If your pet is traveling internationally (or to certain US regions), they will be required to have a microchip.
Nearly every country requires pets to be implanted with a microchip prior to entry into the country. The microchip must be readable with a scanner upon arrival, and the correct microchip number must be listed on all of your pet's paperwork.
Microchips must meet International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards ISO 11784 and ISO 11785. These microchips are typically 15 digits long and can be read by many microchip scanners (such as Avid, Trovan, Destron, or another ISO-compatible reader.)
If your pet has a non-ISO compatible microchip such as an AVID chip, 9, 10-digit or alphanumeric, then some countries may require you to ship a microchip scanner along with your pet. If the microchip cannot be read upon your pet's arrival, this can cause customs and import delays.
Most countries require the microchip to be implanted BEFORE the most recent rabies vaccination and prior to any required blood testing or treatments.
CAUTION: If your pet's microchip number is unreadable prior to departure, then you will need to have them implanted with a new 15-digit microchip and restart the pet import procedures.
If your pet has more than one microchip, then all of the microchip numbers must be reported accurately on their paperwork.
For more information about microchips, read these Microchip FAQs.
Additional Country-Specific Microchip Requirements:
Australia:
- A government-approved veterinarian needs to scan the microchip at each vet visit. The correct microchip number must be recorded on all of your pet's paperwork.
- If the microchip cannot be read or is wrong on the paperwork, the pet cannot be imported to Australia.
- Microchip numbers starting with 999 are not accepted since they are not unique.
New Zealand:
- The microchip must be implanted PRIOR TO or at the same time as the rabies vaccination and rabies titer test used for import.
- Dogs are required to have an ISO-Compatible microchip (this is required for your dog to be licensed in New Zealand).
- If the cat's microchip does not meet ISO Standards, it is the pet owner's responsibility to ensure that the microchip can be read upon entry to New Zealand. This may mean that you need to provide a microchip reader (at your expense) that travels with your pet.
- Microchips must be scanned and the number recorded by a USDA-Accredited vet each time a rabies vaccination, test, treatment, examination or inspection is done.
UK/EU Countries:
- The microchip must be implanted BEFORE the most recent rabies vaccination. This can be done on the same day, as long as the chip is inserted and scanned prior to the vaccination.
Hong Kong:
- If the microchip cannot be found or read when the pet arrives to Hong Kong, a microchip reader must be provided so the microchip can be read. Otherwise, the pet may be returned to the country/place of origin at the expense of the pet owner.
- DOGS ONLY - Dogs must be implanted with an AVID (AVID*XXX*XXX*XXX) microchip in order to obtain the required dog license upon arrival. If your dog does not have an AVID microchip but has another ISO-compatible microchip, then they will be RE-IMPLANTED with a new AVID microchip upon arrival in Hong Kong AND given a new Rabies vaccination.
Japan:
- An ISO-compatible microchip must be implanted BEFORE the first required rabies vaccination.
- Rabies vaccinations prior to the microchip are considered invalid unless your pet meets certain conditions. We typically do not recommend this.