Before booking, confirm current requirements with the Thai DLD, your airline and the destination-country authority.
Source check details
The regulated claims and authority links cited on this page were checked on 1 August 2026. Export rules — Thai DLD procedures, destination-country requirements, airline policies and CDC/APHA rules — change without notice. Use this as orientation, then confirm every current requirement with the DLD and the destination country’s authority before booking.
The timeline — dogs from a high-rabies country
CDC rules for dogs changed several times from 2024 onward. The table below is orientation — your dog’s vaccination history and US entry airport determine the exact path. Read the CDC site directly before acting.
| When | Step | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Before booking | Confirm the CDC pathway from the dog’s six-month history. For the foreign-vaccinated high-risk path, verify the microchip and rabies sequence and decide whether to obtain a CDC-approved-lab titer; without a valid titer, the facility reservation includes 28-day quarantine. CDC pathway | Importer + veterinarian + CDC facility |
| Weeks before travel | Complete CDC dog import documentation online; note any required US arrival airports | CDC |
| As the responsible AQS directs | File Thai DLD form R1/1 with the CDC/USDA requirements; there is no universal 15-day deadline in the reviewed procedure | DLD AQS |
| No more than 2–3 days before travel | Attend the mandatory DLD examination; obtain R9 and the health certificate if compliant | DLD procedure |
| US arrival | Arrive at the airport where your reserved CDC-registered animal care facility is located; present CDC documentation, health papers and microchip | CDC / port veterinarian |
CDC rules for dogs — what Thailand triggers
A dog vaccinated outside the United States that has been in Thailand during the six months before entry follows the CDC foreign-vaccinated, high-risk-country pathway. The dog must be at least six months old, appear healthy and have a universally readable microchip implanted before its valid rabies vaccination. Thailand risk list; foreign-vaccinated pathway.
You need an endorsed Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form and a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. You must also reserve a CDC-registered animal care facility and fly directly to the US airport where that facility is located. The facility examines the dog and revaccinates it with a US-licensed rabies vaccine.
A valid rabies serology titer avoids the standard post-arrival quarantine, but it does not remove the facility reservation. Without a valid titer, the reservation must include 28-day quarantine. For a dog starting with its first valid rabies vaccination, the blood sample must be taken at least 30 days after vaccination and at least 28 days before US entry. Recheck the current CDC pathway before booking because vaccination history can change the preparation sequence. CDC source.
Cats — lighter, but not automatic
Cats face fewer CDC restrictions than dogs, but must still be healthy on arrival and may need documentation depending on airline and state rules. Some US states and airlines impose extra requirements beyond the CDC. Confirm cat rules with the CDC, USDA and your airline before booking.
The Thai export side (DLD)
CDC approval does not replace Thailand’s export process:
| Thai-side document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Export application (form R1/1) | Ask the Animal Quarantine Station responsible for the departure port how and when it accepts the application. The current reviewed DLD procedure does not establish one universal email channel or 15-day deadline. |
| Destination import rules | Show the UK/US/Australian import permit or published requirements to the AQS — the Thai health certificate must match. |
| Identification, vaccinations and tests | Carry the records required by the destination and the responsible AQS; requirements depend on the destination and species. |
| Mandatory DLD health examination | The reviewed DLD procedure says the animal must be examined no more than 2–3 days before travel. After a compliant examination, the station issues the R9 export licence and health certificate. DLD source. |
See export process and budget in what export costs.
Common mistakes on this corridor
- Starting with Thailand only — destination testing, forms or an approved-country pathway may have a separate calendar and must be checked first.
- Expired titer or vaccination gap — a lapsed rabies shot can invalidate a titer test and restart months of waiting.
- Mismatched microchip numbers — across Thai export papers, airline booking and destination import forms.
- Skipping the final DLD examination — the reviewed procedure requires a health examination no more than 2–3 days before travel.
- Wrong airport AQS — export paperwork must match the actual departure port; confirm which AQS is responsible.
- Assuming pre-2024 dog-import rules still apply — verify the current CDC page.
- Identification mismatch — follow the current CDC microchip rule and ensure the same identifier appears throughout the records.
- Wrong US arrival airport — a foreign-vaccinated dog must land at the airport where its reserved CDC-registered facility is located.
- Leaving the facility and document review until travel day — the endorsed foreign-vaccination form and facility reservation must already be valid.
If you came the other way, see our guide to From the USA (import).
Departing from Pattaya — confirm the port and DLD sequence
Ask the AQS responsible for the departure port how and when to file R1/1. The reviewed DLD procedure does not establish a universal email intake, 15-day deadline or separate three-day flight-confirmation rule. It requires the animal’s health examination no more than 2–3 days before travel; if compliant, the station issues R9 and the health certificate. DLD procedure. The reviewed DLD map does not list a U-Tapao/Rayong airport AQS, so obtain written DLD confirmation before routing there. DLD AQS map.
Using an agent is optional
An agent cannot change government or airline rules. If you request assistance, obtain an itemised scope and verify each regulated requirement directly with the authority. PattayaPets has not independently measured agents’ prices, error rates or outcomes.
Official sources
US sources: CDC animal import; USDA APHIS pet travel. Mirror import guide: bringing a pet from the USA.
Official sources to verify against: DLD Region 9 export procedure; UK pet travel; CDC animal import (USA); EU pet movement; Japan MAFF Animal Quarantine; Singapore AVS; UAE MOCCAE pet import; Australia DAFF; New Zealand MPI; Canada CFIA; Switzerland FSVO.
Frequently asked
Does my dog need a rabies titer test to enter the USA from Thailand?
A valid titer is not the only entry option for a foreign-vaccinated dog on this pathway, but without one the required CDC-registered facility reservation includes 28-day quarantine. The reservation, examination and US revaccination still apply with a valid titer. CDC source.
Where do I check the current US rules?
The CDC governs disease-control import rules for dogs; USDA APHIS covers animal-health certification. Check both directly, plus your destination US state's requirements, before you book.
Can I use the same health certificate that got my dog into Thailand?
No. Export from Thailand requires a fresh DLD export health certificate and export permit. US entry requires current CDC-compliant documentation for the inbound journey.
Should I use a relocation agent for the USA?
An agent is optional. For a dog on the CDC high-risk-country pathway, ask any agent for an itemised scope and verify each CDC, DLD, facility and airline step directly; PattayaPets has not measured agent outcomes.
How does this relate to bringing a dog TO Thailand from the US?
Different direction, different rules. See our USA-to-Thailand import guide for the inbound path; this page is Thailand to USA only.
Can I fly my pet out of U-Tapao?
The reviewed DLD map does not list a U-Tapao/Rayong airport AQS. That is a verification gap, not proof that no later service exists; obtain written DLD confirmation before booking.
How should I plan the transfer to the departure airport?
Use a vehicle that accepts the animal and crate, confirm the airline’s check-in cut-off and leave route-specific contingency time.
Should I stay near the departure airport?
Decide from the confirmed examination appointment, airline check-in time and road conditions. This guide has no evidence for a universal recommendation.