Bringing a dog to Canada in 2026
Last updated: September 24, 2026: verified against the CFIA Import Reference Document and CFIA guidance on bringing animals to Canada.
Canada is one of the easiest countries to bring a dog into, but the rule is not a single rule. CFIA splits dogs by age and by whether they are a personal pet or a commercial import, and the thresholds at 3 months and 8 months decide what paperwork you carry. Get the age band wrong and you arrive at the border with the wrong certificate.
Three age bands, not one rule
Canada decides on age and on whether your dog is a personal pet or a commercial import. The dividing lines are 3 months and 8 months, and they change what you must carry.
3 and 8 months are the dividing lines
The Canadian decision tree
Canada does not apply one rule to every dog. CFIA applies a combination of the dog's age and its country of origin, and the answer changes at 3 months and at 8 months. Work out which line you are on before you book anything.
- Under 3 months: A dog under 3 months of age needs no rabies vaccination and no rabies certificate. CFIA states this exemption explicitly.
- 3 to 8 months, travelling with you: A pet dog between 3 and 8 months old entering with its owner follows the rules of its country of origin: a rabies vaccination certificate, or the rabies-free country conditions, or an RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml taken at least 30 days after any prior rabies vaccination, with the dog identified on the laboratory report.
- 8 months or older, from a rabies-free country: A dog 8 months or older from a rabies-free country may enter with a veterinary certificate showing rabies has not existed there for the 6 months before shipment, and that the dog was in that country for those 6 months or since birth.
- 8 months or older, from any other country: A dog 8 months or older from a country not designated rabies-free needs a valid rabies vaccination certificate in English or French, issued by a licensed veterinarian in the country of origin and showing the dog is currently vaccinated, or an RNATT of at least 0.5 IU/ml taken 3 to 4 weeks after any prior rabies vaccination.
The commercial trap
Dogs under 8 months imported for commercial end uses (breeding, resale, adoption, fostering, exhibition, research) face additional CFIA conditions and must be inspected by a CFIA veterinarian at the airport or land border crossing.
A pet dog under 8 months travelling without its owner must carry a veterinarian's certificate, signed and legibly named in the vet's own handwriting, stating the dog was examined not less than 8 weeks of age, free of clinical disease, and vaccinated at 6 weeks or older against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. The dog must be imported within 72 hours of that examination.
What it costs
- Vet certificate and rabies vaccination in the country of origin, at your vet's rates.
- RNATT laboratory test, if you use that route instead of a vaccination certificate: about $150 to $350 with the blood draw.
- No permit fee for personal pets, and no quarantine fee, because Canada does not quarantine them.
- Airline or road transport, priced by the carrier.
Frequently asked questions
Do dogs need quarantine to enter Canada?
No. CFIA states that pet dogs imported from any country are not subject to post-import quarantine in Canada.
Does a puppy under 3 months need a rabies vaccination to enter Canada?
No. A dog under 3 months of age does not require rabies vaccination or a rabies certificate to enter Canada.
What does a dog 8 months or older from the USA need to enter Canada?
The USA is a rabies-free country for CFIA purposes, so a dog 8 months or older may enter with a veterinary certificate showing rabies has not existed in the country for the 6 months before shipment and that the dog was there for those 6 months, or with a valid rabies vaccination certificate from a licensed veterinarian.
Are the rules different for dogs under 8 months?
Yes, and the dividing lines are 3 months and 8 months. Pet dogs under 8 months travelling with their owner follow the rules of their country of origin, and commercial dogs under 8 months face extra CFIA conditions and a mandatory inspection.
Can I bring a rescue dog from Mexico to Canada?
Not on the personal-pet route if it is under 8 months and intended for adoption: that is a commercial end use, which triggers CFIA conditions and an inspection by a CFIA veterinarian at the border.
Official sources
- CFIA, Import Reference Document (the legal text for dogs and cats): https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/imports/import-policies/general/reference-document
- CFIA, bringing animals to Canada: importing and travelling with pets: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets
- CFIA, importing dogs (buying and adopting, red flags and requirements): https://inspection.canada.ca/en/importing-food-plants-animals/pets/dogs
PetPass Ready is an independent tool and is not affiliated with the CFIA or any government agency. The CFIA is the controlling source: check it before you travel.