Pet Import Laws in Maryland: What Every Pet Owner Needs to Know Before Moving

Maryland has some of the most clearly defined pet import rules in the Mid-Atlantic region — but that clarity comes with real consequences if you ignore the paperwork. Whether you are relocating from across the country or just a few states away, the state requires specific documentation, vaccination records, and in some cases permits before your animal crosses the border.

This guide walks you through every major requirement for dogs, cats, birds, exotic animals, and international arrivals, along with the exact agencies you need to contact before you move. Getting this right before you arrive is far easier than dealing with a compliance order after the fact.

What Documents Do You Need to Bring a Pet Into Maryland

The core document for most pet moves into Maryland is a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), sometimes called a health certificate. This is a form completed and signed by a licensed veterinarian that confirms your animal’s identity, vaccination history, and health status at the time of examination.

For dogs, cats, and ferrets four months of age or older, the owner or custodian must forward a certificate, issued by a licensed veterinarian, to the Public Health Veterinarian within 10 days of the animal’s arrival in the state. That certificate must describe the animal, document that it was vaccinated against rabies, list the manufacturer or brand of vaccine used, list the date or dates the vaccine was given, document that the animal is adequately vaccinated, and confirm that the most recent dose of vaccine was given more than 30 days before the date the animal arrived in the state.

Important Note: The rabies vaccine must have been administered more than 30 days before your arrival date in Maryland — not just before you leave. Plan your vet appointment accordingly so the timing requirement is met.

There is a short-stay exemption worth knowing about. The owner or custodian of a dog, cat, or ferret brought into the state for a period of less than 30 days is exempt from the requirement to forward a certificate to the Public Health Veterinarian. If you are passing through or visiting temporarily, the full filing requirement does not apply — but you should still carry vaccination records with you.

For livestock, poultry, and other regulated animals, livestock and poultry imported into the state of Maryland must meet Maryland interstate regulations and be accompanied by an approved Certificate of Veterinary Inspection or permit. Additionally, a copy of the approved Certificate of Veterinary Inspection must be forwarded to the Animal Health Section, Maryland Department of Agriculture before the arrival of animals at destination.

Here is a quick reference for the documents most pet owners will need:

Pet Type	Required Document	Filing Deadline
Dogs, cats, ferrets (4+ months old)	Rabies vaccination certificate from licensed vet	Within 10 days of arrival
Dogs, cats, ferrets (under 30-day visit)	Carry vaccination records; no filing required	N/A
Livestock and poultry	Certificate of Veterinary Inspection or permit	Before arrival
Wild/semi-wild animals under domestication	Report to MDA Animal Health Section	Within 72 hours of arrival
Exotic birds (commercial import)	State permit from the Secretary of Health	Before importation

Dog Import Requirements in Maryland

Bringing a dog into Maryland permanently requires attention to both the rabies vaccination timeline and the certificate submission process. The rules apply to any dog four months of age or older, regardless of breed or size.

The vaccination certificate you submit must meet specific content standards. It must document that the rabies vaccine was given more than 30 days before arrival, identify the brand of vaccine used, and confirm the animal is adequately protected. The local animal control authority may accept the certificate specified in the regulation as proof of vaccination for licensing or registration purposes for the period specified on the certificate or 12 months, whichever period is shorter. This means your CVI can also serve as your initial licensing documentation when you register your dog locally.

Pro Tip: When you submit your certificate to the Public Health Veterinarian, keep a copy for yourself. Local animal control offices in Maryland may ask to see it when you apply for a dog license in your new county.

Non-compliance carries real enforcement power. The Public Health Veterinarian or the local health officer may order the owner or custodian of a dog brought into Maryland in violation of the provisions to return the animal immediately to its point of origin at the owner’s expense. If the local animal control authority is unable to locate an individual who will assume fiscal responsibility within 48 hours of the issuance of the order, the authority may deem the animal abandoned and humanely kill it or place it for adoption.

Maryland also has a statewide ban on retail pet stores selling dogs. A retail pet store may not offer for sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of cats or dogs. This does not affect your ability to bring your own pet into the state — it simply means you cannot purchase a dog from a Maryland pet store. Adoptions through shelters and animal welfare organizations remain fully permitted.

If you are moving from a neighboring state, you may also want to review how pet import laws in Pennsylvania compare, since many Maryland residents relocate from the Philadelphia corridor.

Cat Import Requirements in Maryland

The import requirements for cats mirror those for dogs in most respects. Any cat four months of age or older being permanently relocated to Maryland requires a rabies vaccination certificate forwarded to the Public Health Veterinarian within 10 days of arrival. The same timing rule applies: the most recent rabies dose must have been administered more than 30 days before the cat crosses into Maryland.

One important distinction applies at the federal level before you even reach Maryland’s borders. Cats are subject to inspection at ports of entry and may be denied entry into the United States if they have evidence of a zoonotic disease. If a cat appears to be ill, further examination by a licensed veterinarian at the owner’s expense might be required before the cat is allowed to enter the United States. While this applies specifically to international arrivals, it underscores the importance of having a healthy, documented animal before any interstate or international move.

Ferrets travel under the same rules as cats and dogs in Maryland. They require the same rabies certificate, the same 30-day pre-arrival vaccination window, and the same 10-day filing deadline. Ferrets, which some states ban, are perfectly fine in Maryland because they don’t belong to any prohibited family.

Key Insight: Maryland does not require a separate health certificate for cats arriving from within the United States beyond the rabies vaccination documentation. However, your destination county may require a license, so check local rules as soon as you arrive.

You may also find it helpful to compare requirements in nearby states. See how pet import laws in New Jersey and pet import laws in Virginia handle cats if you are moving along the I-95 corridor. For questions about local Maryland rules once you arrive, resources like Maryland’s neighbor cat laws and feral cat laws in Maryland can help you understand what is and is not permitted in your new community.

Bird and Exotic Pet Import Requirements in Maryland

Maryland draws a clear line between keeping an exotic bird as a personal pet and importing or breeding birds commercially. The distinction matters significantly for what paperwork you need.

A person must hold a permit issued by the Secretary before they may import, distribute, or breed any exotic bird in the state. However, a permit is not required for a person to legally acquire and keep an exotic bird as a household pet, or to import, distribute, or breed any bird that is regulated by any program of the Department of Natural Resources. In plain terms: if you are moving to Maryland with your personal parrot, macaw, or cockatoo, you do not need a permit. If you are a breeder or distributor, you do.

Exotic birds not protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act or state wildlife law are generally legal, which is why parrots, macaws, cockatoos, and similar captive-bred species are sold openly. The critical distinction is origin: the key difference is between captive-bred exotic species (usually fine) and wild-caught native species (almost always illegal).

For other exotic pets, Maryland uses a specific prohibited species list rather than a blanket ban on everything unusual. Under Maryland law, a person may not import into the state, offer for sale, trade, barter, possess, breed, or exchange the following species of animals: foxes, skunks, raccoons, bears, caimans, alligators, crocodiles, wild cats, wolves, nonhuman primates, and venomous snakes.

Venomous snakes from specific families are also prohibited. A person may not import into the state a live nonhuman primate, including a lemur, monkey, chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan, marmoset, loris, or tamarin, or a poisonous snake in the family groups of Hydrophidae, Elapidae, Viperidae, or Crotalidae.

On the other hand, many non-traditional pets are fully legal to bring into Maryland. The regulations do not prohibit the importation or possession of gerbils, hamsters, domesticated rats and mice, chinchillas, European ferrets, domestic rabbits, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, and primates of the families Cebidae, Cercopithecidae, and Pongidae.

Non-venomous reptiles are also generally permitted. Non-venomous reptiles — ball pythons, corn snakes, iguanas, bearded dragons, leopard geckos — are legal. For a deeper look at how Maryland handles specific exotic species, see this overview of United States laws on exotic pets and Maryland-specific guides on hedgehog ownership laws in Maryland.

Common Mistake: Assuming that because an animal is legal at the state level, it is legal everywhere in Maryland. Maryland law explicitly allows counties and municipalities to adopt animal restrictions more stringent than the state’s, meaning an animal that is legal statewide might still be banned where you live. Always check your county ordinances in addition to state law.

For wildlife-related mammal species, a person may not import into Maryland any live raccoons, skunks, foxes, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, or any other mammalian wildlife species, or hybrids, for which there is no USDA-certified vaccine against rabies. If you have questions about goats or backyard livestock, Maryland also has specific rules covered under goat ownership laws in Maryland and backyard chicken laws in Maryland.

Requirements for Pets Coming From Outside the United States

If your pet is traveling to Maryland from another country, federal requirements layer on top of state rules. You must satisfy both before your animal can legally reside in Maryland.

At the federal level, CDC regulations govern the importation of certain animals capable of carrying diseases that can be transmitted to humans (zoonotic diseases). Importantly, pets taken out of the United States are subject upon return to the same regulations as those entering for the first time. This means even if your dog was born in the United States and you are returning from abroad, the full import process applies.

CDC issues regulations to control the entry of dogs into the United States from other countries, and these rules apply to all dogs, including puppies, service animals, and dogs that left the United States and are returning.

For cats arriving internationally, cats are not required to have proof of rabies vaccination for importation into the United States at the federal level — but Maryland’s state law does require rabies documentation once the cat is established as a resident. Make sure your international vet records are translated into English and formatted in a way that satisfies Maryland’s certificate requirements.

Nonhuman primates face a complete federal ban as pets. Nonhuman primates, including monkeys and apes, may only be imported for scientific, exhibition, or educational purposes and may not be imported as pets under any circumstances. This aligns with Maryland’s own state prohibition on primate ownership.

For international moves, the health certificate process involves an additional USDA endorsement step. Most foreign countries require that the health certificate be issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian before being endorsed by APHIS. If you are bringing a pet from overseas into Maryland, your veterinarian in the origin country must coordinate with a USDA-accredited vet and APHIS to produce the correct paperwork before departure.

Timing is critical for international certificates. Health certificate endorsements may take several business days and are often completed just one to two days before travel. Mailing can add extra time, and incomplete paperwork may delay or prevent endorsement. Start the process weeks before your planned travel date, not days.

How to Find a Federally Accredited Vet Before You Move

A federally accredited veterinarian is essential for any interstate or international pet move. Not every licensed vet holds this credential, so you need to find one specifically before your move date.

A USDA-accredited veterinarian has completed formal training from the National Veterinary Accreditation Program (NVAP) in the state or states they are licensed to practice medicine in. Accreditation is state-specific and voluntary — not all veterinarians are accredited.

There are several practical ways to locate one:

• USDA APHIS Vet Search Tool — APHIS maintains a searchable online directory of accredited veterinarians by state and ZIP code at aphis.usda.gov.
• Call your current vet — Call and ask your local veterinarian if they or another veterinarian in their practice is accredited, or if they know of someone who is. Contact other local veterinary practices to ask them if they have an accredited veterinarian on staff.
• Verify accreditation status — Not all accredited veterinarians in your area may appear in the search since not all accredited veterinarians allow USDA-APHIS to release their information publicly. If in doubt, contact your state’s NVAP coordinator to confirm your veterinarian’s accreditation status.
• Check state-specific accreditation — Make sure your USDA-accredited veterinarian is accredited in the state you are seeing them in. APHIS cannot endorse your health certificate if your veterinarian is not accredited in the state where they are practicing medicine.

Pro Tip: If you are traveling with or shipping birds, make sure your veterinarian has a Category II accreditation status for completion of international health certificates for birds or livestock. Standard Category I accreditation is not sufficient for these species.

Once your accredited vet completes the health certificate, they submit it through the USDA’s Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS). For updates, contact your accredited veterinarian. They submit your documents and can track endorsement status through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS). You cannot submit documents to USDA offices directly as a pet owner — all submissions go through the vet.

For context on how neighboring states handle similar requirements, see guides on pet import laws in Ohio and pet import laws in North Carolina, both of which share a comparable accredited vet process.

Who to Contact in Maryland Before You Arrive With a Pet

Knowing the right agencies to reach before you move can save you significant time and prevent compliance problems after arrival. Maryland splits pet import oversight between several offices depending on the species involved.

For dogs, cats, ferrets, and most companion animals, your primary contact is the Maryland Department of Health’s Public Health Veterinarian. This is the office that receives your rabies vaccination certificate within 10 days of arrival.

For livestock, poultry, and agricultural animals, contact the Maryland Department of Agriculture Animal Health Section. The State Veterinarian for the Maryland Department of Agriculture is Dr. Michael Radebaugh, located at 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD 21401. The office can be reached by phone at 410-841-5810, by fax at 410-841-5999, or by email at animalhealth.mda@maryland.gov. The Maryland Department of Agriculture Animal Health page also maintains current import regulation documents.

For wildlife, wild-caught animals, or any species requiring a Department of Natural Resources permit, contact the Maryland DNR Wildlife Division at 410-260-8546.

For wild or semi-wild animals under domestication, a report giving the number of animals must be made to the Maryland Department of Agriculture Animal Health Section within 72 hours after arrival, and opportunity for examination must be afforded to a representative of the agency to determine the health status of such animals.

Here is a consolidated contact reference for Maryland pet import questions:

Agency	Handles	Contact
MD Department of Health — Public Health Veterinarian	Dogs, cats, ferrets (rabies certificate filing)	Contact via local county health department
MD Department of Agriculture — Animal Health Section	Livestock, poultry, agricultural animals, general import permits	410-841-5810 | animalhealth.mda@maryland.gov
MD Department of Natural Resources — Wildlife Division	Wildlife permits, wild-caught species	410-260-8546
USDA APHIS Veterinary Services	International arrivals, health certificate endorsements	aphis.usda.gov/contact
Local County Animal Control	Local licensing, county-specific exotic pet rules	Varies by county

A call to your local animal control office is the most reliable way to confirm whether a specific species is permitted in your jurisdiction. State law sets the floor, but counties like Baltimore City and Prince George’s County have imposed additional restrictions on top of it.

If you are relocating from another state, these state-specific guides may also be useful before your move: pet import laws in Colorado, pet import laws in Texas, pet import laws in Illinois, pet import laws in Georgia, pet import laws in Michigan, pet import laws in Missouri, and pet import laws in Washington.

The bottom line: Maryland’s pet import system is manageable when you plan ahead. Get your vet appointment scheduled well before your move date, make sure your rabies vaccination timing clears the 30-day window, and know which agency to contact for your specific animal. Doing the paperwork right the first time protects your pet and keeps you on the right side of Maryland law from day one.