What is a USDA health certificate?
A USDA health certificate is an official government document that certifies your pet is healthy, vaccinated, and meets the entry requirements of the destination country. Nearly every country that accepts pets from the United States requires one.
There are actually two documents most people refer to as a “health certificate”:
- USDA APHIS VS Form 7001 (the Veterinary Health Certificate): the standard form signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian for most countries
- Country-specific supplemental forms: some destinations (like Japan) require an additional country-specific form alongside Form 7001 — check the specific country’s requirements
The two-step process that trips people up
Getting a usable health certificate for international travel is a two-step process, and most confusion arises from not knowing that step 2 exists:
Step 1 — Veterinarian examination and signing: A USDA-accredited vet examines your pet, confirms it meets health and vaccination requirements, and signs Form 7001 (or the country-specific form). This must happen within 10 days of travel for most countries.
Step 2 — USDA APHIS endorsement: The signed certificate must then be submitted to your state’s USDA APHIS Veterinary Services office, which reviews it and adds an official endorsement (an official stamp, signature, and apostille in some cases). Without this endorsement, the certificate is not recognized as an official U.S. government document by destination countries.
Standard endorsement turnaround is 10–14 business days. That creates a timing problem: if the certificate must be signed within 10 days of travel, and endorsement takes up to 14 business days, you need to either use rush service or plan the vet appointment precisely.
Step-by-step walkthrough
Step 1: Find a USDA-accredited vet Use the USDA APHIS accredited vet locator at aphis.usda.gov. Not all licensed vets are accredited — call ahead and confirm. Inform them you need an international health certificate and name the destination country so they can prepare the correct form.
Step 2: Prepare your pet’s records Bring to the appointment: vaccination records (with dates, product names, and lot numbers), microchip documentation if required, and any existing health certificates or import permits. Some countries require the vet to reference these records in the form.
Step 3: Vet appointment and certificate issuance The vet examines your pet and completes Form 7001 (or the country-specific form). The key details: your name, the pet’s description, the destination country, vaccination status, microchip number if applicable, and the vet’s USDA accreditation number.
Step 4: Submit immediately to USDA APHIS for endorsement After the vet signs it — ideally on the same day — submit the certificate to your state’s USDA APHIS Veterinary Services office. Contact information for every state office is at aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/endorsement-offices. You can submit in person, by mail, or via courier — ask the office which method is fastest.
Step 5: Confirm return shipping Include a prepaid return envelope or courier label if submitting by mail so the endorsed certificate comes back to you quickly. Confirm the expected turnaround time when you submit.
Step 6: Verify before you fly Check the endorsed certificate for accuracy. Confirm the endorsement stamp is present. Make copies — bring the original plus at least one photocopy on travel day.
Timing: the math that matters
- Most destinations: certificate must be issued (vet-signed) within 10 days of departure
- Standard APHIS endorsement: 10–14 business days
- Rush endorsement (where available): 1–2 business days
If you need standard service, you need the vet appointment to happen and the submission to APHIS to happen at least 10–14 business days plus a few days for transit before your departure date. In practice, this means:
- Book your vet appointment ~3 weeks before departure
- Submit to APHIS the same day the vet signs it
- Verify the endorsed certificate arrives at least 3–5 days before your flight
Rush service is available at some offices — call ahead to confirm availability and cost.
Most common mistakes
Using a non-accredited vet. If the vet is licensed but not USDA-accredited, the certificate cannot be endorsed by APHIS. Always confirm accreditation status when booking the appointment.
Submitting too late for standard processing. Ten business days is not ten calendar days. Count the business days carefully.
Wrong form. Some countries require a country-specific form, not just Form 7001. Japan, Australia, and the UK all have specific supplemental or replacement forms. Your vet should know — but verify by checking the country’s official authority page.
Forgetting the endorsement step. A vet-signed certificate with no APHIS endorsement is not valid for most international destinations.
Certificate expiring during travel. If you have a long itinerary with a stopover, check whether the certificate is still within the valid window for the destination entry. A 10-day window does not give much buffer.
Use the pet travel readiness checklist to build a dated timeline for your destination that includes the health certificate step.