All you need for Mexico travel with your dog

A magazine cover for a travel blog titled 'Ensenada.' It features a black-and-white photo of a dog wearing a poncho and a small sombrero, lying down. The cover includes text about Cosmo spending Christmas in Ensenada, Baja Mexico, with tips for traveling there with a pet, and shows small black-and-white photos of a map, a coastline, and some food.

What Paperwork do you need at the border or customs?

Crossing the border in a vehicle vs going through customs by air travel in Mexico will be two very different experiences but they do not differ in regard to what documents you need to have in order to cross into Mexico.

Typically when traveling by air your dog will be required to go through a physical inspection at customs and your paperwork will be asked for during this inspection.

Make sure you have the following:

  • Health certificate within 15 days of travel provided by your vet, showing that the dog is in good health (this is not required anymore by Mexico but you may need it when getting back into the states)

  • Rabies vaccination print out that is not expired provided by your vet

What do I need when coming back to the USA?

The USA has the same requirements for paperwork as Mexico but also requires you to fill out a CDC import form before returning back into the country. This form is easy to fill out and lasts 6 months from the date it was submitted.

Here is the list and link to the CDC form for what you need when coming back into the US from Mexico: