Flying with a dog or cat to Missouri
Missouri requires a certificate of veterinary inspection to bring in a dog or cat, including when you are travelling with your own. Window: within 30 days.
What this state requires
Veterinary certificate required
- Validity window
- within 30 days
The rule in detail
≥8 weeks old to enter for a commercial purpose
What the airline asks, separately
A carrier can require a document no state does. Most US airlines ask for a certificate issued within seven to ten days, whatever the state rule says. The two stack: satisfying one does not satisfy the other.
Dog breeds
Missouri bans no breed at state level, but does not stop its municipalities from doing so either. Regulation therefore exists at city or county level, and it is the arrival address that decides — not the state, not the airport. Worth checking with the municipality before a move.
Where you come in
2 airports in our catalogue serve Missouri.
- MCI
- STL
Source
Rule read at the state's own official source, verified on 2026-09-12. agriculture.mo.gov
Common questions
- Do you need a health certificate to take a dog or cat to Missouri?
- Yes. Missouri requires a certificate of veterinary inspection, including for personal travel with your own pet, issued within within 30 days of entry.
- Can a dog breed be refused in Missouri?
- Not by the state, but possibly by the destination municipality: Missouri lets its cities and counties legislate on breeds. The arrival address decides, not the airport.
Other states
The rule changes at every state line. Each page below carries its own state’s rule, with its source.