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Experience a trip where your pet becomes your ultimate adventure partner in a dog rabies-free paradise: Costa Rica. Dogs and cats – all above six months of age – can enter Costa Rica traveling with you at any airport, seaport, and land border crossing.

Entry Requirements for Dogs and Cats Traveling from USA or Other Countries to Costa Rica

To ensure compliance and smooth travel experience for your pet check with your airline the policies and requirements for flying with your pet.  Every airline has its own guidelines based on age, breed and whether your pet is traveling in-cabin, cargo or checked baggage.

If your pet is traveling in-cabin or as checked baggage with you, all you will need to do is to show a pet health certificate at the border inspection entry point. 

If your pet travels alone as cargo, you must hire a local custom broker agency in Costa Rica who will do all the paperwork on your behalf prior to your pet’s arrival so that your pet will have a smooth custom clearance. Any request from your custom broker to customs will be processed within 24 working hours depending on the schedule of the Animal Quarantine Services.  The pet entry requirements to enter Costa Rica to stay temporarily or permanently as companions are:

 The requirements for pets to enter Costa Rica, whether for a temporary stay or permanent companionship, are

International Pet Health Certificate Requirements

Accepted Health Certificates for Pets Traveling from the United States of America 

For U.S. pets, Costa Rica accepts two health certificates issued by USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by either the USDA itself or the APHIS. Either certificate is valid for travel within the 30-days after its issuance date.

A USDA-accredited veterinarian must complete this certificate and submit it through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) to request USDA approval and obtain the necessary digital endorsement.

A USDA-accredited veterinarian must complete APHIS FORM 7001 United States Interstate and International Certificate of Health Examination for Small Animals and submit it to the APHIS for endorsement.

Health Certificates Requirements for Pets Traveling from Countries Other Than the United States of America 

The government official authority (GOA) that oversees and regulates veterinary services in your county is the only institution that can appoint official veterinarians to issue a certificate and endorse your pet international health certificate.

A health certificate that contains one or more annexes must clearly state it inside the certificate. Annexes must be in the letterhead of the GOA.

Every page of the health certificate and annexes must be numbered, signed by an accredited veterinarian in your country, and sealed by the GOA.

Costa Rica only accepts health certificates issued in English or Spanish.  If your pet’s health certificate is in another language, the certificate must be accompanied by a certified Spanish translation issued by an official translator or the GOA in your country.

The issuance date of the certificate should be no more than 2 weeks prior to the arrival date to Costa Rica.

The pet health certificate must contain the following information:

The pet health certificate must include the following statements: 

The dog / cat was examined by a licensed veterinarian, who determined that the animal was healthy, that it did not show tumors nor fresh wounds or wounds in the process of healing, and that it was free of ectoparasites as well as signs of transmissible diseases pertaining to the species. This examination should be conducted within 2 weeks of the departure date.

The animals were treated within the fifteen (15) days prior to exportation with approved veterinary drugs for ecto and endoparasites, ensuring that animals are free of ticks and other external and internal parasites. This shall include date of treatment, brand name, lot number, and the active ingredient of the veterinary drug.

Dogs were vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis.

Cats were vaccinated against feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and panleukopenia.

Dogs and cats over three (3) months of age must be vaccinated against rabies; this vaccine must be valid the day of entry of the pet into the country. The following information must be included on the health certificate: date of vaccination, brand name of vaccine, manufacturer, lot number and period of validity of the vaccine.

Puppies and kittens (dogs / cats) younger than three months should not be vaccinated against rabies; however, the vaccination plan must be certified according to age and species.

Pets coming from the European Union, United Kingdom, and countries members of EFTA (Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) that will return to their country of origin must bring, in addition to the International Veterinary Certificate, a valid rabies antibody titration test with result equal or greater than 0.5 UI/ml.

Please note all above regulations apply only to species of dogs from the Canis lupus families and cats Felis catus domesticus.

Source: Costa Rican Department of Agriculture and Cattle. National Health Animal Service (SENASA). Directorate of Animal Quarantine.  DCA-PG-02-RS-01-IN-007 version 9