VEHCS submissions: what your clinic needs and what pet parents should bring

VEHCS — the Veterinary Export Health Certification System — is the USDA APHIS platform for issuing and endorsing international health certificates. Only a USDA APHIS Category II Accredited Veterinarian in a VEHCS-registered practice can create, sign, and submit these certificates. Clinics without an accredited vet on staff cannot complete the process, even if the exam is otherwise identical to a domestic health certificate.

• Confirm the accredited vet performing the exam is linked to your VEHCS clinic account.
• Select the destination-specific certificate template — never a generic one — for the correct travel country and species.
• Scan and verify the microchip in person; record the number and the date it was scanned.
• Verify the rabies vaccination is current on the travel date and was administered after microchip implantation.
• Attach supporting documents: rabies certificate(s), titer results, parasite treatment records, and any destination-specific forms.
• Submit within the destination's endorsement window (often 10 days of travel, shorter for some countries).
• Flag whether the destination requires digital endorsement or a wet-ink signature that must be couriered.

Share this list with clients ahead of the visit. Missing any single item is the most common reason a VEHCS submission stalls.

• Government-issued ID matching the name that will appear on the certificate and airline booking.
• Original rabies vaccination certificate(s) covering the pet's lifetime — not just the most recent booster.
• Microchip implantation record with the 15-digit ISO number and implant date.
• Any rabies titer (FAVN / RNATT) results, blood-draw date, and lab report if the destination requires them.
• Prior USDA-endorsed certificates if the pet has traveled internationally before.
• Destination country, city, and confirmed travel date; the airline and flight number when known.
• Contact information for the person receiving the pet at the destination, if different from the traveler.

• Long lead (6+ months out): confirm microchip and rabies sequencing; order titer if the destination requires one.
• 30–60 days out: confirm destination requirements, parasite treatment windows, and any import permits.
• Within the endorsement window: perform the exam, complete the VEHCS certificate, and submit for USDA endorsement.
• 1–3 business days after submission: USDA APHIS endorses digitally, or returns the packet with corrections.

• Microchip recorded as implanted after the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccine expiring before the travel date.
• Missing or expired FAVN/RNATT titer for a rabies-controlled country.
• Mismatched pet identifiers (name, breed, color) between rabies certificate, microchip record, and VEHCS entry.
• Wrong certificate template for the destination.
• Missing accredited-vet signature or clinic details.

We work as an administrative extension of your team: reviewing the pet parent's documents before the appointment, confirming destination-specific requirements, preparing the VEHCS packet for your accredited vet to review and submit, and coordinating with the client on travel-day logistics. Your veterinarian retains full clinical and submission authority — we handle the paperwork around it.

See how the clinic partnership works →

Does our clinic need to be USDA APHIS accredited to submit in VEHCS?

Yes. Only a USDA APHIS Category II Accredited Veterinarian can create and submit an international health certificate in VEHCS. The clinic must also be registered in VEHCS with the accredited vet linked to the practice.

What does the pet parent need to bring to the appointment?

Original rabies certificate(s) covering the pet's lifetime, microchip implantation record (ISO 11784/11785 15-digit), any rabies titer (FAVN/RNATT) results if the destination requires them, prior USDA-endorsed certificates if this is a returning traveler, and the destination country plus travel date.

How long does USDA endorsement take once we submit?

Endorsement turnaround varies by APHIS Service Center workload — typically 1–3 business days for digitally endorsed countries and longer when a wet-ink signature and courier are required. Always leave a buffer before the travel date.

What are the most common reasons VEHCS submissions get rejected?

Microchip scanned or recorded after the rabies vaccination date, expired rabies vaccine on the travel date, missing titer for a rabies-controlled country, mismatched pet identifiers between documents, and using the wrong destination-specific certificate template.

Can Pet Travel handle the VEHCS submission for our clinic?

We coordinate the timeline, documentation review, and pet-parent communication, but the VEHCS submission itself must be completed by your USDA-accredited veterinarian. We prepare the packet so your vet only has to review, sign, and submit.