Cost To Endorse Your Pet's Health Certificate

Last Modified: March 17, 2024

How much do I pay USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to endorse my pet’s health certificate?

The fees listed in the table below apply to each health certificate endorsed by APHIS. Payment must be provided before an APHIS Veterinary Export Trade Services Endorsement Office can endorse the health certificate.  

The following methods of payment are accepted:

  • APHIS user fee credit account
  • Check or money order (made payable to USDA)
  • Credit or debit card
    • For payment of health certificates submitted by overnight shipping, use the credit card information sheet (90 KB) to provide your credit or debit card information and include the sheet in your shipping package.

If you have questions about the cost of the endorsement of a health certificate or payment method, or if the pet is traveling to multiple countries, contact your local APHIS endorsement office . 

APHIS does not charge endorsement fees for service animals (dogs) belonging to individuals with disabilities as defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Although APHIS recognizes the importance of all animals in their owners’ lives, health certificate endorsement fees are charged for emotional support animals and any other animal not officially covered by the ADA. 

Not all animals qualify for pet travel.

What is considered a pet? A pet is a privately owned companion animal not intended for research or resale and includes only certain animal groups.

Find out if your pet qualifies to travel

Your animal doesn't qualify for pet travel and is subject to different import regulations and export regulations if you:

  • Don't see your pet listed below.
  • Are exporting semen or embryos from any animal.
  • Have a pet that's considered livestock or poultry, like pigs or chickens.

The following animals qualify as pets, meaning they're subject to pet travel requirements:

 

Dogs
Cats
Ferrets
Rabbits
Rodents
Hedgehogs/Tenrecs
Reptiles
Amphibians
Birds (not all types—see below)

The following birds DON'T qualify as pets, meaning they're subject to different regulations:

Because they may carry and transmit certain diseases to the U.S. poultry industry, these birds are regulated as poultry.

  • Chickens
  • Doves
  • Ducks
  • Geese
  • Grouse
  • Guinea fowl
  • Partridges
  • Pea fowl
  • Pheasants
  • Pigeons
  • Quail
  • Swans
  • Turkeys

View import regulations and export regulations if the type of animal you have does not qualify as a pet.

Endorsement Fees for Export (International) Health Certificates for Pets

Number of Laboratory Tests*
Note: Vaccines are not considered tests nor are they considered when calculating fees.
Number of Pets Associated Fee per Certificate
0Any$38.00 per certificate
1–21$121.00
1–22 or more$121.00 for the first pet, plus $7.00 for each additional pet on the same certificate 
3–61$150.00
3–62 or more$150.00 for the first pet, plus $12.00 for each additional pet on the same certificate  
7 or more1$173.00
7 or more2 or more$173.00 for the first pet, plus $14.00 for each additional pet on the same certificate  
* Applies to testing performed at a diagnostic laboratory (for example, the FAVN or RFFIT rabies titer tests). Vaccinations are not considered tests.
Not all countries allow more than one pet on a health certificate. In these instances, the fee rate for a single pet will apply to each health certificate.