Don’t miss our list of pet-friendly hotels and campsites in Baja!
Requirements if Driving to Mexico with Pets:
As of December 19, 2019, a health certificate is no longer required when bringing a dog or cat into Mexico by vehicle.
Dogs must have a certificate showing they have had a rabies vaccination that is current and was issued at least 30 days prior to entry into Mexico. Cats do not require vaccination paperwork, but will be subject to visual inspection at point of entry.
We also recommend bringing proof of ownership such as registration paperwork to have with you. All pets are subject to inspection at ports of entry into Mexico and into the U.S. and may be subject to further inspection if they appear to be ill.
Pets under the age of three months are, unfortunately, not permitted to travel with you to Mexico.
You are exempt from paying customs import fees if you are traveling with up to three pets. If you are traveling with four or more pets, you must pay a fee of $1,817.00 pesos (about $150 USD). The customs officials will direct you to the cargo area where you will complete the process via the commercial import procedure.
For coming back to the U.S. with your pet, the U.S. does not currently require proof of rabies for pets returning from Mexico.
Mexico only considers cats and dogs to be pets. For regulations regarding pets other than cats and dogs, please refer to Senasica website for information about bringing them into Mexico and the CDC website for information about bringing pets back to the U.S
If you’re driving down the peninsula with your dog, don’t miss our list of pet-friendly hotels and campsites in Baja!
Requirements if Flying to Mexico with Pets:
The airlines have separate requirements and as of right now, the airport in Cabo is still requiring a health certificate for pets flying into Baja. Be sure to check with your airline about specific requirements directly before flying with a pet. For more information, see the USDA website.
For those flying into Mexico with pets, an international health certificate is still currently required for all cats or dogs traveling with you to Mexico. This is a certificate issued by your veterinarian that must be on letterhead and issued within eight days before you are entering Mexico. It must include the following information:
- The date and expiration of most recent rabies vaccination
- The owners name and address
- A description of the pet: species, age, sex
- That the pet has been examined and is free of contagious diseases
- The veterinarian license number
In addition to the health certificate, dogs must also have a certificate showing they have had a rabies vaccination that is current and was issued at least 30 days prior to entry into Mexico.
Both dogs and cats are required to have proof from the veterinarian that the cat or dog is free from internal and external parasites (tapeworm and ticks) and has been treated against these in the past six months. Please note that all pets flying into Mexico will require the completed health certificate from a U.S. veterinarian, the parasite proof from a U.S. veterinarian, and vaccination records (dogs only) before they will be released to leave the airport.
Cats do not require vaccination paperwork, but will be subject to visual inspection at point of entry.
You must present the original health certificate and a copy of the certificate at your port of entry. Once you have presented the above information, an Animal Health Import Certificate will be issued to you for your pet.
We also recommend bringing proof of ownership such as registration paperwork to have with you. All pets are subject to inspection at ports of entry into Mexico and into the U.S. and may be subject to further inspection if they appear to be ill.
Pets must be in a clean and clear travel carrier with no other toys, treats, beds, or other objects in the carrier.
Pets under the age of three months are, unfortunately, not permitted to travel with you to Mexico.
You are exempt from paying customs import fees if you are traveling with up to three pets. If you are traveling with four or more pets, you must pay a fee of $1,817.00 pesos (about $150 USD). The customs officials will direct you to the cargo area where you will complete the process via the commercial import procedure.
For coming back to the U.S. with your pet, the U.S. does not currently require proof of rabies for pets returning from Mexico.
Mexico only considers cats and dogs to be pets. For regulations regarding pets other than cats and dogs, please refer to Senasica website for information about bringing them into Mexico and the CDC website for information about bringing pets back to the U.S
Don’t miss our list of pet-friendly hotels and campsites in Baja!
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE LINKS:
APHIS Information on Pet Travel from the U.S. to Mexico
International Health Certificate Form