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Bringing a Dog from the USA to Morocco: Requirements & Timeline

Quick on paper — no permit, no titer — but with an unusually tight endgame: the certificate is valid just 3 days after USDA endorsement.

Rules last verified against official sources: 2026-07-24

Planning for a cat instead? See the cat version of this route →

Pick your travel date to get a dated, backward-planned checklist. (This tool needs JavaScript; the full requirements are listed below either way.)

Morocco keeps the requirements light — no import permit, no rabies titer for a permanent move — but front-loads the precision into the final days. A permanent identifier (microchip or tattoo) must come before the rabies vaccination, which must be an inactivated vaccine still within its validity. Your pet must also have been in rabies-free premises for the 6 months before travel.

Then the tight part: a USDA-accredited vet issues the certificate (pages 1–3) within 5 business days of travel, APHIS ink-endorses it within 3 days of export, you return for a final exam within 24 hours of departure (page 4), and you must fly within 3 calendar days of the endorsement. Endorsement, final exam and departure effectively share one 3-day window.

Minimum lead time: about 0.1 months (3 days). About a week of lead, but the finish is tight: after USDA endorsement the certificate lasts only 3 days, and your pet needs a final exam within 24 hours of departure. Line up the vet and flight before you endorse.

The requirements, in order

Order matters — several steps are only valid if the earlier ones were done first. This is the same sequence the planner above turns into dated deadlines.

  1. Microchip (or tattoo) applied
    A permanent identifier — microchip or tattoo — must be in place BEFORE the rabies vaccination. A rabies shot given before the ID does not count.
    Official source ↗
  2. Rabies vaccination (inactivated, unexpired)
    An inactivated rabies vaccine, given after the microchip and still within its validity on travel day. Morocco's US certificate sets no minimum age or waiting period — only that the vaccine is post-microchip and current.
    Planning a US return? Microchip before this shot and use a US-documented rabies vaccination — Morocco is CDC high-risk, so it matters for re-entry.
    Official source ↗
  3. Exam + health certificate (within 5 business days)
    A USDA-accredited vet performs the initial clinical exam and completes certificate pages 1–3 within 5 business days of travel.
    Official source ↗
  4. USDA endorsement + 24-hour final exam (3-day validity)
    APHIS ink-endorses and embosses the certificate within 3 days of export. You then return to the vet for a final clinical exam within 24 hours of departure (recorded on page 4), and must fly within 3 calendar days of the endorsement, carrying all 4 complete pages.
    This is the tight part — endorsement, the 24-hour final exam and departure all fall in the same 3-day window. Line up the vet and travel dates before you endorse.
    Official source ↗

The return trip is the hard part (for dogs)

Morocco is on the CDC's high-rabies-risk list, so bringing a dog back to the US needs a microchip implanted before its rabies shot, the dog 6+ months old, a CDC Dog Import Form, and US-documented rabies (or a titer). Set that up before you leave. Cats are exempt.

Temporary stays

This page covers permanent import, which needs no titer. Temporary/tourist stays may have different rules (some sources mention a titer) — confirm with Morocco's ONSSA if you're visiting rather than moving.

Official sources

These are the only authorities on this route. If anything here disagrees with them, they win — and please tell us.

FAQ

How long does it take to bring a dog from the US to Morocco?
About a week of active paperwork, but timed tightly: the certificate is issued within 5 business days of travel, endorsed within 3 days of export, and valid only 3 calendar days after endorsement — with a final exam within 24 hours of departure.
Does my dog need a titer test or import permit for Morocco?
Not for a permanent move — no titer and no import permit. Just microchip-before-rabies, a current inactivated rabies vaccine, and the health certificate.
What about bringing my dog back to the US?
Morocco is CDC high-risk, so plan ahead: microchip before the rabies shot, dog 6+ months old, a CDC Dog Import Form, and US-documented rabies or a titer.
Is it different for cats?
The outbound rules are identical, and cats skip the CDC return process. Use the cat toggle in the planner.

Other dog routes

Disclaimer: Preflight Pet is a planning aid, not legal or veterinary advice. Import rules change; airlines add their own requirements. Always confirm every step with the official government sources linked on this page, and with your airline and accredited veterinarian, before booking travel.