There is no national dog or cat licence or registration. Licensing, leash rules, licence fees and rabies vaccination are set by states, counties and cities, so check the local rules. Federally, CDC sets the rules for bringing a dog into the country.
Licensing, leash laws, licence fees, rabies vaccination and any liability or breed rules are set by states, counties and cities, not federally; USDA mainly covers commercial breeding and animal welfare, and CDC covers dog imports.
Denver's 30-year pit bull ban was repealed by ballot measure 2J in Nov 2020; owners now need a breed-restricted permit from Denver Animal Protection (breed assessment, max two per household, 30 USD/year) which lapses after three clean years. [1]
Dog tax and licence
Dog tax
No federal dog tax or licence fee exists in what was found. Local licence fees are set by counties and cities and vary widely.[2]
Other rules
Pet rabies vaccination rules are decided by states and local health departments. CDC points owners to their local health department for requirements.[3]
Travelling to United States with a dog
From an EU country
Dogs from EU countries are treated as low risk because no EU member state is on CDC's high-risk list (updated 15 April 2026). Each dog needs a free CDC Dog Import Form receipt, must be at least 6 months old, microchipped (readable by a universal scanner) and look healthy on arrival. The receipt lasts 6 months. Cats: no CDC rabies vaccination proof is required; they must look healthy.[2]
From outside the EU
Dogs only in low-risk or rabies-free countries in the last 6 months follow the same form, 6 months age and microchip rules. Dogs that were in a high-risk country (for example Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Georgia, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan) have stricter rules: a CDC Dog Import Form, a vet-completed and government-endorsed rabies vaccination and microchip form issued no more than 30 days before travel, a first rabies vaccine at 12 weeks or later, and arrival at an airport with a CDC-registered facility. Cats follow the cat rule above.[4]
Rabies antibody test
A rabies titre test is needed only for dogs from high-risk countries: a passing titre from a CDC-approved lab, drawn at least 30 days after the first valid vaccine and at least 28 days before entry. Without it the dog goes into 28-day quarantine at a CDC-registered facility.[4]
Quarantine
No quarantine for dogs from low-risk or rabies-free countries. Dogs from high-risk countries without a passing titre need 28 days at a CDC-registered facility.[4]
What a dog costs in United States
Running costs for a medium-sized dog of about 20 kg, from current prices: about 2,284 USD a year, 2,594 USD in the first year with gear and microchip. Each breed page has its own figure.
Not confirmed yet: Registration, Microchip, Licence or owner test, Liability insurance, Leash and muzzle, Tapeworm treatment. We only show what an official or named source states.
Laws change: this is general information, not legal advice. The authority linked on each line has the final word.