- starting from scratch
- Rabies antibody test
- No
- Quarantine
- None
- If a rule is not met
- Travel document
- Health certificate
- 30 days of validity after issue
Plan your dog's trip
The rules, one by one
Get your dog microchipped
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The microchip follows ISO standard 11784 or 11785 and goes in before the rabies vaccine. Your veterinarian scans the chip before every rabies vaccination, and a vaccine given before the chip or without a scan does not count. With a chip that is not ISO compliant, travel with a scanner that reads it, or have your veterinarian implant a second ISO chip and list both numbers on the health certificate.
- USDA APHIS, Pet Travel From the United States to France, checked on 10 October 2026
- European Commission, DG SANTE: Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country, checked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP: Note d'information, Importation non commerciale d'animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers (mise Ă jour de juin 2026), published by douane.gouv.fr, checked on 10 October 2026
21 daysafter a first vaccination
Get your dog vaccinated against rabies
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The vaccine comes after the microchip, and your dog must be at least 12 weeks old on the day. For a primary vaccination, the "From" date under "Validity of vaccination" must be 21 days after the vaccination date, or the immunity period the manufacturer recommends. Some manufacturers recommend 30 days: ask your veterinarian to confirm the period and record it on the certificate. A booster given within the validity of the previous vaccine needs no wait, and the primary vaccination is listed on the health certificate too. A US rabies vaccine counts as primary for 1 year only, so a lapse of even one day makes the next one a primary vaccination again. Every rabies certificate travels with your dog, and APHIS strongly recommends the microchip number on each.
16 weeksminimum age
Minimum age
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Your dog enters France at 16 weeks old at the earliest: French customs do not authorize dogs under 16 weeks old, even vaccinated against rabies. Your dog must also be at least 12 weeks old when it receives the rabies vaccine, and the vaccine takes effect 21 days later.
- European Commission, DG SANTE: Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country, checked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP: Note d'information, Importation non commerciale d'animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers (mise Ă jour de juin 2026), published by douane.gouv.fr, checked on 10 October 2026
- douane.gouv.fr, You are traveling with a dog, cat or ferret, checked on 10 October 2026
30 daysof validity after issue
Have an accredited veterinarian issue the health certificate
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The document is the Non-Commercial Health Certificate for Pet Dogs, Cats, and Ferrets, the model in Annex III of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705, required for US exports since October 1, 2026. A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes and signs it after the rabies vaccine, and APHIS counts it valid for 30 days after issue. A printed copy of the endorsed certificate travels with your dog. A US Army military veterinarian can issue it too, with no USDA endorsement, but must issue it within 10 days of your dog's arrival in the EU.
10 days maxbefore arrival
Get the certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS
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The endorsement must happen no more than 10 days before your dog arrives in the EU. Your accredited veterinarian can submit the certificate to USDA through VEHCS, the Veterinary Export Health Certification System. USDA must ink-sign and emboss it, and the endorsed original on paper travels with your dog, so allow time for it to reach you.
- USDA APHIS, Pet Travel From the United States to France, checked on 10 October 2026
- EUR-Lex: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131, checked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP: Note d'information, Importation non commerciale d'animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers (mise Ă jour de juin 2026), published by douane.gouv.fr, checked on 10 October 2026
Departure day
Sign the declaration before you leave
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The last page of the health certificate carries a declaration for you, or the person you designate, to complete and sign. It states that the trip is not commercial (Annex V Part 2 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705). The declaration travels with your dog and the certificate.
Create your dog's profile on Animalert
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Animalert is the lost and found pet reporting network in France. Your dog's profile holds its photo, its microchip number and your contact details. If your dog goes missing in France, you report it lost from that profile.
Quarantine. No, as long as your dog meets the entry conditions. A dog that does not can be refused entry or quarantined at your expense.
Arrival day
Present your dog to customs on arrival
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Go through customs before you leave the international zone of the airport. No appointment is needed. Customs check your dog's documents and read its microchip against the certificate. Have the endorsed health certificate, the declaration and the rabies vaccination certificates ready to show.
- European Commission, DG SANTE: Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country, checked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP: Note d'information, Importation non commerciale d'animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers (mise Ă jour de juin 2026), published by douane.gouv.fr, checked on 10 October 2026
Only if a condition is not met
If the conditions are not met
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Your dog may be refused entry or quarantined on arrival, at your expense. The French authorities can order your dog sent back to the US, quarantined, or euthanized.
Rabies antibody test: not required
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The United States, with Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, is on the EU list of countries whose dogs enter without a rabies antibody (titer) test. There is nothing to schedule.
- EUR-Lex: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636, checked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP: Note d'information, Importation non commerciale d'animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers (mise Ă jour de juin 2026), published by douane.gouv.fr, checked on 10 October 2026
- European Commission, DG SANTE: Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country, checked on 10 October 2026
Sign a transit declaration if you connect through another country
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If your dog passes through a country that is not exempt from the antibody test, you sign a declaration. It states that your dog had no contact with animals susceptible to rabies and stayed in the vehicle or inside the international zone of the airport. Without it, the antibody test applies. The model is Annex III Part 5 of the June 2026 note of the French food and agriculture authority (DGAL).
Travelers' point of entry
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Your dog must enter France through a travelers' point of entry, where customs carry out the documentary and identity checks. In France these are the points open to international passenger traffic. No appointment is needed.
- European Commission, DG SANTE: Travellers' points of entry, checked on 10 October 2026
- EUR-Lex: Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131, checked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP: Note d'information, Importation non commerciale d'animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers (mise Ă jour de juin 2026), published by douane.gouv.fr, checked on 10 October 2026
Maximum of five pets
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At most five pets can travel with one person on a non-commercial trip. More than five is allowed only for competitions, exhibitions, sporting events or training, with written proof of registration and animals more than six months old. Beyond that, the movement counts as commercial.
- European Commission, DG SANTE: Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country, checked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP: Note d'information, Importation non commerciale d'animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers (mise Ă jour de juin 2026), published by douane.gouv.fr, checked on 10 October 2026
Travel with your dog
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Your dog travels with you, on the same flight. A person you designate, such as a family member or a friend, can travel with it instead. APHIS allows this no later than 5 days after you, while the EU and France allow the 5 days before or after your own trip. Your signed declaration goes with it. An unaccompanied dog, a sale or a change of owner uses the commercial certificate instead.
- USDA APHIS, Pet Travel From the United States to France, checked on 10 October 2026
- European Commission, DG SANTE: Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country, checked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP: Note d'information, Importation non commerciale d'animaux de compagnie en provenance de pays tiers (mise Ă jour de juin 2026), published by douane.gouv.fr, checked on 10 October 2026
Banned breeds
- Staffordshire terrier type
- American Staffordshire terrier type (pit bull)
- Mastiff type (boerbull)
- Tosa type
SourceRead more
France bans the import of category 1 attack dogs, which are dogs of the types below that are not entered in a recognized pedigree book. Category 2 dogs (Staffordshire terrier, American Staffordshire terrier and Tosa entered in a pedigree book, and every Rottweiler or Rottweiler-looking dog) can enter, with proof of pedigree where relevant. The French rules for keeping and walking them then apply.
At least one adult tooth
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A dog imported into France from outside the EU can enter only if it has at least one adult tooth (article L236-1 of the French Rural and Maritime Fishing Code).
Guide dogs and assistance dogs
SourceRead more
France grants no exemption to guide dogs or assistance animals. They follow the same rules as any other pet.
Airline and cruise line rules
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Airlines and shipping lines have their own policies and requirements for transporting pets, on top of the entry rules. Check with your carrier before you book.
6 monthsminimum age
Minimum age to come home
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Your dog must be at least 6 months old when it enters or returns to the US. This applies to all dogs, including puppies, service animals and dogs that left the US and are returning.
6 months maxbefore the return
Fill out the CDC Dog Import Form before you fly home
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The form is online and free, with one form per dog. You can fill it out on the day of travel, and CDC recommends doing it a few days up to six months before. The receipt is valid for 6 months from when it is issued, unless your dog visits a high-risk country or a different dog rabies-free or low-risk country during that time. Print the receipt or show it on a phone screen to US customs officials or to your airline, if applicable.
Day you travel home
Make sure your dog looks healthy on arrival
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Your dog must appear healthy when it arrives in the US.
Frequently asked questions
Does my dog need a rabies titer test to go to France from the US?
No. The United States is on the EU list of countries whose dogs enter without a rabies antibody (titer) test. If your dog connects through a country that is not exempt, you sign a transit declaration to keep it that way.
How long before my flight to France should I get the health certificate?
The USDA endorsement must happen no more than 10 days before your dog arrives in the EU. Your accredited veterinarian issues the certificate after the rabies vaccine, and APHIS counts it valid for 30 days after issue, but the 10 days from the endorsement are the date to meet.
Does the microchip have to go in before the rabies vaccine?
Yes. A rabies vaccine given before the microchip, or without the chip being scanned first, does not count. Your veterinarian scans the chip before every rabies vaccination.
Can I take a pit bull to France from the US?
No, if it is a category 1 dog. France bans the import of dogs of the Staffordshire terrier, American Staffordshire terrier (pit bull), Mastiff (boerbull) and Tosa types that are not entered in a recognized pedigree book. Category 2 dogs can enter, with proof of pedigree where relevant.
Do I need a CDC form to bring my dog back to the US from France?
Yes. Fill out the CDC Dog Import Form online, free, one form per dog, and show the receipt to US customs officials or your airline, if applicable. Your dog must be at least 6 months old and appear healthy on arrival.
Check before you go
Checked on 10 October 2026Rules can change. Check them with USDA APHIS for the export certificate, the CDC for coming home to the US, and French customs for entry into France before you book.
See the sources (9)
For the trip to France
- USDA APHIS, Pet Travel From the United States to France
- aphis.usda.gov/âŠ/us-to-another-country-export/pet-travel-us-francechecked on 10 October 2026
- European Commission, DG SANTE
- Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU countrychecked on 10 October 2026
- Travellers' points of entrychecked on 10 October 2026
- DGAL, SIVEP
- douane.gouv.fr, You are traveling with a dog, cat or ferret
- douane.gouv.fr/âŠ/demarche/you-are-traveling-dog-cat-or-ferretchecked on 10 October 2026
- EUR-Lex
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131checked on 10 October 2026
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636checked on 10 October 2026
For the way home
- CDC
- Centers for Disease Control and Preventionchecked on 10 October 2026
- Centers for Disease Control and Preventionchecked on 10 October 2026
