Everything you need to know about moving your dog or cat from France to the US: CDC requirements, France’s export process, airline options, costs, and timeline — all in one place.
Everything you need to navigate international pet relocation: import rules, customs, costs, timelines.
Easy
4–8 weeks
Varies
None required (US mainland)
Because France is not on the CDC’s high-risk list for dog rabies, dogs need only the CDC Dog Import Form rather than a full CDC health certificate — France’s own export documentation is a separate national requirement, not a CDC one.
Everything you need to know about moving your dog or cat from France to the US: CDC requirements, France’s export process, airline options, costs, and timeline — all in one place.
The CDC's low-risk pathway does not require a health certificate for dogs from France — only the CDC Dog Import Form. If your airline independently requests a general health certificate, a private vet completes it and a separate official government veterinarian signs and dates it.
Not Applicable Unless Your Airline Requires a Certificate
No certificate, and therefore no signature, is required by the CDC for this route. If your airline requests one, a treating veterinarian completes it and a separate official government veterinarian signs and dates it.
Not Required
The US does not require USDA involvement for standard French pet exports. Always confirm your specific destination state’s rules separately.
Not Applicable Unless a Certificate Is Requested
No certificate is required by the CDC for this route. If your airline requests one anyway, France’s certificate is valid only 10 days from issue once obtained.
Required
Bring the original vaccination records — and, if your airline requested one, the original certificate — copies are not accepted.
→ Implant the ISO microchip before the rabies vaccination
→ No export health certificate is required by the CDC — only the CDC Dog Import Form
→ If your airline requests a certificate anyway, book the official-vet appointment at least one week ahead; it’s valid only 10 days from issue
→ All dogs need a completed CDC Dog Import Form
→ This page’s Air France figures are reused from research six days prior and weren’t re-confirmed this session — verify directly before booking
→ Assuming France requires an export certificate for this route
→ Confusing an airline’s own certificate request with a government mandate
→ If a certificate is genuinely requested, getting it too early — it expires after 10 days
→ Treating this page’s Air France figures as freshly confirmed
Cabin & Cargo
€200 cabin (reused figure, not re-confirmed)
8 kg (17.6 lbs) cabin (reused figure)
Direct from Paris — verify current policy
Follow this timeline to make sure you complete everything on time for a smooth, stress-free travel day.
No French government export certificate is required for dogs entering the US under the CDC's low-risk pathway — only the CDC Dog Import Form.
Air France's official site couldn't be accessed during this research — the fee and weight figures shown are reused from research conducted six days earlier.
Costs vary based on pet size, airline, season, and any additional Services.
Roughly $135–$440+ (microchip, vaccine, crate) plus an airline fee (see Costs section for freshness caveats). No certificate fee applies unless your airline independently requests one.
Typical total cost
Price in USD, Estimate only.
→ CDC Dog Import Form receipt — Dogs
→ Microchip implant record
→ Rabies vaccination record
→ Export health certificate, only if your airline requests one
Start with your origin country guide for route-specific requirements, timelines, and common pitfalls.
→ No, for US mainland destinations.
→ France’s CDC low-risk status means the high-risk-country quarantine pathway doesn’t apply.
→ No — the CDC’s low-risk pathway only requires the CDC Dog Import Form.
→ France’s own guidance makes certificate requirements destination-driven, and the US doesn’t require one.
→ Your airline may still request a general health certificate as its own requirement — confirm directly if so.
→ Your private vet performs the exam and completes it, then a separate official government veterinarian signs and dates it.
→ Book the official-vet appointment at least a week ahead.
→ The certificate is valid only 10 days from issue once obtained.
→ A free online form required for all dogs entering the US.
→ Valid for 6 months from completion.
→ Applies to dogs from low-risk countries like France.
→ No CDC or USDA requirements apply to cats entering the US from any country.
→ Your cat may still need an export certificate if your airline requires one.
→ Check with your airline for its own cat travel requirements.
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.
Moving a pet from France to the United States is one of the more accommodating routes covered on this site — France is CDC low-risk for dog rabies, so there’s no titer test or quarantine to plan around, and no French export health certificate is required either.
France’s own guidance makes certificate requirements destination-driven, and the CDC’s low-risk pathway only requires the CDC Dog Import Form. If your airline independently requests a general health certificate, France’s process is a private vet exam followed by an official government veterinarian’s signature, with the certificate valid 10 days from issue once obtained — but this only applies if a certificate is actually requested.
Air France’s official site could not be accessed during this research due to a persistent site error. The airline figures on this page are reused from research conducted six days earlier and were not independently re-confirmed — verify directly with Air France before booking.
Most owners can manage this route without professional help — the requirements themselves are minimal.
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. This is especially important for the Air France figures on this page, which weren’t independently re-confirmed at the time of writing.
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.
