Country entry guide · Central America
Traveling to Honduras with your dog
Honduras welcomes dogs, and its rules are handled by its own animal-health authority — the National Service for Agri-Food Health and Safety (SENASA, Servicio Nacional de Sanidad e Inocuidad Agroalimentaria), part of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), not the EU pet-passport system. A dog travelling with its owner needs an official export veterinary certificate issued in the country of departure, together with an up-to-date vaccination card showing current vaccines. When only one or two pets travel at a time, no advance SENASA import permit is required: the documents are presented to the quarantine authority at the customs point of entry, where a SENASA officer inspects the animal and charges a fixed inspection fee. What you must prepare still depends on your dog's country of departure and recent history, because the export certificate is issued by the veterinary authority of that country. This guide explains what to prepare before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Microchip | Not in SENASA's published import requirements |
| Rabies / current vaccinations | Vaccination card with current vaccines required |
| Rabies antibody test | Not in SENASA's published import requirements |
| Export veterinary certificate | Required |
| Import permit (1–2 pets) | Not required |
| Import permit (3+ pets) | Required (Zoosanitary Import Permit) |
| Border inspection & fee | Required — Lps. 525.00 for 1–2 pets |
| Quarantine | None for 1–2 pets; home fiduciary quarantine for 3+ |
⏱️ Estimated preparation time
Times are indicative. The rabies antibody test alone adds a fixed 3-month wait.
⚠️ Important
- MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
- Only a veterinarian can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
- Requirements depend on: the country of origin, previous travel history, identification, vaccinations, the itinerary and the travel date.
Always consult your veterinarian before booking your trip.
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🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Honduras (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Honduras★★★★★
SENASA runs a certificate-based scheme: an official export veterinary certificate and an up-to-date vaccination card are always required. One or two pets travelling at a time need no prior import permit; three or more do.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The certificate must be an export veterinary certificate issued by the competent authority of the exporting country, so that country's veterinary services and health status matter directly. Arrivals from the United States use a USDA-accredited veterinarian; Honduras does not require APHIS endorsement for pets.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
Your dog's recent residence and vaccination history determine whether its vaccination card is complete and valid. It is the dog's real history that counts — not only the last airport.
So read the requirements below as Honduras' framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin and history with your vet.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification (microchip) | Not published | SENASA's published import instructions for pets do not mention a microchip as an entry requirement; identification is carried through the export certificate and vaccination card. | A microchip is not required by SENASA but is strongly advised for identification, for the return trip and because most airlines require it. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures to Honduras |
| Vaccination card / rabies | Required | The pet must arrive with its vaccination card showing current (valid, not expired) vaccines; SENASA's instructions refer to an annexed list of vaccines for dogs and cats. The card is presented to the quarantine officer at entry. | The exact required vaccines and their timing windows (including the specific rabies interval) are set by that annexed list rather than in the main instructions — confirm the current list with SENASA and your vet. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures to Honduras |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required | — | SENASA's published import instructions for pets do not include a rabies antibody test. Whether one is requested for specific high-risk origins is not published — confirm with SENASA before travel. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures to Honduras |
| Export veterinary certificate | Required | Present the original Export Veterinary Certificate issued by the competent veterinary authority of the exporting country, together with the vaccination card. This is the core document SENASA requires for a personal pet. | From the United States, a USDA-accredited veterinarian issues the certificate; Honduras does not require APHIS endorsement for pets, but confirm your airline's paperwork rules. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures; USDA APHIS — Pet travel to Honduras |
| Internal & external parasite treatment | Not published | SENASA's published import instructions for pets do not set out a specific internal/external parasite (deworming or tapeworm) treatment requirement for entry. | A parasite treatment is nonetheless good practice and may be required by the exporting country's own export certificate — confirm with your vet. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures to Honduras |
| Zoosanitary Import Permit | Only for 3 or more pets | When one or two pets travel at a time, no Zoosanitary Import Permit is required. From three pets onward the permit is required: it needs the export certificate, the vaccination card, a fiduciary-quarantine certificate from a licensed private vet, a TGR1 payment of Lps. 750.00 and two Lps. 10.00 veterinary-college stamps, submitted on the SENASA import platform. | Species other than dogs and cats (reptiles, birds, etc.) carry additional requirements per their nature and the exporting country's health status. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures; Agreement N. 331-2009 |
| Border inspection & fee | Required | On arrival the owner reports to the quarantine authority at the land, air or sea customs point of entry. The quarantine officer inspects the pet and charges Lps. 525.00, issuing a receipt that must be handed to the owner. | Fees are set by SENASA's fee regulation (Agreement C.D. SENASA-005-2019) and may be updated — confirm the current amount. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures; Agreement C.D. SENASA-005-2019 |
| Minimum age / puppies | Not published | SENASA does not publish a minimum entry age for pets in its import instructions. | Airline age rules and your home country's return rules may be stricter — confirm both. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures to Honduras |
| Quarantine | None for 1–2 pets | For one or two pets there is no routine quarantine — entry is handled by document review and physical inspection at the border. For three or more pets, a fiduciary quarantine is carried out at the owner's home by a licensed private veterinarian. | Handling of a non-compliant or sick animal on arrival is not detailed in the published instructions — confirm with SENASA. | SENASA — Instructions for pet import procedures; Agreement N. 331-2009 |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Standard — one or two personal pets
A dog arriving with its owner needs an official export veterinary certificate from the country of departure plus an up-to-date vaccination card showing current vaccines. When one or two pets travel at a time, no prior import permit is required. On arrival you report to the quarantine authority at the land, air or sea customs point, the pet is physically inspected, and a Lps. 525.00 fee is charged with a receipt. There is no routine quarantine for a compliant pet.
Arriving from the United States
From the United States a USDA-accredited veterinarian prepares the export health certificate and the vaccination record. Honduras does not require APHIS endorsement of pet health certificates, but you should contact SENASA/INFOAGRO to confirm the current documents and check your airline's own paperwork rules before departure.
Three or more pets — import permit & fiduciary quarantine
From three pets onward SENASA requires a Zoosanitary Import Permit. In addition to the export certificate and vaccination card, you need a fiduciary-quarantine certificate from a licensed private veterinarian (who carries out the quarantine at the owner's home), a TGR1 payment of Lps. 750.00 paid by online banking to SENASA, and two Lps. 10.00 stamps from the Veterinary College. You then complete the import-permit application on the SENASA import platform and attach these documents; the permit is reviewed and returned by email to show to quarantine on arrival.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Honduras centres on the quarantine document check and physical inspection at the customs point of entry.
- The owner reports to the quarantine authority (Cuarentena) at the land, air or sea customs point of entry.
- The quarantine officer physically inspects the pet and charges Lps. 525.00 (for one or two pets), issuing a receipt that must be handed to the owner.
- Carry the original export veterinary certificate from the country of departure plus the vaccination card with current vaccines.
- One or two pets need no prior import permit; three or more must arrive with an approved Zoosanitary Import Permit (obtained in advance).
- Missing or invalid documents can delay clearance — confirm the current requirements with SENASA/INFOAGRO before you fly.
- Airlines have their own crate, breed and booking rules — confirm them separately before you fly.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
SENASA publishes no breed-specific import ban for dogs entering Honduras. Breed restrictions instead come from local government: the municipality of the Central District (Tegucigalpa) regulates and, for some breeds, prohibits the keeping of dogs classed as potentially dangerous. This governs ownership within that municipality rather than entry at the national border.
No dog breed is refused entry to Honduras under SENASA's published import rules: any dog meeting the export-certificate and vaccination-card requirements may be imported regardless of breed. Border formalities are health-based, not breed-based.
Under the Central District municipal ordinance (Acta 014-2003), keeping American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Dogo Argentino (and their hybrids) is prohibited in that municipality. A further list — including German Shepherd, Boxer, Fila Brasileiro, Siberian Husky, Akita, Bullmastiff, Doberman, Neapolitan Mastiff, Rottweiler, Great Dane and others — must be registered and licensed, muzzled and leashed on public roads. This affects keeping in Tegucigalpa, not entry at the border.
So no breed is refused entry for its breed alone, but if you will live in Tegucigalpa with a listed breed you must comply with the municipal ordinance, and other municipalities may have their own rules. Confirm current national and local rules, and your airline's breed policy, before booking.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Official export veterinary certificate from the country of departure (competent veterinary authority)
- ☐Vaccination card up to date with current (valid, not expired) vaccines
- ☐From the US: export health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian (no APHIS endorsement required by Honduras)
- ☐For 3 or more pets: Zoosanitary Import Permit obtained in advance, plus fiduciary-quarantine certificate and SENASA fees (TGR1 Lps. 750.00 + two Lps. 10.00 stamps)
- ☐Budget for the Lps. 525.00 border inspection fee (1–2 pets)
- ☐Microchip fitted (not required by SENASA, but advised for ID, return trip and airlines)
- ☐Check municipal breed rules if you will live in Tegucigalpa (Central District ordinance)
- ☐Airline reservation and suitable IATA crate if travelling in the hold
📚 Official sources
- SENASA Honduras — Instructions for pet import procedures to Honduras (PDF)
- SENASA Honduras — Instructions for pet export procedures (PDF)
- SENASA Honduras — Export of live animals
- USDA APHIS — Pet Travel From the United States to Honduras
- Municipality of the Central District — Ordinance on prohibition, registration and control of potentially dangerous dogs (Acta 014-2003, PDF)