Pet Shipping from the USA to Mexico
Mexico is one of the easiest destinations for a pet from the United States. There is no quarantine, no import permit, and a health certificate is no longer required; your pet is simply inspected on arrival to confirm it is healthy and traveling in a clean carrier. Pet Travel Advisors confirms the simple paperwork, books the right route, and arranges the crate so your pet’s journey stays calm and easy.
Every Pet Travels
Differently
Different destinations, different routes, different challenges.
Because timelines, airline rules, and Mexico’s entry requirements all affect each other, we build a plan that fits your pet and your move date.
Destination-Focused Planning
We use Mexico's official SENASICA import rules as the baseline, then turn them into a simple checklist you can follow.
Smart Routing and Logistics
We help choose practical routes, travel windows, and handoff procedures so your pet’s trip is safer and more predictable.
Personalized Support
Pet Travel Advisors assigns a move coordinator who keeps you updated and checks details before travel so nothing important is missed.
Pet Shipping from the USA to Mexico
Moving a pet to Mexico is simple and overseen by SENASICA, with a health inspection at the animal health office on arrival rather than a pile of pre-travel paperwork. If you would like a simple overview of international moves first, start here. Bringing a pet the other way, into the United States? See our US import guide.
- confirm what applies to your pet and route
- map out a realistic timeline
- coordinate vet steps and paperwork
- support crate readiness and routing
confirm what applies to your pet and route
How Pet Shipping from the USA to Mexico Works
To keep everything clear, we break the process into steps:
Verify requirements and timing
We confirm what rules apply based on your pet and travel details.
Build your plan and timeline
We map out what happens when, so steps are completed in the right order.
Coordinate vet preparation
We help keep appointments and timing aligned with what’s required.
Review documents for consistency
We check the details that cause delays (microchip digits, dates, names, signatures).
Confirm crate readiness and routing
We help align crate setup and routing with airline handling expectations.
Travel and arrival processing
We guide you on travel-day handoff and what to expect on arrival.
We keep your checklist aligned with the official rules. For the US export side, we follow USDA APHIS guidance for US to Mexico travel. For the Mexico entry rules, we follow the SENASICA guidance for traveling with pets.
Approved Routes and Entry into Mexico
Pets travel to Mexico by air or across the land border. On arrival, you visit the animal health inspection office, where officials confirm your pet is healthy and the carrier is clean. We confirm the best route and make sure you know exactly what happens at the inspection.
- routing options can change based on airline availability and season
- we confirm the best practical route before booking
- we make sure your plan matches what’s expected at intake
Entry Requirements and Documentation for Mexico
Import Eligibility for Pets
There is no quarantine for pets entering Mexico from the United States. On arrival, officials check that your pet has no signs of illness, no external parasites, and no fresh or healing wounds, and that the carrier is clean. We make sure your pet and its crate are ready so the inspection is quick.
Before scheduling vet steps or flights, we confirm what rules apply to your pet and whether airline policies affect travel. Most moves are dogs and cats, though we handle other pets too, and the requirements can differ by species. Eligibility can come down to your pet’s type and health, airline rules for certain breeds or conditions, the documentation and timing, and which routes are available. Ready to start? Request a quote.
Health Preparation and Documentation
This changed on 3 August 2026, and it changed for dogs only. Every dog traveling from the United States to Mexico now needs an NWS Inspection Certificate for Pet Dogs, covering New World screwworm, signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian no more than five days before arrival. It does not need APHIS endorsement, so it does not add an endorsement fee, but without it your dog will not be accepted. Source: USDA APHIS, pet travel to Mexico, checked August 2026.
Cats are unaffected. Mexico still requires no health certificate for a cat, and officials inspect it on arrival. For either species we recommend carrying proof of a current rabies vaccination, given at least fifteen days before travel, and records of recent internal and external parasite treatment, since these are commonly asked for. We make sure your pet travels in a clean carrier and that any documents you do carry are in order.
| Requirement | Mexico, from the United States |
|---|---|
| Screwworm certificate | Dogs only. An NWS Inspection Certificate for Pet Dogs, signed by a USDA accredited veterinarian no more than 5 days before arrival. In force since 3 August 2026 |
| Health certificate | No longer required by Mexico. Your pet is inspected at the animal health office on arrival instead |
| Import permit | None |
| Carrier | Clean, with no bedding, food or litter that could carry pests |
| Quarantine | None |
| Cats | Exempt from the screwworm certificate |
Planning Timeline for Pet Shipping to Mexico
Mexico is one of the fastest moves to arrange. A typical timeline runs like this: a consultation and a quick check of your pet’s records, a rabies vaccination if it is not current, a microchip if your airline needs one, then booking the route, getting a clean crate ready, and travel, with the health inspection handled on arrival.
Planning the budget? See what shipping a pet from the USA to Mexico costs, fee by fee.
Considering Panama as well? Our Panama page covers the five vaccine list and the consular stamp that goes on after the USDA endorsement.
What does it cost to ship a pet from the USA to Mexico?
A dog or cat moving on this route typically runs $800 to $2,400 all in, depending on your pet’s crate size and the season.
Costs depend on your pet’s size and crate, the route and airline, and whether the move is door to door. The fastest way to get a real number is a quote based on your origin city and travel date. Request a quote here.
For the itemized breakdown, with every government fee linked to the authority that publishes it, see our full cost breakdown for this route.
What are the requirements to bring a pet into Mexico from the USA?
A health certificate is no longer required to enter Mexico. Your pet is inspected on arrival to confirm it is healthy, free of external parasites, and traveling in a clean carrier. We recommend carrying proof of a current rabies vaccination given at least fifteen days before travel.
Does my pet have to go into quarantine in Mexico?
No. There is no quarantine for pets entering Mexico from the United States. Officials simply do a health inspection on arrival.
How long does the process take?
Mexico is one of the fastest destinations. Most moves come together quickly around your airline’s schedule, since there is no import permit or pre-travel health certificate.
Can any dog or cat qualify?
Most healthy dogs and cats qualify easily. We confirm your airline’s crate and microchip rules and recommend keeping rabies and parasite records on hand.
How does Pet Travel Advisors help with a move to Mexico?
We confirm the simple paperwork, book the route and a clean crate, explain the arrival inspection, and stay with the move through arrival.