Plan the import rules, export certificate, estimated timeline, costs, and airline arrangements for moving pets from New Zealand to the United States.
Everything you need to navigate international pet relocation: import rules, customs, costs, timelines.
Moderate
4–8 weeks (estimated)
Varies
None routinely required
Air New Zealand does not accept direct international pet bookings from the public. Start with an approved transporter before locking the passenger itinerary.
Plan the import rules, export certificate, estimated timeline, costs, and airline arrangements for moving pets from New Zealand to the United States.
The outbound certificate is controlled by New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
MPI Official Veterinarian
Confirm the appointment and exact signing sequence before the final veterinary visit.
Required
USDA endorsement is not substituted for the origin-country export certification.
Confirm with MPI
Confirm the current window with the authority and carrier before scheduling the examination.
Required
Carry printed originals plus digital backups and keep identifiers consistent.
→ Dogs must be healthy, at least 6 months old, microchipped, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
→ The low-risk pathway has no routine federal U.S. quarantine.
→ Origin export certification and cargo acceptance remain required.
→ Check every transit country and the destination state.
→ Booking passenger travel before cargo acceptance.
→ Skipping origin export certification.
→ Ignoring transit-country rules.
→ Copying the microchip number incorrectly.
Follow this timeline to make sure you complete everything on time for a smooth, stress-free travel day.
Cargo acceptance must come first.
New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) controls the outbound certificate.
Connections create separate approval requirements.
Costs vary based on pet size, airline, season, and any additional Services.
Varies
Typical total cost
Price in USD, Estimate only.
→ CDC Dog Import Form receipt for each dog.
→ Microchip record.
→ Official export certificate and endorsement.
→ Vaccination and treatment records requested for the itinerary.
→ Cargo confirmation, airway bill, and transit permit when applicable.
Start with your origin country guide for route-specific requirements, timelines, and common pitfalls.
→ No, it is not on CDC’s current high-risk list.
→ The dog’s full six-month travel history must also qualify.
→ No routine federal quarantine applies to a qualifying low-risk dog.
→ Transit and state rules remain separate.
→ Healthy appearance, age 6 months or older, a readable microchip, and a CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
→ CDC has no general federal cat-entry form.
→ Origin, airline, transit, and state rules still apply.
→ Yes.
→ New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) controls the outbound process.
→ The verified option is cargo with Air New Zealand Cargo.
→ Confirm the exact flight and acceptance before buying passenger travel.
Our pet relocation experts are here to guide you every step of the way.
If a regulation changes after this page was published, the official source always takes precedence over this guide — check the links above for the current rules before you travel.
Direct trans-Pacific cargo service can simplify the itinerary, but the approved-transporter requirement means this is not a self-booked checked-baggage move.
Book in this order: Approved transporter → MPI export certification → Cargo booking → Passenger ticket.
MPI requires export certification for cats and dogs leaving New Zealand for the United States. Dogs require an official assurance and an Animal Welfare Export Certificate (AWEC); cats require an AWEC and must satisfy the destination and carrier conditions. Owners should work with an MPI-registered exporter and official veterinarian and review the International Health Certificate guide when organizing the certificate packet.
A pet mover can be valuable when cargo booking or transit approval is unfamiliar. Ask for an itemized quote and keep the government, veterinary, crate, freight, and destination charges separate.
If a regulation changes after this page was published, the official source always takes precedence over this guide — check the links above for the current rules before you travel.
