Pet Transport from Italy to the United States

Italy is not on the CDC's high-risk country list for dog imports, which means dogs from Italy have a straightforward path into the USA. The process involves completing the free CDC Dog Import Form …

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Days quarantine on arrival

Airlines on this route

Step by step

The Italy to United States import process

Before travel. Form is free, valid 6 months for multiple low-risk country entries.

Complete CDC Dog Import Form online and save the receipt

Responsible: Dog owner (online at cdc.gov)

6-8 weeks before travel.

Book cargo space with ITA Airways or American Airlines

Responsible: You or your IATA-registered cargo agent

Within 10 days of travel for airline requirements.

Vet health certificate and EU pet passport

Responsible: Your Italian veterinarian

Dogs from non-high-risk countries can arrive at any US airport. Inspection is brief for compliant pets.

US arrival: CBP/CDC inspection at port of entry

Responsible: CDC/CBP at US port of entry

Requirements

United States entry requirements

Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.

Microchip

Required for all dogs. Must be implanted before rabies vaccination.

Rabies vaccination

Strongly recommended but not required by CDC for pets from non-high-risk countries. Cats: no federal vaccination requirement.

Rabies titre test

Not required. Italy is not on the CDC high-risk country list for dog imports.

Import permit

Not required.

Health certificate

No specific CDC format required for dogs from non-high-risk countries. Standard vet health certificate recommended and required by airlines.

Leaving Italy

Export requirements

Export permit

No formal export permit required from Italy.

Health certificate

Italian official veterinarian or licensed vet issues a health certificate or EU pet passport. Standard vet documentation required by airlines for all cargo shipments.

Costs

What this route typically costs

Transatlantic cargo fee (FCO or MXP to US gateway)

IATA-compliant crate

Italian vet health certificate

IATA-registered cargo agent fee

Critical points

Dogs must be at least 6 months old to enter the USA. This applies regardless of origin country.

The CDC Dog Import Form is free and takes about 15 minutes to complete at cdc.gov. The receipt is what matters at the US border: have it accessible on arrival.

Cats from Italy face no US federal import requirements. No CDC form, no vaccination, no health certificate required at the federal level, though airlines require vet documentation and individual states may have rules.

Airlines

Approved carriers on this route

Airline	Notes	Type
ITA Airways	Cargo from FCO (Rome) and MXP (Milan) to JFK and other US gateways. ITA Airways operates the most direct cargo option on this corridor.	Cargo Only
American Airlines	Cargo from FCO and MXP to DFW, JFK, MIA. American Airlines Cargo accepts live animals on this corridor. Verify current live animal acceptance before booking.	Cargo Only
Delta	Small pets in cabin on some transatlantic routes. No general cargo for pets. Not suitable for large dogs.	Cabin Only
United	Small pets in cabin. United PetSafe cargo is suspended. Not suitable for large dogs on this transatlantic route.	Cabin Only

At a glance: Italy to USA vs other EU-origin routes to the USA

Requirement	Italy to USA	Spain to USA	France to USA	Germany to USA
CDC risk classification	Non-high-risk	Non-high-risk	Non-high-risk	Non-high-risk
CDC Dog Import Form	Yes (free, online)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Titre test	Not required	Not required	Not required	Not required
Quarantine	None	None	None	None
Cats: federal requirements	None	None	None	None
Complexity	Moderate (cargo booking)	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate

All major EU origin countries share the same non-high-risk CDC classification. The documentation and process are identical. The main variable is which airline serves your Italian departure airport on the transatlantic route.

Dogs must be at least 6 months old

The CDC requires all dogs entering the USA, regardless of origin country, to be at least 6 months old at time of entry. This applies to puppies being imported from Italy. If your dog will be under 6 months on the planned travel date, you will need to postpone until the age requirement is met.

This rule applies at all US ports of entry and cannot be waived. If a dog under 6 months arrives, it will be returned to the country of origin at the owner’s expense.

FAQ

Common questions about this route

No. Italy is not on the CDC high-risk country list. Dogs from Italy are treated as coming from a non-high-risk country. The requirement is the free CDC Dog Import Form (completed online before travel), a microchip, and the dog must be at least 6 months old and appear healthy. No titre test, no quarantine, no import permit.

ITA Airways operates direct cargo from Rome Fiumicino (FCO) and Milan Malpensa (MXP) to JFK and other US gateways. American Airlines Cargo also serves this corridor. British Airways offers an indirect route via London. Delta and United accept small pets in cabin on transatlantic routes but do not offer general cargo for large dogs. Confirm current availability before booking.

For dogs from Italy (a non-high-risk country), CDC does not require a USDA-specific format health certificate. However, airlines typically require a standard vet health certificate for all cargo shipments. An EU pet passport or Italian vet-issued health certificate is usually sufficient for airline purposes. The CDC Dog Import Form receipt is the primary customs document.

At the US federal level, there are no requirements for importing pet cats from Italy. USDA APHIS has no health restrictions on cat imports. In practice, airlines require a vet-issued health certificate for cargo or cabin travel, and some US states have their own rules. Check your destination state and your airline’s policy.

Yes. Dogs from non-high-risk countries (including Italy) can arrive at any US airport, seaport, or land border crossing. There is no requirement to arrive at an airport with a CDC-registered facility, unlike dogs from high-risk countries. The CDC/CBP inspection happens at the port of entry and is brief for compliant pets.

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