Moving a pet to Panama
Permit-driven or window-sensitive: import permits, home quarantine registration or tight treatment timing.
Destination requirements apply to every origin. Document steps below reference USDA APHIS/VEHCS because they are the most common departure route; if you are moving from another country, the equivalent filing is handled by your national veterinary authority.
Quick rules summary
| Governing body | Ministry of Health (MINSA) |
|---|---|
| Mandatory lead time | 2 months |
| Rabies titer test (FAVN) | No |
| Import permit | Yes (Home Quarantine Request) |
| Post-arrival quarantine | 40 days home quarantine |
| Microchip mandate | ISO chip required |
| Primary failure point | Missing consular authentication or apostille, or an unfiled MINSA home quarantine form. |
Biosecurity & veterinary protocol
Entry rules depend on both your departure country and your destination. The endorsement steps below are written for the US-departure route (USDA APHIS via VEHCS); from any other origin, the equivalent step is an export health certificate endorsed by your national government veterinary authority.
- 1
Implant an ISO-compliant microchip.
- 2
Rabies vaccination at least 30 days before arrival.
- 3
USDA-endorsed health certificate (original paper, wet-ink signature and embossed seal).
- 4
Secondary authentication of the certificate via a Panamanian Consulate ($30 fee) or a Secretary of State apostille.
- 5
File the MINSA "Home Quarantine Request" three to five days before arrival.
- 6
Pay the $130 MINSA fee in cash on landing at Tocumen International Airport, releasing the pet into 40 days of home quarantine.
Breed & airline warnings
Restricted breeds may require additional municipal registration.
Brachycephalic pets face cargo embargoes on most US–Panama routes.
Crates must follow IATA Live Animals Regulations: L = A + ½B, W = 2C, H = D + bedding. Two compatible animals up to 14 kg (30 lbs) each may share a crate; heavier animals travel individually. Check your breed →
Your Panama timeline
Build my pet's relocation plan
Your plan appears here
Tell us where your pet is travelling from and to, and we'll build a route-specific plan: the earliest realistic travel date, the steps that actually determine it, every deadline, and any quarantine on arrival.
- • Rules resolved per corridor — never a generic US or EU timeline.
- • Counts what your pet has already had done.
- • Tells you plainly when a corridor still needs verification.