Country entry guide · South America
Traveling to Peru with your dog
Peru welcomes dogs, and its entry rules are the same for a personal pet arriving from almost anywhere. SENASA (Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agraria, the national animal-health authority) asks for one core document: an original export health certificate issued by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from. It must show current vaccinations — including rabies for a dog over three months old — and internal and external deworming done within 30 days before travel. There is no rabies antibody test and no general quarantine for a healthy pet; SENASA simply carries out a clinical inspection on arrival, mainly at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima. A dog travelling as accompanied baggage usually clears customs without paying import duties. This guide explains exactly what to prepare, and the timing to respect, before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Microchip | Not listed by SENASA at entry (recommended) |
| Rabies vaccination | Required from 3 months of age |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required |
| Export health certificate (official authority of origin) | Required |
| Internal & external deworming | Required (within 30 days) |
| Quarantine | Not required for a healthy pet |
⏱️ 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.
Find a flight to Peru
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Peru (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Peru★★★★★
Peru applies its own SENASA scheme: one original export health certificate covering current vaccinations (rabies from 3 months) and internal and external deworming, plus a clinical inspection on arrival. No rabies antibody test and no general quarantine are demanded.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The health certificate must be issued by the official veterinary authority of the country you depart from. Its content and timing (deworming within 30 days, valid vaccinations) drive your whole preparation.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
SENASA's published pet scheme applies uniformly, but recent residence and the animal-health status of those countries can affect what the official authority certifies. Confirm your dog's history with your vet.
So read the requirements below as Peru's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin and history with your vet.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Not listed at entry (recommended) | SENASA's published entry requirements do not list a microchip. A microchip is strongly advised for identification and for the return trip, and other countries' rules may require it. | For exit from Peru, SENASA does list an ISO 11784/11785 microchip implant record where required by the destination country. | SENASA — Requisitos sanitarios para ingresar o salir de Perú |
| Rabies vaccination | Required from 3 months | Mandatory for a dog over three months of age; the current rabies vaccination must be recorded on the export health certificate issued by the origin's official authority. | A dog under three months old is not required by SENASA to be rabies-vaccinated, but other vaccinations and airline/return rules still apply. | SENASA — Ingreso de mascotas (requisitos sanitarios) |
| Other vaccinations | Required | The certificate must record current vaccinations against canine parvovirus, distemper, canine hepatitis and leptospirosis, in addition to rabies. | Age-appropriate exceptions may apply for very young puppies per the certifying vet. | SENASA — Ingreso de mascotas (requisitos sanitarios) |
| Rabies antibody test | Not required | — | SENASA does not require a rabies antibody test for a personal pet from any origin. | SENASA — Ingreso de mascotas (requisitos sanitarios) |
| Export health certificate | Required | An original export health certificate issued by the official veterinary authority of the country of origin, stating the vaccinations, the deworming and the animal's health status. | Present the original at the border. A written application with the owner's and pet's details is also submitted to SENASA on entry. | SENASA — Ingreso de mascotas (requisitos sanitarios) |
| Internal & external deworming | Required | Internal and external deworming carried out within the 30 days before travel, recorded on the export health certificate. | — | SENASA — Ingreso de mascotas (requisitos sanitarios) |
| SENASA fee | Required | A payment of S/ 98.60 into SENASA's bank account is made for the entry procedure (amount per the current SENASA tariff / TUPA). | The exact tariff may change; check the current SENASA TUPA before travel. | SENASA — Ingreso de mascotas (requisitos sanitarios) |
| Import permit / advance notification | Not required for dogs (accompanied pet) | For a dog as a personal pet, no prior Sanitary Import Permit (PSI) is needed. A PSI and quarantine-facility authorisation apply only to other animal species. | Airlines and customs handling may have their own advance-notice requirements. | gob.pe — Ingreso de mascotas al país (material informativo) |
| SENASA inspection on arrival | Required on arrival | SENASA staff review the export health certificate and carry out a clinical inspection to detect any sign of infectious-contagious or parasitic disease, mainly at Jorge Chávez International Airport (Lima). | If a document is missing or the animal shows signs of disease, the SENASA inspector determines the applicable sanitary measure. | SENASA — Ingreso de mascotas (requisitos sanitarios) |
| Customs (SUNAT) | Applies on arrival | A single pet as accompanied baggage, arriving from 1 month before to 6 months after the passenger, clears without import duties on presentation of the passport and air ticket. | A second or further pet, or one arriving outside that window or as unlinked cargo, is subject to import duties via a Simplified Import Declaration (DSI). | gob.pe / SUNAT — Ingreso de mascota al país |
| Minimum age | No fixed minimum; rabies from 3 months | SENASA does not publish a fixed minimum entry age, but rabies vaccination becomes mandatory once the dog is over three months old. | Airline age rules and your home country's return rules may be stricter. | SENASA — Ingreso de mascotas (requisitos sanitarios) |
| Quarantine | Not required | — | There is no general quarantine for a healthy compliant pet. If requirements are not met, the SENASA inspector determines the applicable sanitary measure. | gob.pe — Ingreso de mascotas al país (material informativo) |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Standard SENASA scheme — export health certificate
For a dog arriving from the European Union, the EU pet passport is not the operative document for Peru. Your dog needs an original export health certificate issued by the official veterinary authority of the country you travel from, recording current vaccinations (rabies from 3 months, plus canine parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis) and internal and external deworming within 30 days before travel. SENASA reviews it and inspects the dog on arrival.
From any other third country — same single scheme
Peru applies the same procedure regardless of the country of origin. Whatever your departure country, the path is one export health certificate from its official veterinary authority, valid vaccinations and deworming, the SENASA fee, and the clinical inspection on arrival. There is no rabies antibody test and no waiting period beyond keeping the vaccinations valid.
Non-compliant arrivals & customs cases
If a dog arrives without meeting the sanitary requirements, or shows signs of disease, the SENASA inspector determines the sanitary measure to protect the country's animal health, at the owner's expense. Separately, a pet that is not a single accompanied animal within the customs window may owe import duties through a Simplified Import Declaration (DSI) with SUNAT.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Peru depends on how it travels and on your documents.
- SENASA staff review the original export health certificate and perform a clinical inspection of the dog, mainly at Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima.
- A single pet travelling as accompanied baggage, arriving within 1 month before to 6 months after the passenger, is not charged import duties on presentation of the passport and air ticket.
- For a dog arriving as air cargo or outside the accompanied-baggage window, expect a customs process with SUNAT (Simplified Import Declaration and possible duties).
- Keep the SENASA fee payment voucher and all originals; forms are handled in Spanish.
- If a document is missing or the dog appears ill, the SENASA inspector determines the applicable sanitary measure, and any resulting costs fall on the owner.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Peru has no SENASA breed-specific import ban. National law regulates the keeping of dogs considered potentially dangerous, but this governs ownership within Peru — it is not an entry ban applied at the border.
No banned category at entry: no breed is refused entry to Peru on the basis of its breed, provided the SENASA sanitary requirements (export health certificate, vaccinations, deworming, inspection) are met.
Ownership rules: Law No. 27596 and its regulation (Supreme Decree 006-2002-SA) set the legal regime for keeping, breeding and handling dogs deemed potentially dangerous. Ministry of Health Resolution 1776-2002-SA/DM lists breeds including Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Japonesa (Tosa Inu), Bullmastiff, Doberman and Rottweiler. Owners must be adults, register the dog, and meet responsible-ownership conditions — these are ownership obligations, not entry bans.
Because there is no national breed ban at the border, focus on the SENASA sanitary rules for entry. If you will live in Peru with a listed breed, check the ownership and registration obligations under Law 27596 and its regulation.
🛂 Airports in Peru
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Original export health certificate issued by the official veterinary authority of the country of departure
- ☐Current vaccinations recorded: rabies (from 3 months), plus canine parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis
- ☐Internal & external deworming within 30 days before travel, recorded on the certificate
- ☐Written application with the owner's and pet's details for SENASA on entry
- ☐SENASA fee (S/ 98.60) payment voucher — verify the current amount on the SENASA TUPA
- ☐Passport and air ticket to clear a single accompanied pet without import duties at customs
- ☐Microchip recommended for identification (and required by many other countries / for the return)
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and a suitable IATA crate if in the hold
📚 Official sources
- SENASA — Traveling with your pet: sanitary requirements to enter or leave Peru
- SENASA — Requirements for the exit and entry of pets to the country
- gob.pe — SENASA campaign 'Travel with your pet'
- gob.pe / SUNAT — Entry of pets to the country (informative material, PDF)
- Congreso de la República — Law No. 27596 (legal regime of dogs)
- gob.pe — Law No. 27596 (official record)