Pet import requirements for Mexico

Mexico at a glance

The detail

Since 2011 our government implemented the single window system for foreign trade formalities, the refore there are no government forms,…. Mexico, of ficially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. Have the HAWB issued to MEX, SRL, MTY, TLC, CUN, MID, and 2 other listed airports unless the airline assigns a different live-animal station.

Import requirements

Pets under 12 weeks are allow to be import / export.

Depending on the species to be imported, we must comply with these authorities:

• ANAM / Customs -> All the moves.

• SENASICA / Animal Health -> All the moves.

• PROFEPA / Wildlife -> Exotics and any animal under the Cites list.

Let you agent know the common and scientific name of the pet you want to send to Mexico, if it is not a dog or a cat, so he can advise you properly about the actual times to obtain the Wildlife permits, as well as, all the Health requirements.

The Mexican regulation in dicates that 1 or 2 animals arriving as cargo, excess baggage or emotional support animal are considered pets so you don’t need any import permit for customs.

Customs clearance and Health Inspection:

• Pets arriving as: working dogs, in cabin, excess baggage or emotional support animal clear customs with the passenger, so the Health in spection is done after picking up their luggage. These moves doesn’t require a Custom Broker.
• Pets arriving as cargo (with AWB) need a Custom Broker to clear customs and the Health Inspection.

Any shipment with 3 or more animals is considered a commercial move, so besides the health requirements, customs requests the importer to be subscribe in the Mexican registry of importers.

It is important to notify your agent, since this is not a permit that is given to foreigners. Usually agents already have the permit, so he will send you the consignment in structions for the Airwaybill and the International Health certificate, which will be very important to follow up to be able to clear customs

Depending with the OIE alerts Mexico implements special requirements to allow the entrance and stablish the requirements for each specie. So keep in contact with your agent or visit the links to know the actual status, but usually:

Dogs and cats: None.

Other Species:

Rabbits: forbidden from any part of the world.

Live fish: predatory species, of any size, are forbidden.

Birds: Mexico isn’t open to all the countries due to salmonella and bird flu, so for birds it is require to check with your agent if the importation is allow or an importation permit can be obtained.

https://www.gob.mx/senasica/documentos/si-viajas-con-tu-mascota-194177?state=published

https://www.gob.mx/senasica/documentos/otros-animales-de-compania?state=published

Identification and microchip

Not required, but recommended.

Notice: If the Microchip is listed in the IHC, it will be scan by SENASICA and if it doesn’t match with the declare number the IHC will be rejected.

Rabies and vaccinations

Required for pets older than 12 weeks/ within validity of the applied product / No waiting period to arrive to Mexico after application. / 3 years vaccines are accepted.

If the pet arrives without valid rabies vaccine, it can be applied in customs under supervision of the Official vets.

See Import Requirements

Tests and treatments

Only required for exotics, birds, cattle.

If, at customs in spection, Dogs or cats are found with Ticks, samples will be taking and send to an of ficial lab for testing, depending on the results the authority in struct procedures. This is under the cost of the importer.

Tick Treatment and Deworm Treatment required (within a period of six months before coming to Mexico). If you use a single product, please be sure it works for endo and ecto parasites and write the name of the components in the IHC.

Health certificate and permits

• Health certificate within 15 days. It doesn’t needs to be issued or endorsed by an Official vet, any private veterinarian is okay but all pages must be printed on a letterhead and must in clude the number of the professional license (or equivalent). A photocopy of the ID will be accepted attached to the certificate). Info need is display on the format section.
• European Pet Passport, is accepted as IHC, as long as all sections are filled out (sign and stamp).
• Pets shipped from USA and Canada doesn’t need to present the Health certificate, but their Vaccination record is need to be present to confirm the endo and ecto parasites treatment, as well as the rabies vaccine.

Not required for domestic pets (dogs and cats).

Mexico may require an import authorization for specific species non listed under the CITES convention, such as ferrets, so I strongly suggest to check it with your agent before shipping.

Since 2011 our government implemented the single window system for foreign trade formalities, the refore there are no government forms, since everything is captured on line and the required authorization is obtained. The capture of the in formation is carried out by the Mexican agent, so it is important that all movements that arrive as cargo have an IPATA agent.

Quarantine

SENASICA, is the one who sets the sanitary requirements to import any animal, so at their requirement sheets they stablish the quarantine conditions, times and lab tests need by each specie.

Dogs & cats: None

Other Species: Yes, check with your agent or at the link, the specifications for each species.

Please notice that for some exotic pets a quarantine at home can be allow, but for others they need to be at authorized facilities. So to get the permit or book a space can take several weeks.

Restrictions and banned breeds

If the pet is pregnant, has a geriatric condition or is under treatment (i.e.: for skin in juries and / or in fections such as scabies, dermatomycosis, dermatophilosis, alopecia or similar) this info must be in the IHC and in case of treatment: you must present the diagnosis and treatment in dicate by its Vet (must issue on letterhead and with the number of his professional license (or equivalent). A photocopy of the ID will be accepted attached to the certificate.

Rabbits: forbidden from any part of the world.

Live fish: predatory species, of any size, are forbidden.

Birds: Mexico isn’t open to all the countries due to salmonella and bird flu, so for birds it is require to check with your agent if the importation is allow or an importation permit can be obtained.

Customs, agents, and airports

Since 2011 our government implemented the single window system for foreign trade formalities, the refore there are no government forms, since everything is captured on line and the required authorization is obtained. The capture of the in formation is carried out by the Mexican agent, so it is important that all movements that arrive as cargo have an IPATA agent.

Recommended Airports:

• Benito Juárez International Airport, Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico (IATA: MEX, ICAO: MMMX)
• Cancún International Airport (IATA: CUN, ICAO: MMUN)
• Guadalajara International Airport\Aeropuerto Internacional Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico (IATA: GDL, ICAO: MMGL)

4.

General Mariano Escobedo International Airport

/Monterrey International Airport, Apodaca, Nuevo León, Mexico(IATA: MTY, ICAO: MMMY)

5.

Tijuana International Airport/ Aeropuerto Internacional General Abelardo L. Rodríguez, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico (IATA: TIJ | ICAO: MMTJ)

• San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, Los Cabos International Airport, (IATA: SJD, ICAO: MMSD)

Airports listed on this destination file: MEX, SRL, MTY, TLC, CUN, MID, GDL, NLU.

The Mexican Customs Law and its rules specify the Customs clearance procedures and its relation with other laws (such as animal health and wild life) you can check it (Spanish version) at the shared link:

Mexican Customs Website:

https://anam.gob.mx/

Passengers:

https://anam.gob.mx/pasajeros/

Since January 2022 the Mexican Customs has move from the SAT (Tax Administration System) to ANAM (Mexican National Customs Agency).

Export notes

The Health Export requirements are defined by species and country of destination, so they should be consulted at the attached link.

https://sistemasssl.senasica.gob.mx/sinacertweb/pages/publico/login.xhtml

Requirements to export exotics and wildlife, please contact your agent to check our wildlife law.

If your pet is leaving Mexico, then you should have all documentation required for your destination country available.

The Health Export requirements are defined by species and country of destination, so they should be consulted at the attached link.

Requirements to export exotics and wildlife, please contact your agent to check our wildlife law.

Please Notice:

Effective November 22, 2024, and until further notice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) is temporarily suspending the importation of live animals originating from or transiting Mexico based on the confirmation of New World screwworm in cattle.

APHIS is temporarily suspending the importation of ruminants, in cluding live cattle and bison, from Mexico. An updated import alert will be issued with additional guidance once APHIS has implemented mitigations that would allow resumption of imports. Importation of bovine germplasm, sheep and goats and their germplasm, and swine and their germplasm from Mexico are already prohibited.

APHIS will allow the importation of dogs from Mexico if accompanied by a health certificate signed by a full-time, salaried SENASICA veterinary of ficial. The certificate must state that the animal has been in spected for screwworm within 5 days prior to shipment to the United States and the animal is either free from screwworm OR was found to be in fested with screwworm, held in quarantine, and treated until free from screwworm prior to the certificate being issued and the dog being exported to the United States.

Horses originating from or that have resided in Mexico within the 60 days immediately preceding export to the United States must complete the established import screwworm protocol. This in cludes pre-export treatment and examination, as well as treatment, examinations, and a 7- day quarantine in a permanent import quarantine facility upon arrival. Horses transiting Mexico will be required to complete screwworm mitigations upon arrival. Please note that horses that have resided in a screwworm-free country for a minimum of 7 days after residing in Mexico do not need to complete the screwworm protocol, if they are then examined by a veterinarian authorized to do so, found free of screwworm, and certification of this examination accompanies the horses upon arrival to the United States.

Specific in formation about live animal import requirements for all species regulated by APHIS VS can be found at: www.aphis.usda.gov/live-animal-import.

A list of regions APHIS recognizes as affected by screwworm can be found on the USDA APHIS Animal Health Status of Regions website.

For additional in formation about live animal imports regulated by other Agencies, please check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, and/or USDA APHIS Animal Care to ensure import requirements of those agencies are met, when applicable.

Pets travelling to South Africa

Mexico is under negotiation with South Africa to update the requirements need to send pets from Mexico; so to issue an IHC the Mexican government requires to present the Import permit issued by SA and from there they settle all the process need to obtain the IHC. It will be need to pay the service from an of ficial vet to obtain the blood samples, also send the samples to an authorize lab outside Mexico and everything is require to be present by the owner. Time to obtain it: around 3 months.

Other pets / CITES / extra rules

Only for exotic pets.

Dogs and Cats:

National or domestic moves, usually only require a Health Certificate issue by a private vet and copy of the vaccination record of the pet.

Exotics and wildlife:

Require National move authorizations

Official contacts

Customs:

Government Agency: ANAM

Address:

Av. Paseo de la Reforma 10, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, 06600 Ciudad de México, CDMX.

Phone: +52 55 5802 0000

Work hours: Monday to Friday 9:00-18:00 hrs.

Animal Health:

Government Agency: SADER / SENASICA:

Address:

Av. Insurgentes Sur 489, Hipódromo, Cuauhtémoc, 06760 Ciudad de México, CDMX

Phone: +52 55 3871 1000

Work hours: Monday to Friday 9:00-18:00 hrs.

Formalities:

Any formality not presented thru the single window system must consulted first by phone at: 00-987-9879 (option 1), from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a 18:00 hrs or by email: atencionciudadana@senasica.gob.mx

Wild Life:

Government Agency: SEMARNAT / PROFEPA

Address:

Office of Citizen Contact Space:

Av. Ejército Nacional 223, Col. Anáhuac, C.P. 11320, Alcaldía. Miguel Hidalgo, CDMX.

Entrada al Espacio de Contacto Ciudadano (ECC) por Lago Xochimilco.

Phone: 800-0000-247.

Work hours: Monday to Friday: 9:30 a 15:00hrs.

Formalities:

Any formality not presented thru the single window system must be present at this office, such as procedures in the matter of Wild Life, Air Quality, Materials and Risky Activities, Impact and Environmental Risk and Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone.

Please notice, that they usually only speak Spanish.Up to Date as of: May 2024

Disclaimer

Import rules change without much warning. Confirm every vaccine date, test, permit, and crate routing with the destination veterinary authority before you travel. This page is a planning brief for Furry Freight customers, last checked against the IPATA country profile dated 2025-05-30.

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