Bringing a dog or cat from the United States into Canada? Personal pets need a rabies vaccination certificate if they’re 3 months or older, a valid rabies vaccine, and to appear healthy at the border. There’s no CFIA-mandated microchip for personal pets, no import permit, and — unlike arrivals from most other countries — no CBSA inspection fee. This guide covers exactly what CFIA and CBSA require, plus a quick look at the reverse trip south.
Whether you’re a Toronto snowbird heading to Florida for the winter, relocating for a new job, or an American moving into a condo in Mississauga, crossing the Canada-US border with a pet means satisfying two different regulators depending on direction: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for entry into Canada, or the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for entry into the United States. This guide focuses on entering Canada from the US — the northbound direction — since that’s where most of our clients’ questions come from.
Do You Need a Rabies Vaccination Certificate?
It depends entirely on your pet’s age at the time of entry:
- Under 3 months old: No rabies certificate is required. You’ll need proof of the dog’s age from a veterinarian, and the dog must appear healthy and meet humane transportation requirements.
- 3 months or older: Your dog must have been vaccinated against rabies at 3 months of age or older, and you must present a rabies vaccination certificate at the border.
The certificate must be in English or French (or officially translated), issued and signed by a licensed veterinarian, and identify your pet by age, breed, sex, colour/markings, and microchip or tattoo number if applicable. It also needs the rabies vaccination date, vaccine trade name and serial number, and the vaccine’s validity period — if no validity period is stated, CFIA treats it as valid for 1 year from the date of vaccination.
Source: CFIA — Importing and travelling with pets
Do You Have to Pay a CBSA Inspection Fee?
Good news if you’re coming from the US: the standard CFIA/CBSA inspection fee — CAD $36.95 for the first animal and CAD $6.16 for each additional animal, effective 31 March 2026 — does not apply to dogs, cats or ferrets arriving from the United States. That exemption is specific to the US; it doesn’t apply to pets arriving from other countries, including the EU.
There’s one fee that does apply regardless of where you’re coming from: if a border officer issues a vaccination order because your paperwork isn’t in order (see below), that’s CAD $67.75 for the first animal and CAD $36.95 for each additional animal — and this one applies to every country, including the US.
Source: CBSA — Inspections and fees
Is a Microchip Required?
For a personal pet, no. CFIA does not require a microchip or tattoo for a personally-owned dog imported as a pet, or for a domestic cat. The exception is commercial dogs under 8 months old (dogs imported for retail sale, breeding, exhibition, research, or adoption/animal-welfare purposes) — those must carry an electronic microchip. If your dog already has a microchip, CFIA will record the number on the rabies certificate, but a personal pet doesn’t need one to cross the border.
Source: CFIA — Importing and travelling with pets
Personal vs. Commercial Imports
CFIA draws a sharp line between a personal pet and a commercial dog. If you’re bringing your own dog or cat into Canada to live with you, it’s personal — just the rabies certificate above, no import permit. If a dog is being imported for resale, adoption facilitation by an organization, fostering, breeding, or exhibition, it’s classified as commercial, and commercial imports require a CFIA import permit before the dog leaves the US. To understand these categories in more depth, see our guide to commercial dog imports under 8 months.
What Happens If Your Documentation Isn’t in Order?
Border agents take these rules seriously, and a friendly explanation won’t substitute for the paperwork. If your dog doesn’t meet the rabies certificate requirements, CFIA does not impose a fixed quarantine period — instead, the owner must, at their own expense, have the animal vaccinated against rabies within a specified period of time and present the vaccination record to a CFIA Animal Health Office (the vaccination-order fee above applies). For broader non-compliance, CFIA can also order the animal removed from Canada, and fines or legal action are possible. The safest path is simply arriving with a complete, correctly-dated rabies certificate.
Source: CFIA — Importing and travelling with pets
Arriving at Toronto Pearson
Many of our clients’ pets enter Canada through Toronto Pearson International Airport, where CFIA and CBSA officers inspect pet documentation on arrival. Give yourself extra time at the airport, and keep your rabies certificate accessible rather than packed away.
Traveling South Instead? A Quick Look at Entering the US
If you’re heading the other way — Canada into the United States — the rules are set by the CDC, not CFIA, and they’re different. For a dog that has only ever been in Canada, Mexico, or the US (no recent travel to a high-risk rabies country), you’ll need to complete the free CDC Dog Import Form online before you travel, and your dog must:
- Be at least 6 months old — the CDC applies this minimum even to dogs coming from a low-risk country like Canada, with no stated exception.
- Have a microchip detectable by a universal scanner — any brand is fine; CDC does not require an ISO-specific chip.
- Appear healthy at the port of entry.
One rule worth flagging so it doesn’t cause confusion: CDC’s “Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination” and the 31 July 2025 export-certificate cutoff only apply to dogs that were vaccinated in the US and then travelled to a high-risk rabies country before returning. For an ordinary Canada-to-US trip, that rule doesn’t come into play — the CDC Dog Import Form covers it.
For the full picture, see our dedicated guides: Traveling with Your Dog to the USA from Canada and Bringing a Dog into the United States. Source: CDC — Rabies-Free or Low-Risk Countries and CDC Dog Importation FAQs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my dog need a rabies certificate to enter Canada from the US?
Only if your dog is 3 months old or older. Dogs under 3 months need only proof of age from a vet and a clean bill of health — no rabies certificate required.
Is a microchip required to bring my pet into Canada?
Not for a personal pet. CFIA doesn’t mandate a microchip for personally-owned dogs or domestic cats. Only commercial dogs under 8 months old require one.
Will I have to pay a CBSA inspection fee coming from the US?
No — the standard $36.95/$6.16 CFIA inspection fee doesn’t apply to pets arriving from the United States. The only fee that can apply from any country, including the US, is the $67.75/$36.95 vaccination-order fee if your documentation isn’t in order.
What happens if my pet’s paperwork isn’t in order at the border?
CFIA doesn’t impose a fixed quarantine. Instead, you’d need to have your pet vaccinated against rabies within a specified time and present proof to a CFIA Animal Health Office, at your own expense, plus pay the vaccination-order fee.
Do I need an import permit for my personal pet?
No. Import permits are a commercial-import requirement — for dogs being resold, adopted through an organization, fostered, bred, or exhibited. A personal pet just needs the rabies certificate (if 3+ months old).
What do I need to bring my dog into the US from Canada?
For a dog that’s only ever been in Canada, Mexico, or the US, you’ll complete the free CDC Dog Import Form online, and your dog must be at least 6 months old, have a universal-scanner-readable microchip, and appear healthy.
Does the rabies certificate need to be dated a certain number of days before arrival?
CFIA doesn’t state a fixed “days before arrival” issuance window for personal pets — what matters is that the vaccine itself is still within its validity period (1 year by default) at the time you arrive.
Let Us Handle the Border Crossing
Cross-border pet moves involve a lot of moving pieces — paperwork, timing, and a pet who just wants to feel safe. As your international pet relocation partner, we handle the logistics of your pet’s Canada-US crossing so you don’t have to navigate it alone. Whether you’re coming from Florida, New York, or anywhere else in the US, call us at 647-477-5858 or reserve your ride to get started.
