Pet travel route
Dog or cat from Costa Rica to the Dominican Republic
Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: ISO microchip (15 digits), declared on the certificate, rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure and rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and 3 more.
Rules checked up to 13 October 2026From 7 official pages
In short
- On this route: parasite treatment before travel.
- No rabies blood test, import permit or quarantine on this route for a pet that meets the rules.
Limited official guidance. The authority for entering the Dominican Republic publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. DIGEGA's page lists what the health certificate must state, but it doesn't say what happens when your pet arrives (inspection, fees), whether a pet travelling as cargo or without its owner needs anything more, or which vaccinations other than rabies are expected. Ask DIGEGA (809-535-9689) before you travel if any of these apply to you.
At a glance
The rules on this route are the same for dogs and cats.
How early to start
4 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet
Set by: Rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure (at least 30 days before the departure date)
No official wait
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.
On this route
- No rabies blood test
- No import permit
- No quarantine
- Parasite treatment before travel
Rule-change alertsChecked daily
Know the moment the rules change from Costa Rica to the Dominican Republic
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Rule change for pets travelling from Costa Rica to the Dominican Republic
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Costa Rica → Dominican Republic
What your pet needs
In the order you do them. Each step says whether Costa Rica (leaving) or the Dominican Republic (entering) asks for it.
Get ready
IdentificationLeaving Costa Rica
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.”
VaccinationEntering the Dominican Republic
Rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure
Your pet is vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated-virus vaccine, given at least 90 days after birth. After a first vaccination, wait 30 days before travelling: the vaccination must be at least 30 days before the departure date.
Details and the official words
“La vacuna debe ser de virus inactivado y administrada no más de 12 meses ni menos de 30 días antes de la fecha de salida.”
“Los cachorros deben haber recibido la vacuna contra la rabia al menos 90 días después del nacimiento (3 meses o 12 semanas) y esperar 30 días después de la vacunación antes de viajar.”
VaccinationEntering the Dominican Republic
Rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure
The rabies vaccination on the certificate must be no more than 12 months before the departure date, even if your pet's vaccine is valid for longer. If your pet's last shot will be older, give a booster before you travel. An adult dog with a history of rabies vaccination and boosters doesn't need to wait 30 days after the booster; a cat does.
Details and the official words
Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.
DIGEGA's exemption from the 30-day wait names adult dogs only, so we apply the 30 days to every cat's vaccination.
“La vacuna debe ser de virus inactivado y administrada no más de 12 meses ni menos de 30 días antes de la fecha de salida.”
“Los perros adultos con antecedentes de vacunación contra la rabia y dosis de refuerzo no necesitan esperar 30 días después de la vacunación.”
In the days before you travel
Vet examEntering the Dominican Republic
Vet examination within 72 hours before departure
A vet examines your pet within the 72 hours before the departure date and finds it free of infectious or contagious diseases. By then it must already have been treated against internal and external parasites.
Details and the official words
“El animal fue examinado dentro de las 72 horas previas a la fecha de salida. Se determinó que no padecía enfermedades infecciosas o contagiosas y que había recibido tratamiento contra parásitos externos e internos.”
TreatmentEntering the Dominican Republic
Internal and external parasite treatment before the vet examination
Your pet is treated against internal and external parasites before the vet examines it. The certificate names the dewormers with their manufacturer and active ingredients. DIGEGA gives no time window: ask your vet.
Details and the official words
“El animal fue examinado dentro de las 72 horas previas a la fecha de salida. Se determinó que no padecía enfermedades infecciosas o contagiosas y que había recibido tratamiento contra parásitos externos e internos.”
“El certificado debe especificar: las vacunas administradas y el control de parásitos internos y externos (los desparasitantes deben especificar el fabricante y los principios activos).”
PaperworkCosta Rica and the Dominican Republic
Vet's health certificate, endorsed by an official vet at the port of embarkation
A vet issues and signs a health certificate after the examination, and an official vet at the port of embarkation endorses and stamps it. It gives the name and address in the Dominican Republic of the person accompanying the pet, the pet's full identification (name, breed, sex, colour, date of birth, microchip and/or tattoo), the vaccinations given and the parasite treatments. Attach the vaccination record with the vaccine labels (batch number, manufacture and expiry dates).
Details and the official words
DIGEGA's page places the official endorsement at the port of embarkation. In many countries the official vet endorses certificates before you go to the airport (in the US, USDA APHIS): ask your country's official veterinary service how it endorses a certificate for the Dominican Republic.
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.
“Los animales deben ir acompañados de un certificado sanitario expedido y firmado por un veterinario. Este certificado debe ser refrendado y sellado por un veterinario oficial en el puerto de embarque.”
“El certificado debe contener el nombre y la dirección de la persona que acompaña al animal en la República Dominicana y la identificación completa del animal (nombre, raza, sexo, color, fecha de nacimiento, microchip y/o tatuaje).”
“Debe ir acompañado de un registro de vacunación con las etiquetas de las vacunas, incluyendo el número de lote, la fecha de fabricación y la fecha de caducidad.”
“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.”
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.
Money
What it costs
Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Costa Rica publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.
Government fees on this route
SENASA export certificate for animals (tariff code C.16, per certificate)Leaving Costa Rica17,322 CRC
“CERTIFICADO EXPORTAC. ANIMALES, PRODUCTOS Y C.16 SUBPRODUCTOS NO COMESTIBLES (Resolución DG-R0014-2021) 0% 17 322,00”
Listado tarifario según Resolución SENASA DG-R-00005-2026, in force 1 April 2026 to 31 January 2027 (SENASA) · as of 2026-10-13
Government fees in total: 17,322 CRC (each currency separately)
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.
Round trip
Coming back to Costa Rica
Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves Costa Rica (dogs).
The trip back asks for 8 steps: ISO microchip (15 digits), declared on the certificate, vet examination within two weeks before travel, international veterinary certificate from the official authority and internal and external parasite treatment within 15 days before travel and more.
Nothing for the trip back has to happen before your pet leaves Costa Rica (cats).
The trip back asks for 8 steps: ISO microchip (15 digits), declared on the certificate, vet examination within two weeks before travel, international veterinary certificate from the official authority and internal and external parasite treatment within 15 days before travel and more.
Nearby routes
Other routes
Where this comes from
Official sources
- Permisología para la Importación / Exportación de Perros y Gatos (DIGEGA)
- Si va a viajar con su mascota, recuerde verificar los requisitos de exportación (SENASA, 18 December 2025)
- Guía para el usuario sobre el desplazamiento sin ánimo comercial de animales de compañía hacia países miembros de la Unión Europea, DCA-PG-07-IN-001 v06 (SENASA, in force from 17 February 2020)
- Guía al usuario: exportación de animales y de productos y subproductos de origen animal no aptos para consumo humano (SENASA, Word file dated 18 September 2018)
- Circular SENASA-DCA-C004-2024: nuevos requisitos de los CDC para la exportación de perros a Estados Unidos (SENASA, 23 May 2024)
- Listado tarifario según Resolución SENASA DG-R-00005-2026, in force 1 April 2026 to 31 January 2027 (SENASA)
- Resolución SENASA-DCA-R0002-2025: uso de microchip para la importación, exportación o tránsito de mascotas (SENASA)
Last checked against the official pages: 2026-10-13.
Questions owners ask
Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from Costa Rica to the Dominican Republic?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog or cat into the Dominican Republic?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for an import permit.
Will my dog or cat be quarantined in the Dominican Republic?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
How early should I start preparing my pet for Costa Rica to the Dominican Republic?
With nothing done yet, start at least 4 weeks ahead. The main steps: ISO microchip (15 digits), declared on the certificate, rabies vaccination (inactivated vaccine) from 90 days old, at least 30 days before departure and rabies vaccination within the 12 months before departure and 3 more.
Every rule here is quoted from the official page and checked word for word; not legal advice. How we verify · Report a mistake
Read next
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