AW FAQ General | Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

What are the requirements to bring a dog or cat into Iowa?

All dogs and cats entering Iowa must have a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) stating the animals appear to be free from disease or exposure to infectious or contagious diseases.
A CVI is valid for 30 days from the date of inspection.
All dogs over four months of age entering Iowa must be vaccinated for rabies with a USDA-approved vaccination, and the vaccination must be current.

What is a certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI)?

A CVI is a legible record, on an official form issued by a licensed, accredited veterinarian, and approved by the state animal health official in the state of origin.
To be valid, a CVI must include the following: name and address of consignor (sender), name and address of consignee (recipient), point of origin of the animal, point of destination of the animal, date of examination, number of animals examined, official individual identification of all animals, sex, age, breed of each animal and a statement indicating the animal appears to be free from disease or exposure to infectious or contagious diseases.