Bringing your dog or cat to LA: the easy entry and the hard part

Coming from a rabies-free country makes the US side surprisingly simple. The work is in the Australian export paperwork, the flight and finding a landlord who says yes.

The short version

• Since 1 August 2024, every dog entering the US must be at least six months old, microchipped, healthy on arrival and travel with a CDC Dog Import Form receipt [1][3].
• For dogs that have only been in rabies-free or low-risk countries like Australia for the past six months, that free online form is the only required document [2].
• Leaving Australia is the bigger job: a Notice of Intention to the Department of Agriculture at least 10 working days ahead, a vet exam within 72 hours of the flight, and an export permit and health certificate [5].
• In the City of LA, dogs over four months need a licence, a current rabies vaccination and to be desexed [6][8].
• If you might bring your pet home, start planning that before you leave, because the US mainland is a higher-risk country for Australia's import rules.

The US rules for dogs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) changed the rules for all dogs entering the US on 1 August 2024 [3][4]. What you need depends on where your dog has been in the six months before arrival [1].

Australia has no dog rabies, so a dog flying straight from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane normally falls into the easy group, as long as it hasn't visited a high-risk country in the previous six months [1][2].

You can fill in the form on the day you fly, but CDC suggests doing it a few days to six months ahead [2]. The American Kennel Club recommends carrying vaccination records, a photo and the microchip number anyway, and that's good advice for a long-haul flight [3].

Under these rules, CDC also dropped an earlier requirement for a separate rabies form signed by an official vet in the exporting country [4]. Check CDC's Dog Importation Navigator before you book, because CDC said it would keep reviewing the rules [1][3].

Puppies

The six-month minimum age is the rule that catches people out. If your puppy won't be six months old on arrival day, it can't come yet. Plan the move date around the dog, not the other way round.

Cats

The CDC Dog Import Form is for dogs only. Cats face lighter federal rules, but they still need to be healthy, and your airline and Australian export paperwork still apply. Once you're in LA, local rules kick in: Los Angeles County requires dogs and cats over four months to be vaccinated against rabies [7], and the City of LA requires cats over four months to be desexed, with a limit of five per household [8].

Getting out of Australia

Australia's export process is run by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. You don't need an export licence for a pet, but you do need an export permit and a health certificate, issued once the department is satisfied your pet meets the importing country's rules [5].

1. Talk to an Australian registered vet early. Give them the US requirements in writing; that's your job, not theirs [5].
2. Check the microchip scans properly and the number matches every document.
3. Fill in the CDC Dog Import Form for each dog [2].
4. Lodge a Notice of Intention (NOI) with the department's regional office in your state, at least 10 working days before departure, and pay the assessment fee [5].
5. Final vet exam within 72 hours of departure, where you and your vet sign the pre-export declaration [5].
6. Department appointment. A certifying vet officer checks the paperwork. Fees include a time-based charge for the health certificate and a fee for the export permit [5].
7. Crate check. The travel crate must meet IATA standards and be inspected by your vet [5].
8. Fly within 72 hours of the permit being issued [5]. Keep all export records for at least two years.

If you might bring the pet back within six months, the department says to contact its imports team before you export [5].

The flight and landing at LAX

Most pets leaving Australia fly in the hold or as cargo rather than in the cabin. Each airline sets its own rules on crate sizes, temperature embargoes and snub-nosed breeds such as pugs, French bulldogs and Persian cats. Check before you book your own seat.

A pet flying as cargo is collected from the airline's cargo area around LAX rather than the baggage carousel, which can add hours to an already long trip. Many Australians pay a pet transport company to handle the Australian end and a US agent to meet the pet in LA. Ask for written quotes covering vet work, crate, flight, clearance and delivery, because costs vary widely with the size of the animal and the season.

Settling in: licences, vets and rabies shots

Licensing your dog

Which rules apply depends on your address. The City of Los Angeles and LA County are different jurisdictions, and cities such as Santa Monica, Pasadena and Culver City run their own licensing.

The City of LA's online schedule lists US$20 a year or US$55 for three years for a desexed dog, but that schedule dates from 2010, so check the current fee when you apply [6]. LA County publishes its own 2026 fee schedule [7]. Dogs must wear the tag when off your property and be on a leash outside it [6][8].

The rabies shot

Here's the twist for Aussie pets: dogs in Australia usually haven't had a rabies vaccine, because there's no rabies at home. You don't need one to land, but you'll need one to get an LA licence [6][7]. Book a local vet in your first weeks. Bring your Australian vaccination records so they don't double up on everything else.

Finding a pet-friendly rental

This is where most Aussie pet owners feel the pinch. Many LA buildings say "no pets", restrict dog breeds or weights, or charge monthly pet rent on top of the rent. Expect landlords to ask for a pet reference, vaccination records and sometimes renters insurance with liability cover.

• Search with the pet filter on from day one, and say upfront what you have.
• Bring a pet CV: photo, age, desexing, training and a reference from your Australian landlord or property manager.
• Read the lease for pet clauses, cleaning charges and what counts as damage.
• Check the park situation. Neighbourhoods near dog parks or beaches with dog-friendly hours make daily life easier.

Our renting in Los Angeles guide covers deposits and applications. For vet tips, dog walkers and buildings that really do accept a kelpie, join Cooee USA, our Facebook group for Australians in the USA.

Thinking about the trip home

Bringing a pet back to Australia from the US mainland is far harder than taking it out. It involves rabies vaccination, a blood test, a waiting period and post-entry quarantine at Mickleham in Victoria. Start at least six months before you plan to fly, and keep every vet record from your time in LA. Our guide to bringing your pet home to Australia runs through it.

Sources

1. Bringing a dog into the United States – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
2. Dogs from dog rabies-free or low-risk countries – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
3. New dog import rules in effect – American Kennel Club
4. CDC revises requirements for importing dogs from low-risk countries – Canine Chronicle
5. Exporting companion animals – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
6. Animal licenses – LA Animal Services, City of Los Angeles
7. Pet licensing – Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control
8. Important animal laws – LA Animal Services

Keep reading

• Renting in Los Angeles as an Australian
• Moving to Los Angeles from Australia: the complete guide
• Bringing your pet home to Australia
• Leaving Australia: the checklist before you go