South Africa

Department of Agriculture
20 Steve Biko (Formerly Beatrix) Street
Arcadia Pretoria 0002

(012) 319-7434

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Entry Requirements

Complete the following entry requirements to travel to South Africa with your pet:
  • South Africa is a high risk country for rabies. Before receiving an import permit to return to the U.S., travelers must obtain 2 pictures of their pet's front teeth, a CDC Rabies Vaccination and Microchip Record, a serologic titer from an approved laboratory and a passport photo of the owner. Once these items are obtained, apply for a permit for your pet to return to the U.S. at this link. For further guidance on returning to the U.S. with your pet from a high risk country, contact the CDC directly at cdcanimalimports@cdc.gov
  • Travelers with pets must apply for a veterinary import permit from South Africa's Director of Animal Health. Contact the office via email at vetpermits@daff.gov.za for more information. The fee for this service is revised annually and published in the Government Gazette.
  • Once you have completed your application form and made the payment, a veterinary import permit and a veterinary health certificate template will be sent directly to you.
  • The veterinary health certificate should be completed by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of departure to South Africa.
  • Small animals entering South Africa are still not allowed to fly in the cabin on the aircraft. Pets can only enter the country as manifest cargo.

Quarantine Information

Pets traveling to South Africa from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Bulgaria, Canada, Comoros, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungry, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Reunion, Romania, Seychelles, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, United States and Zimbabwe do not need to be quarantined. If you are traveling from a country not on this list, your pet will be quarantined for at least 14 days.

Download Entry Application

To download the application form required for entry into South Africa with a domestic pet, please click the PDF icon below.

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