Your vet-visit checklist
You have a plan — here’s how to clear the vet before travel day
Four things to line up at the vet before you move, then the two steps that protect the pet you just spent all this planning on: insuring the move and, if you are not driving them yourself, booking safe transport.
General interstate-move guidance — not veterinary or legal advice, and not any one state’s official rule. CVI validity, breed, tick-treatment, and entry-permit specifics differ and change, so confirm every step with your vet and the destination state’s Department of Agriculture / USDA APHIS before you travel.
- 1
Confirm the rabies vaccination is current
Almost every state requires a current rabies certificate to bring a dog or cat across the line. Check the tag and paperwork now — if it expires anywhere near your move date, re-vaccinate at least a few weeks ahead so it is unquestionably valid on arrival.
- 2
Microchip before the CVI visit
A microchip is not always required, but many health certificates record the chip number and it is your best insurance against a lost pet mid-move. Have it placed before the certificate appointment so it lands on the paperwork in one visit.
- 3
Book the CVI vet visit ~1–2 weeks before travel
A CVI (Certificate of Veterinary Inspection / health certificate) has to be issued close to your travel date. Aim for roughly one to two weeks out — fresh enough to satisfy arrival, with buffer if the vet finds something that needs treating first. Call early; these appointments fill up.
- 4
Carry printed paper copies
Bring the rabies record and CVI as printed originals in your carry-on or glovebox — not just phone photos. Some checkpoints, airlines, and state ag inspectors want the physical documents in hand.
Insure the move — and book transport if you’re not driving them
This is the step everything else protects. A cross-state move is exactly when a vet bill or an injury tends to show up, and getting a pet safely between states is its own logistics problem. Line up coverage before you go, and a vetted transporter if you can’t drive them yourself:
Some links are affiliate links; we may earn a commission — it never changes what we recommend or costs you anything. Confirm coverage terms and any transporter’s licensing and reviews before you book.
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