Moving to the USA With Pets: Registration, Microchips & Rabies Rules

Moving to the United States with a pet means learning the rules for your new street address, not just the country. Federal entry clearance is one stage; state vaccination rules and city or county licensing are another. Start with your local animal-control authority and a veterinarian licensed in the state.

YOUR ARRIVAL CHECKLIST

Four steps to settling in

Use this as your action list. The timing below is a planning guide; legal deadlines depend on the authority and your pet’s circumstances.

1. 1Update the chip record

   After arrival

   Scan the chip, use AAHA’s lookup and contact the registry holding the record. If needed, ask a US registry such as PetLink about registering the existing chip.

   KEEP AS CONFIRMATION

   US contact details and registry confirmation.

2. 2Confirm rabies compliance

   Before licensing or boarding

   Ask a state-licensed vet and the local authority to review the overseas certificate, vaccine product and due date for your species.

   KEEP AS CONFIRMATION

   Accepted rabies certificate and written next due date.

3. 3Apply for the local licence

   Within your local deadline

   Find the city/county office serving your address. Ask about cats as well as dogs and what proof is required.

   KEEP AS CONFIRMATION

   Licence number, tag and expiry date.

4. 4Set up ongoing care

   Then keep it current

   Choose a vet and emergency hospital; reconcile routine vaccines, parasite prevention and medication. Update the licence and registry after a move.

   KEEP AS CONFIRMATION

   Care plan, emergency number and separate renewal reminders.

Keep the chip record, local registration and veterinary plan together. Completing one does not automatically complete the others.

1. Find the right local licensing office

Search your city or county's official website for animal services or pet licensing. Ask which department serves your exact address, whether dogs and cats both need licences, how soon a newly arrived pet must be registered, and what vaccination, microchip or spay/neuter evidence is required. A city mailing address does not always mean the city administers your licence.

For example, Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control explains dog licensing and cat licensing in the unincorporated areas and participating cities it serves. Its requirements are not a single rule for every Californian address. Check jurisdiction before paying a fee.

2. Check the rabies rule for your state—and your pet's species

Indoor cats are not automatically exempt. These examples show why owners need a local check; they are not an exhaustive fifty-state list.

Destination	What owners need to check
California	State public-health guidance requires rabies vaccination for dogs over four months. There is no statewide cat vaccination requirement, but local ordinances can require it.
New York	New York State guidance explained by Westchester County requires dogs, cats and domesticated ferrets to receive their first rabies vaccination by four months. Keep subsequent doses current.
Texas	Texas DSHS requires dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies by four months by a licensed veterinarian. Carry the signed certificate when travelling with the animal.
Los Angeles County service areas	The county licensing page includes rabies requirements for dogs and cats older than four months, with annual or approved three-year revaccination. Confirm whether that department serves your home.

CDC's veterinary guidance explains that rabies schedules vary with the vaccine product and state and local law. Take your overseas certificate to the local vet and licensing office: ask whether they accept its format, product and validity dates. Do not assume a three-year certificate will automatically satisfy every local process, or that a blood titre replaces a legally required vaccination.

3. Make the microchip traceable locally

Have the existing chip scanned. The AAHA Microchip Registry Lookup helps identify participating registries associated with a chip number; the lookup tool itself does not register your pet. Contact the registry to update your US address, phone and emergency contact, or ask your vet which participating registry can accept an overseas chip.

A microchip record, a rabies certificate and a licence are separate records. Update all relevant records after moving house; updating the veterinary file alone is not enough.

4. Establish routine and emergency veterinary care

Send the new practice your medical history, vaccination documents, prescriptions and test results. Ask it to reconcile vaccine names used overseas with those used locally, and provide written due dates rather than restarting everything automatically.

Discuss core vaccination protection, respiratory-disease requirements for boarding, and locally appropriate parasite prevention. Ask whether your pet's lifestyle or future travel changes the plan. Save the nearest emergency hospital's contact details and confirm how after-hours care works.

Check the CDC dog entry rules again before a future international trip; meeting local licensing requirements does not automatically meet re-entry rules. For day-to-day life, your local licensing authority and vet are the people who can confirm the requirements for your address.

Useful resources: go straight to the right service

These links take you to the organisation responsible for the service. Commercial registries are options, not exclusive recommendations; check acceptance of your chip and current fees before paying.