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Travel Express

Usda travel express.

Welcome to the USDA Travel Express website, the Department’s resource guide for travelers, approving officials, and travel administrators. Its purpose is to help you locate the information you need quickly and easily, based on your role in traveling or managing travel.

Travelers and Travel Preparers

Travelers and preparers now have at their fingertips access to the latest travel training materials, the ConcurGov Quick Reference Guides, travel resources, and USDA travel charge card information for domestic and foreign travel.

Federal Agency Travel Administrators

The Travel Training provides Federal Agency Travel Administrators with the resources they need to effectively support their travelers, as well as administer the USDA travel system.

Approving Officials

Approving Officials can obtain guidance to help ensure that they meet their responsibilities for reviewing and approving travel authorizations and vouchers and comply with the rules and regulations outlined in the Federal Travel Regulations and USDA travel policy.

LOGIN TO CONCURGOV

The ConcurGov works the way your agency works - adapting to your workflow and detailed travel policies. With ConcurGov, government travelers and managers can easily create, review, approve and process travel authorizations and vouchers. ConcurGov provides accurate entitlements, fast reimbursement, increased control and completed visibility into travel spending processes. ConcurGov's detailed reports give visibility into how employees spend money.

You may also visit the USDA CGE Travel Training Site for quick help guides. You can also access ConcurGov Training from the ConcurGov Homepage under Resources once you log into the system.

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Traveling with Your Pet Doesn't Have to be Complicated!

Planning an international adventure with your furry friend? Venturing to another state, or preparing for a cross-country move? You’ve come to the right place! We are your trusted companion in pet travel.

Our mission is to make your pet’s journey as seamless, safe and enjoyable as possible. We’ll help you locate a nearby veterinarian who can assist you with the required exams, treatments, documents and health certificates for pet travel – in just 3 easy steps!

Get your pet travel-ready with our help!

Every travel destination has its own set of pet travel requirements. It can be difficult to organize your journey without the right resources!

We’re here to provide you with valuable resources, help you connect with an accredited veterinarian near you, and support you in discovering the exciting world of pet-friendly travel.

Our Pet Travel Assistant is an intelligent, user-friendly platform that will provide you with:

Step 1: Tell us your needs.

Tell our Pet Travel Assistant your needs to receive your required pet travel documents in a snap!

Pet Travel Assistant

Simply fill out the Pet Travel Assistant form below, and we’ll send you a handy list of all the documents and steps you’ll need to ensure your pet’s safe and happy travels.

Once you submit the form, keep an eye on your email inbox. We’ll send you all the essential travel information for your upcoming trip. And if you need a hand with exams, treatments, or paperwork, our Find-A Vet tool is here to connect you with a friendly local veterinary clinic ready to assist you and your pet!

What kind of pet are you traveling with?

Where do you plan to travel, which airport are you traveling to, when are you traveling, step 2: find a vet.

Use our Find-A-Vet tool to locate a local veterinary clinic!

Find-a-Vet Tool

Get a list of USDA accredited veterinarians in your area! Our easy-to-use Find-a-Vet tool is designed to simplify the process of finding a local veterinarian who can issue the necessary documentation to meet travel regulations.

Rest assured that you won’t face unforeseen circumstances resulting in travel disruptions, legal complications, quarantine, or risks to your pet’s health.

Step 3: Travel, worry-free.

Travel worry-free with your furry friend!

• Pawrent Adventures

In just three simple steps, you’re ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure with your beloved pup or kitty! Join our pet-loving community to share photos and highlights from your travels with other pawrents.

“ Being able to take my best friend with me on my lengthy Mexico vacation meant everything to me. I couldn't stand leaving her behind knowing she loves the beach just as much as I do! ” Erika Pena

“ Rana is a rescue. We recently relocated for a few months from Utah to Hawaii and she is loving it! We are glad we are able to have her with us and explore this beautiful place. ” Mariela

“ Chico took his first 36 hours road trip from Graham, NC to Michoacán, Mexico! He’s always loved being on the road❤️ ” Chico Mendoza

“ We're moving onto a 44ft. catamaran that we're picking up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and sailing back to the States, so of course we had to bring the three cats with us. They got a much needed reprieve from their carriers in the airport during the 27 hours of travel. Two of them use use the suitcase as a bed here in the apartment, clearly ready to continue the travels! the one item we're still trying to determine, is what the water bowl will be for them on the boat... ” Sara Hale

“ Thunder is like my son. I couldn’t imagine going on a trip without him. That being said, It’s meant the world to be able to have him alongside me for every adventure! Many more memories to come thanks to GlobalVetLink Health certificates! ” Karina

“ It was so surreal to bring Kaya back to my home on Kauai. It was amazing to see how happy she was running free and chasing chickens. I’ve never seen her smile so big. My heart exploded with joy! ” Cory Hom-Weaver

“ Xolo-Chi living his best life and making memories with us. His Dad and I are lucky his size allows us to travel with him. Moe has lived in Shanghai for 6months, been to Mexico twice and goes on any boating and hiking adventures that are safe enough for him. Moe is 14yrs old this May and we are hoping for more adventures to come! ” Stephanie & Moe

Stay in-the-know with expert tips, advice and news related to compliant and safe pet travel.

Simplifying Your Pet’s Journey: The Benefits of Using a Pet Transportation or Relocation Service

Avoid These Common Mistakes When Complying with USDA Pet Travel Regulations

From Airports to Borders: Navigating USDA Pet Travel Regulations Across Different Destinations

Additional pet travel resources.

Looking for more information before flying with your dog or traveling with your cat? Check out our FAQs for helpful tips and answers to your questions!

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The Role USDA Plays in Pet Travel

Home » For Breeders » The Role USDA Plays in Pet Travel

Ensure Your Furry Friend's Comfort!

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CitizenShipper is proud to be labeled the safest place to find a transporter for your pets. You don’t need any formal qualifications or specific experience to set up a business as a pet transporter — but a professional pet transporter needs to offer more than merely providing a taxi service for domestic animals. The pet transportation industry falls under the jurisdiction of the USDA – which stands for the United States Department of Agriculture. There’s a separate division of this government entity called the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) that issues guidelines regarding intra and interstate domestic animal relocation . This section will focus on the role of the USDA in pet travel. Section 1 will cover the important guidelines to follow when progressing through the journey as a professional pet transporter on CitizenShipper. Section 2 will cover what CitizenShipper offers you with our professional drivers .

For Pet Transporters

A person with a commercial business that moves animals from one location to another is considered a transporter under the Animal Welfare Act — transporters must be registered with the USDA as a Class T – Carrier. Examples of transporters include commercial airlines and trucking companies. It’s smart to become registered as a Class T – Carrier because customers will find that as a safe and secure option. You will not only be viewed as safe, but someone they can trust with their pet.

How to Apply for USDA T Registration

Before you begin, watch this tutorial:

Filing an application for a USDA T Registration is completely free of charge. Not only is it free, it’s easy and takes just a few minutes of your time! To get started, follow the steps below:

• Step 1: Access the T Registration form from the video above using our custom form .
• Step 2: Fill out the boxes following the recommendations from the tutorial above.
• Step 3: We email the document to [email protected] for you, using the following subject – USDA Registration Application – Class T – Carrier .
• Step 4: After you receive the certificate, visit the USDA section of our website and submit for verification. Then, you’ll receive a USDA checkmark on your profile.

A USDA checkmark has become a very important feature for driver profiles. More than 2/3 of all winning drivers on CitizenShipper display verified USDA registration on their profile! Learn more about submitting your USDA T Registration in this article . Under the recent registration rule change to the AWA, registrants are no longer required to update every 3 years and will remain active unless they contact USDA in writing to cancel. Registrants are not required to obtain an updated copy, however, if they would like to, the request may be sent to [email protected]. Please note, there may be a delay in obtaining an updated certificate. At any point in time during your registration process, we recommend you familiarize yourself with the most important guidelines in the USDA Blue Book . This document is also downloadable as a PDF at the bottom of this article.

Finally, be advised that the USDA does not allow you to transport pets under 8 weeks old.

For more guidelines on minimum age requirements, please read this APHIS document . If you see a shipment posted on our site that’s outside of these guidelines, please report it to [email protected] .

Steps After Receiving Your USDA Class T Registration

1. learn how to stay compliant.

The best place to learn about compliance under the Animal Welfare Act as a transporter is the USDA Blue Book. Chapters that you should focus most of your attention on include:

• Standards and certification process for humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals
• Primary enclosures used to transport live dogs and cats
• All definitions and regulations regarding interstate commercial travel

Becoming familiar with these will help you get satisfactory ratings from your inspections and establish yourself as a reputable business.

2. Preparing for Inspection

USDA’s Animal Care personnel perform two major types of inspections: pre-licensing inspections and unannounced compliance inspections. The latter may occur after your registration has been issued. Each person applying for a license must demonstrate that his or her premises and animals comply with the regulations and standards of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Animal Care personnel may inspect animal facilities, vehicles, equipment, and other sites used for business or intended for business use. Pre-registration inspections are not required under the Act, but facilities may request one. Post registration inspections are always unannounced. During either of these, inspectors will review the premises, facilities, husbandry practices, records and animal handling procedures. The Program of Veterinary Care is required for license holders (A breeders, B dealers, C exhibitors), but not registrants (carriers and intermediate handlers). It’s important that you familiarize yourself with best practices from the Blue Book.

3. Create a Contingency Plan for Emergencies

As an animal transporter or any other entity regulated under the Animal Welfare Act, you’re required to make an emergency contingency plan. This plan describes what you’ll do to safeguard your animals during emergencies or disasters. Your contingency plan must address four things:

• When will you activate your plan?
• What actions will you take?
• Who is responsible for taking those actions?
• How will you accomplish them?

Use the information on this link to guide your contingency planning. Once you become familiar with some of the guidelines and best practices, head over to the Contingency Plan form and create your own emergency plan.

USDA/APHIS Regulations

The USDA and APHIS are the organizations that issue guidelines on everything that has to do with pet transportation and pet travel, including certifications for pet transporters . So, now that you have read about how to become registered as a Class T – Carrier and steps of what to do after you receive the registration, you need to take a look at the regulations of the USDA on pet travel and pet transport. Important Note: Take a look at this page , in case you are wondering about USDA licensing, which is usually directed at breeders, dealers or exhibitors.

Definition of a Pet

According to the USDA, not all animals qualify as pets. You may think your pet llama that roams around in your yard is a pet, but the USDA has different guidelines. A pet is a privately owned animal that is not used for research or resale purposes. They include the following animal groups only: dog, cat, ferrets, rodents, rabbits, hedgehogs, reptiles and amphibians. Birds are in a classification category of their own. Sometimes birds carry diseases that can be detrimental to the US poultry industry, thus they aren’t allowed to be transported. Those birds include: chickens, doves, ducks, geese, grouse, guinea fowl, partridges, peafowl, pheasants, pigeons, quail, swans and turkeys. All other animals are not classified as pets and will not be treated as such by the USDA, which means that transportation is based on interstate requirements (outlined below).

Interstate Regulations

Interstate regulations are needed when there is travel for animals that are not deemed pets by the USDA. These regulations are provided to prevent the spread of animal disease and are strictly made to quarantine, restrict the movement, maintain the sanitation and identify those animals. Veterinarians accredited by the USDA must certify these animals, which can include livestock, birds and poultry for intrastate and interstate transportation. These veterinarians provide certificates of veterinary inspection, which are required for USDA approved pet travel. Find a list of states’ Department of Agriculture pages on the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture website. Find a list of State Animal Health Officials on the United States Animal Health Association website.

Animal Welfare Act

The Animal Welfare Act was established in 196 to set out rules to protect animals from abuse. The law is several pronged and sets out regulations for breeders, researchers who test on animals, but also ensures animal care by other entities, including businesses, transporters and exhibitors. Enforcement usually comes in the form of inspections. Animal care personnel come in to conduct two major types of inspections: pre-licensing inspections and unannounced compliance inspections. They are both very important to adhere to. Besides these inspections, they also respond to complaints from the public. If a business or entity has not complied with the regulations set out by the Animal Welfare Act, they are issued a warning that they must correct within a certain time frame. Failure to comply or correct those violations may result in prosecution for noncompliance. Important Note: Take a look at this free book on USDA Animal Care, the AWA and animal welfare regulations.

Interstate Pet Transport from One U.S. State/Territory to Another U.S. State/Territory

Most pet transports listed on CitizenShipper are out-of-state deliveries, with an average trip distance of 1,150 miles. Considering that laws and regulations differ by state, there may be specific animal health requirements for the destination. Once you create an itinerary, contact your veterinarian to assist with the pet travel process. Factors to consider may include:

• Meeting time frames for obtaining a health certificate
• Updating vaccinations
• Diagnostic testing
• Administration of medications/treatments.

To learn the requirements for moving your pet out of state, visit the USDA pet interstate travel guidance page . Choose your destination state from the dropdown menu to proceed to that state’s pet import regulations:

As the pickup date approaches, fill out and print three copies of the Record of Disposition of Dogs and Cats (APHIS Form 7006) .This will serve as your Bill of Lading and help you with keeping track of your transport history and bookkeeping.

Health Certifications and Vaccinations

The health certificates and pet vaccinations are a crucial aspect of pet travel. They can be required at every moment of your journey — from routine police stops to arrival at your final destination, even if you’re not leaving the country and it’s just an interstate journey. There should be a minimum 10-day timeframe for completing health certificates prior to travel. Many airlines and other transportation entities require health certificates to be issued no more than 10 days prior to travel. In regards to vaccinations, all pets should have the required vaccinations in order to travel. For the rabies vaccine, pets should have that immunization no more than 21 days prior to travel.

Vaccinations for Dogs

The list of vaccinations for dogs that are required prior to travel are:

• Canine parvovirus
• Canine hepatitis

Vaccinations for dogs that are not required, but recommended:

• Bordetella bronchiseptica
• Borrelia burgdorferi
• Leptospira bacteria

Vaccinations for Cats

The list of immunizations for cats prior to travel are:

• panleukopenia (feline distemper)
• feline calicivirus
• feline herpesvirus type I (rhinotracheitis)

Immunizations that are not required, but recommended:

• feline leukemia virus
• Chlamydophila felis
• feline I immunodeficiency virus

Traveling with a Pet

Traveling with a pet requires — besides the USDA requirements — patience and knowledge of what to expect. It’s important to travel with the proper vaccinations and health certificates prior to traveling. Keep in mind the health certificates should be USDA approved for pet travel. There are various methods to traveling with a pet — from airplane, train, and ground transport. All have their pros and cons. Take a look at some of the methods, information, and cost on all types of pet travel . There are certain tips and advice that one should follow. To take a look at some life-saving advice, go here .

For Pet Owners

When it comes to pet travel, using a two-way marketplace like CitizenShipper to find an independent pet transporter is a great solution. You can save money on transportation costs because drivers bid for your business, most often saving up to 60%-70% compared to a traditional pet transportation company. We also adhere to the rules and regulations outlined by the USDA and APHIS, being careful and consistent in ensuring our drivers are registered by the USDA.

Using CitizenShipper is Easy

• You can post a free listing on our marketplace, within just a few minutes you’ll receive quotes from vetted and screened, USDA-registered drivers.
• You can compare bids and instantly chat with drivers across our network. Because drivers compete for your business, you’ll be able to select a quote that fits your budget.
• It’s free to compare quotes and communicate with transporters on the platform!
• You can book your trip once you choose the driver you like best.

CitizenShipper provides even more added benefits for pet transportation : up to $1,000 of coverage through our Pet Protection guarantee, a messaging system that allows you to easily communicate directly with the driver and 24/7 TeleVet access through our partner FirstVet . The bottom line is your beloved pet is in good hands with CitizenShipper’s qualified drivers. We adhere to the rules and the safety of your pet is of the utmost importance. Check out our blog and Resource Center to learn more. It can be nerve wracking when your pet travels — remove some of the stress by booking a USDA-compliant driver through CitizenShipper!

Patrick MacFarland has been a teacher, a candidate for public office, and a local tour guide. But now he dedicates his time writing full-time, currently at CitizenShipper and VeraContent.

Popular Pet Transport Destinations

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