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Exit guide

Taking a dog or cat out of Costa Rica: official requirements

What Costa Rica asks before a dog or cat leaves: the steps and their timing, every destination with how long it takes, and coming back.

Rules checked up to 13 October 2026From 6 official pages

Exit rules verifiedAuthority: Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal
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In short

Prefer a feed reader? Costa Rica rule changes

Show only the rules for your pet

Choose your animal and where it is going, and this page hides the rules that can’t apply. Rules that depend on your pet’s age or your route stay, marked “Applies when”.

Going to

Leaving Costa Rica

The steps

What the authorities in Costa Rica ask before your pet leaves, mostly the health certificate and who has to sign or endorse it.

  1. Identification

    ISO microchip (15 digits), declared on the certificate

    SENASA's resolution of January 2025 makes individual identification with a 15-digit ISO microchip compulsory for dogs and cats imported, exported or in transit, with the number declared on the health certificate.

    The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.

    Details and the official words

    The resolution takes effect six months after its publication in the official gazette La Gaceta, which we couldn't date. We show the microchip to be safe: ask SENASA if your pet has none.

    “Se ordena como medida sanitaria implementar un sistema de identificación y rastreabilidad individual obligatorio para la importación, exportación o tránsito por el país para los animales de compañía (perros y gatos)”

    “El código de identificación asignado al animal debe declararse en el certificado sanitario correspondiente.”

    “Rige seis meses posteriores a su publicación en el Diario Oficial La Gaceta.”

  2. Paperwork

    Export certificate from a private vet, signed by SENASA

    An authorised private vet examines your pet, checks it meets the destination's requirements and issues the national export certificate (on the Costa Rican veterinary college's form). Take it to SENASA with your pet's vaccination card, any document the destination asks for (if it has its own certificate model, you need both) and proof of payment (tariff code C.16, ₡17,322 in 2026). SENASA's official vet reviews the certificates and signs them; once signed, your pet can leave. Certificates that don't need SENASA to authenticate the vet's signature can be signed at any SENASA office.

    Details and the official words

    “Para iniciar el trámite, el propietario debe acudir a un médico veterinario privado autorizado para que realice la valoración clínica.”

    “El profesional verificará el cumplimiento de los requisitos solicitados por el país de destino y emitirá el certificado de exportación que presentará ante SENASA.”

    “El médico veterinario oficial de SENASA revisa el o los certificados presentados por el veterinario privado y confirmará el cumplimiento de los requisitos.”

    “Una vez firmado el certificado, la mascota puede salir del país.”

    “En el caso de que el país de destino requiera un modelo de certificado adicional, el usuario deberá gestionar ambos documentos.”

    “Asimismo, SENASA recuerda que los usuarios deben presentar la cartilla de vacunas y cualquier documento exigido por el país de destino.”

    “Cancelar el monto correspondiente, según el decreto tarifario código C.16”

    “CERTIFICADO EXPORTAC. ANIMALES, PRODUCTOS Y SUBPRODUCTOS NO COMESTIBLES (Resolución DG-R0014-2021)”

    “Certificado de exportación nacional (papelería del CMV) emitido por un médico veterinario privado;”

    “Los demás certificados que no requieran autenticación de firma por parte del país de destino pueden ser firmados en cualquier oficina del SENASA.”

Only for some destinations

  1. Official stamp

    EU: your vet emails the draft certificate to SENASA, then SENASA's central office signs it

    Applies when: you travel to any EU country

    For a trip to the EU, your private vet fills in the EU health certificate and sends the request with the supporting documents (rabies antibody result, vaccination record) to cuarentena@senasa.go.cr, the only channel SENASA accepts. SENASA reviews it within 24 working hours. Only the official vets at SENASA's central offices in Barreal de Heredia may sign EU certificates. SENASA recommends starting 5 to 10 days before your pet leaves Costa Rica.

    Details and the official words

    “Solo se recibirán tramites que ingresen por medio del correo electrónico oficial: cuarentena@senasa.go.cr”

    “La revisión de la solicitud tendrá una duración de 24 hábiles posterior al ingreso de la misma.”

    “Únicamente las firmas de los veterinarios destacados en oficinas centrales de la Dirección de Cuarentena Animal están autorizadas ante las Autoridades de la Unión Europea para refrendar los certificados zoosanitarios”

    “la DCA recomienda que el usuario tramite el certificado varios días antes de la fecha de salida del animal del país (entre 5 y 10 días antes)”

  2. Official stamp

    Panama: SENASA's central office signs the certificate and sends it for an apostille

    Applies when: you travel to Panama

    For Panama, present the export certificate at SENASA's central office for review and signature; SENASA then sends it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship for the apostille Panama requires. SENASA gives no processing time: allow for it.

    Details and the official words

    “Si viaja con una mascota hacia Panamá, el usuario debe presentar el certificado de exportación para revisión y firma en oficina central del SENASA, para que envíe el certificado al Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto para el apostillado.”

  3. Vet examDogs only

    US (dogs): screwworm certification within 5 days before travel

    Applies when: you travel to the United States or Hawaii (US)

    SENASA's 2024 circular on dogs going to the United States lists a screwworm certification issued within the 5 days before the trip, together with the export certificate.

    Details and the official words

    “Certificación del Gusano Barrenador emitido dentro de los 5 días previos al viaje.”

From the rule file

When each step happens

The timing rules for each step, in plain words. The planner turns them into dates for your flight.

  • EU: your vet emails the draft certificate to SENASA, then SENASA's central office signs it

    • Between 10 days and 5 days before departure

  • US (dogs): screwworm certification within 5 days before travel

    • Within 5 days before departure

Worked out from the rules

Where you can go from Costa Rica, and how long it takes

How each destination we cover treats pets from Costa Rica, as its authority names the group, and the least time its official waits allow. Tap a destination for the full route.

47 destinations

Destination (dogs)Your pet’s group there · entry feesAlready vaccinatedNothing done yet
No official wait · 9Bahrain, Canada, China, Indonesia…BahrainEntry fees: 5 BHDAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitCanadaCountry not on Canada’s rabies-free listAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitChinaunder reviewNon-designated country or regionAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitIndonesiaunder reviewEntry fees: 25,000 IDRAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitMexicoAny other countryAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitPeruEntry fees: 98.60 PENAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitSouth KoreaCountry not on South Korea’s rabies-free listAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitUnited StatesDog rabies-free or low-risk countryAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitVietnamAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official wait
Up to a month · 17Ecuador, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Argentina…EcuadorAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 2 weeksMalaysiaNon-scheduled countryEntry fees: 40 MYRAlready vaccinated: 2 weeksNothing done yet: 2 weeksSaudi ArabiaAlready vaccinated: 2 weeksNothing done yet: 2 weeksArgentinaAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksBrazilAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksColombiaEntry fees: 78,200 COPAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksUruguayAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksUnited Arab EmiratesCountry not on the UAE’s low-risk listEntry fees: 700 AEDAlready vaccinated: 1 dayNothing done yet: 3 weeksChileAlready vaccinated: 5 daysNothing done yet: 3 weeksThailandunder reviewAlready vaccinated: 3 weeksNothing done yet: 3 weeksPhilippinesunder reviewAlready vaccinated: 2 weeksNothing done yet: 4 weeksDominican RepublicAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 4 weeksMoroccounder reviewAny other countryAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 4 weeksSouth Africaunder reviewCountry whose dogs are quarantinedEntry fees: 230 ZARAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 4 weeksQatarAlready vaccinated: 3 daysNothing done yet: 4 weeksPanamaEntry fees: 65 USDAlready vaccinated: 5 daysNothing done yet: 4 weeksIndiaEntry fees: 1,000 INRAlready vaccinated: 9 daysNothing done yet: 4 weeks
1 to 3 months · 4Israel, Hawaii (US), Hong Kong SAR China, TaiwanIsraelunder reviewAlready vaccinated: 4 daysNothing done yet: 5 weeksHawaii (US)Already vaccinated: 4 weeksNothing done yet: 9 weeksHong Kong SAR ChinaGroup IIIB placeEntry fees: 432 HKDAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 3 monthsTaiwanunder reviewCountry not on Taiwan’s rabies-free listAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 3 months
3 to 6 months · 10Singapore, European Union, Iceland, Northern Ireland (UK)…SingaporeSchedule III countryEntry fees: 50 SGDAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsEuropean UnionUnlisted countryAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsIcelandCountry Iceland has not approvedEntry fees: 39,633 ISKAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsNorthern Ireland (UK)Unlisted countryAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsNorwayUnlisted third countryAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsSerbiaUnlisted countryAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsSwitzerlandGroup 3 (rabies risk) countryEntry fees: 60 CHFAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsTürkiyeAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsUnited KingdomUnlisted countryAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsOmanEntry fees: 20 OMRAlready vaccinated: about 4 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 months
More than 6 months · 2Kenya, JapanKenyaunder reviewAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 6 monthsJapanNon-designated regionAlready vaccinated: about 6 monthsNothing done yet: about 7 months
Not possible, or not covered yet · 5Australia, Bali (Indonesia), Egypt, Kuwait…AustraliaCountry Australia has not approvedAlready vaccinated: —Nothing done yet: Not possibleBali (Indonesia)Already vaccinated: —Nothing done yet: Not possibleEgyptunder reviewAlready vaccinated: —Nothing done yet: Not covered yetKuwaitunder reviewAlready vaccinated: —Nothing done yet: Not covered yetNew ZealandCountry New Zealand has not approvedAlready vaccinated: —Nothing done yet: Not possible

For a dog; choose Cat above for cats. Grouped by the time for a pet with nothing done yet. “Already vaccinated”: microchipped, with a rabies vaccination still valid. Only the official waiting periods are counted: “No official wait” still means vet visits and paperwork, and appointment times come on top. Hover over a time to see the rule that sets it.

Money

What it costs to leave Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s government fees for a pet leaving, exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Costa Rica publish. The destination’s own fees come on top: they are in the table above and on each route.

Government fees when leaving Costa Rica

What vets and labs charge Not official figures

We have no published vet or lab prices for Costa Rica yet.

Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices

Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.

Notes

Good to know

  • SENASA lets your pet leave only if it meets the destination's requirements, which differ from country to country: look them up well in advance. Airlines and transport companies set their own rules too.
  • Costa Rica is not on the EU's list of countries with a good rabies situation, so a dog or cat travelling to the EU needs a rabies antibody test and must be at least 7 months old (see the EU's own rules in this plan).Applies when: you travel to any EU country

Where this comes from

Official sources

Servicio Nacional de Salud Animal, SENASA (Costa Rica)

Last checked 2026-10-13. Next re-check due by 2027-01-11.

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Questions owners ask

What do I need to take my dog or cat out of Costa Rica?

On the Costa Rica side: ISO microchip (15 digits), declared on the certificate, export certificate from a private vet, signed by SENASA, EU: your vet emails the draft certificate to SENASA, then SENASA's central office signs it, Panama: SENASA's central office signs the certificate and sends it for an apostille and US (dogs): screwworm certification within 5 days before travel. The destination’s own requirements come on top; the route pages combine both.

Who signs the export paperwork in Costa Rica?

For a trip to the EU, your private vet fills in the EU health certificate and sends the request with the supporting documents (rabies antibody…

How early should I start when leaving Costa Rica?

It depends on where you go. For a dog with nothing done yet, the official waiting periods allow Bahrain, Canada and Mexico in no official wait, and Japan in about 7 months. Vet and appointment times come on top.

How this page is made

The explanations are ours, in plain English. Every rule, number and quote about a country comes from a rule file we have checked word for word against the government’s own page, and it changes when that page changes. Rules are summarised, not legal advice: confirm with the authority and your vet before you travel. How we verify · Report a mistake

Read next

Turn this into dates for your pet

Where from, where to, when. You get every step with its deadline and the official page it comes from.

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