Laws and Regulations

Legal Authorities for Animal Importation

For information about the legal authorities governing animal importation, please see the Laws and Regulations page on the Quarantine and Isolation site.

Laws and Regulations Related to Animal Importation

African Rodents

Control of Communicable Diseases; Restrictions on African Rodents, Prairie Dogs, and Certain Other Animals (42 CFR 71.56)external icon
Federal Register notice

See also Bringing an African Rodent into the United States and The African Rodent Ban.

Civets

Notice of Embargo of Civets
May 3, 2005. On the CDC SARS site

See also Bringing a Civet into the United States.

Foreign Quarantine Regulations

Notice of Proposal to Amend Regulations about Importing Human Remains into the United States
This page contains information on the proposal to amend the current human remains importation requirements, which clarifies definitions and would codify current policy. Federal Register updated on November 25, 2019.

Temporary Suspension of Dogs Entering the United States from Egypt
This page contains notice of a temporary suspension of the importation of dogs from Egypt. This includes dogs originating in Egypt that are imported from third-party countries if the dogs have lived in those countries for less than six months. Federal Register updated on May 10, 2019.

Guidance Regarding “Rabies-Free” Countries and Importing a Dog into the United States
This page contains information clarifying that CDC now interprets “rabies-free” in the context of its dog importation regulations (42 CFR Parts 71.51) to mean “canine rabies virus variant-free.” Federal Register updated on January 31, 2019.

Foreign Quarantine Regulations, Suspension of Entry of Animals, Articles, or Things from Designated Foreign Countries and Places into the United States
This page contains information about the Suspension of Entry of Animals, Articles, or Things from Designated Foreign Countries and Places into the United States covered in 42 CFR 71.63.

Foreign Quarantine Regulations, Final Rule of HHS/CDC Nonhuman Primate Importation Regulation 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 71.53.
This page contains the final rule for 42 CFR 71.53. The final rule is effective beginning April 16, 2013.

Foreign Quarantine Regulations, Final Rule to Establish a User Fee for Filovirus Testing of Nonhuman Primates.
This document contains the final rule for 42 CFR 71.53 that establishes a user fee for filovirus testing of nonhuman primates. The final rule became effective on March 14, 2013.