A practical 2026 guide to the CDC rules, Fødevarestyrelsen’s export certificate process, SAS’s policies, estimated costs, and timeline for dogs and cats.
Everything you need to navigate international pet relocation: import rules, customs, costs, timelines.
Easy
4–8 weeks
$205–$785+
None required (mainland US)
Unlike some other low-risk EU routes, Denmark requires more than a private vet visit: Fødevarestyrelsen requires a private veterinarian to complete the health certificate, then an official Fødevarestyrelsen veterinarian to personally verify and stamp it before a non-commercial pet can leave for the US. Book that appointment as soon as the certificate paperwork is ready.
A practical 2026 guide to the CDC rules, Fødevarestyrelsen’s export certificate process, SAS’s policies, estimated costs, and timeline for dogs and cats.
Denmark requires a private veterinarian to complete a health certificate, then a Fødevarestyrelsen official veterinarian to verify and stamp it. The verification fee is not published. CDC does not separately require a federal health certificate for this low-risk pathway.
Private Veterinarian, then a Fødevarestyrelsen Official Veterinarian
A private vet completes the certificate first. A Fødevarestyrelsen official veterinarian must then verify and stamp it at a booked appointment before the pet can leave Denmark.
Not Required
USDA does not endorse foreign-issued documents for this route. Check the final state separately.
Set by Fødevarestyrelsen at Verification
No universal validity window is published for the US route specifically; confirm the window that applies when the certificate is verified.
Carry Originals and Copies
Keep the verified health certificate and the CDC receipt accessible. Confirm whether originals are required at check-in and on arrival.
→ Denmark requires a Fødevarestyrelsen-verified health certificate for non-commercial pet export
→ Every dog needs a readable microchip and CDC Dog Import Form receipt
→ Cats face no general federal health-certificate or rabies-document requirement
→ SAS does not allow two pets to share a hold container on US-bound flights
→ Check the final US state’s requirements
→ Leaving the Fødevarestyrelsen appointment too late
→ Treating Denmark’s own import rules as export rules
→ Assuming two pets can share a hold container on SAS
→ Forgetting the CDC Dog Import Form
→ Ignoring destination-state requirements
Cabin or Cargo Hold
Varies
8 kg combined cabin limit; 50 kg hold limit
No two-pets-per-container sharing on US-bound flights; not permitted in Business class cabin to/from North America
Follow this timeline to make sure you complete everything on time for a smooth, stress-free travel day.
The verification step needs a booked appointment with an official veterinarian, not just a private vet visit.
SAS does not allow this on flights to the United States.
Costs vary based on pet size, airline, season, and any additional Services.
$205–$785+ estimated basic preparation, plus the Fødevarestyrelsen verification fee and airline pet fees
Typical total cost
Price in USD, Estimate only.
→ CDC Dog Import Form receipt — dogs
→ Fødevarestyrelsen-verified health certificate — dogs and cats
→ Airline pet reservation confirmation
→ Microchip record — dogs
→ Rabies record, if vaccinated
Start with your origin country guide for route-specific requirements, timelines, and common pitfalls.
→ Not for a compliant arrival at a mainland US destination.
→ Hawaii and Guam have separate programs.
→ No, when the dog has not been in a CDC high-risk country during the previous 6 months.
→ Yes. Fødevarestyrelsen requires a health certificate completed by a private veterinarian and then verified and stamped by an official government veterinarian.
→ This applies before a non-commercial pet can leave for the US.
→ A healthy appearance, minimum age of 6 months, readable microchip, and CDC Dog Import Form receipt.
→ This assumes no high-risk-country travel during the prior 6 months.
→ Generally yes for the US federal requirement.
→ The Danish export process and the destination state may still require documentation.
→ Not on a flight to the United States.
→ SAS’s usual multi-pet container allowance is specifically excluded on this route.
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.
Denmark is not on the CDC high-risk list for dog rabies. Dogs that have not visited a listed high-risk country during the previous 6 months use the simpler low-risk pathway.
Fødevarestyrelsen requires a private veterinarian to complete a health certificate for non-commercial pet travel outside the EU, and then requires an official government veterinarian to verify and stamp it before departure.
This is the one part of the route that needs real advance planning — it’s a government appointment, not a routine vet visit.
Many owners can manage this route directly. Professional help can be useful for a large pet, a restricted breed, or a hold/cargo booking.
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.
