Bringing Your Dog or Cat to South Korea on PCS Orders
South Korea requires a rabies antibody test like Japan does — but with no 180-day wait and no advance notification. A pet that arrives with a microchip, a current rabies vaccination, a passing titer, and an endorsed health certificate is released the same day. Plan on about two months if your pet is starting from scratch.
This guide walks through Korea’s requirements step by step, the Patriot Express from Seattle to Osan, what the military reimburses, and the housing and breed rules to check before you go. Across The Pond Pets helps military families move pets to installations across South Korea, including from our team at SEA-TAC, the Pacific gateway for the Patriot Express.
Accompanied or unaccompanied tour? Check before anything else. Many Korea assignments are unaccompanied, and pets aren’t allowed in unaccompanied dorms. Pets are generally limited to family housing or approved off-post housing, so confirm where you’ll live before you plan your pet’s move.
South Korea Pet Import Requirements, Step by Step
Korea’s Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) sets the rules. The United States is not on Korea’s rabies-free list, so dogs and cats 90 days or older follow the process below. Order matters: the microchip comes first, then the vaccine, then the blood test.
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First, before the rabies vaccination
ISO-compliant microchip
Your pet needs an ISO 11784/11785 microchip implanted before the rabies vaccination used for the titer test. Have your vet scan it and make sure the number matches exactly on every document.
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About 2 months before arrival
Rabies vaccination
Your pet’s rabies vaccination must be current on arrival. If your pet’s existing vaccination was given before the microchip, revaccinate after the chip is implanted.
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30+ days after the vaccination
Rabies antibody (FAVN) blood test
Your vet draws blood and sends it to an approved laboratory. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/mL, and it stays valid for 24 months from the date of the blood draw. Results usually take two to four weeks. Military veterinary treatment facilities can often draw and submit the sample for you.
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90–120 days before departure
Book your pet’s flight
Request Patriot Express pet space through your transportation office as soon as booking opens, or book a commercial flight to Incheon. You don’t need to wait for the titer result to book — there’s no waiting period after it.
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Within 10 days before departure
Health certificate and USDA endorsement
A USDA-accredited vet examines your pet and completes Korea’s health certificate, which USDA APHIS then endorses. Bring the original titer result with it. Errors on the certificate are a common cause of delays, so have the draft checked before endorsement.
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Arrival day
Import inspection in Korea
APQA checks the microchip and documents at Osan Air Base (Patriot Express) or Incheon International Airport. When everything is in order, your pet is released the same day and goes home with you.
What happens if something is missed. A pet that arrives without a microchip, without a titer result, with a result below 0.5 IU/mL, or with a result older than 24 months is held in quarantine at the owner’s expense until the missing step is completed in Korea. That usually means 10 days or more. A valid USDA-endorsed health certificate is still required.
Your PCS Countdown
Work backward from your report date. If your pet already has a microchip, a current vaccination, and a passing titer from the last 24 months, you can skip the first two rows.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| As soon as Korea is likely | Confirm pets are allowed where you’ll live, check microchip and rabies records, and call us to map your dates |
| About 2 months before | Microchip and rabies vaccination if needed, then the titer blood draw 30+ days later |
| 90–120 days before | Request Patriot Express pet space through your transportation office, or book commercial |
| 2–3 weeks before | Titer result in hand; book the health certificate appointment |
| Within 10 days before | Vet exam, health certificate, and USDA endorsement |
| Travel day | Crate, endorsed certificate, titer result, rabies certificate, and orders in hand |
Summer is peak PCS season. Airline heat embargoes and limited Patriot Express pet spaces make June–August the hardest time to book, so plan the flight early.
Patriot Express, Reimbursement, and Getting Your Pet There
Patriot Express
The military’s contracted flight from Seattle-Tacoma to Osan Air Base carries a limited number of dogs and cats for families on PCS orders — two pets per family, with each pet and crate under 150 pounds combined. For transoceanic moves, the JTR requires using government transportation when it’s available.
Pet spaces open 90–120 days before departure and require a signed Risk Acknowledgement Document. Pets must travel with you or a designated representative.
Up to $2,000
For PCS orders effective on or after January 1, 2024, the Joint Travel Regulations reimburse qualifying costs for one household pet (a dog or cat) on an OCONUS move — such as microchipping, titer testing, health certificates, boarding, and transport.
Commercial shipping is only reimbursable with a non-availability letter from your transportation office. Confirm details with your finance office.
Our SEA-TAC team
Our Seattle team is based at the Patriot Express gateway. We can prepare your pet’s paperwork, meet you at SEA-TAC, or ship your pet commercially to Incheon when Patriot Express space isn’t available.
From elsewhere in the U.S., our partner network connects your pet to Seattle or Los Angeles.
Pet flying without you? Osan Air Base has no pet holding facility, so it can only accept pets traveling with their owner or a designated representative with a signed designation form. Pets shipped on their own must enter through Incheon International Airport — we arrange that clearance and delivery.
Restricted Dog Breeds in South Korea
Korea doesn’t ban any breed from import, but since April 2024 its Animal Protection Act requires a government ownership permit for five breeds and their mixes:
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Rottweiler
- Tosa
To get the permit, owners must register the dog, carry liability insurance, have the dog neutered, and pass a temperament evaluation, and the dog must be leashed and muzzled in public. Installation housing rules may restrict these breeds further. If your dog is one of these breeds or a mix, check with your new installation’s housing office before you move.
Other Things to Plan For
Flat-faced breeds and summer heatBulldogs, Pugs, Frenchies, Persians, and similar breeds face airline restrictions, and summer heat embargoes can block cargo travel. Plan these moves for cooler months when possible.
Puppies and kittensPets under 90 days old on arrival need only a microchip and health certificate — no rabies vaccine or titer. Once they turn 90 days, the full process applies, so a young pet that misses that window may wait a couple of months.
Housing pet limitsMilitary family housing in Korea commonly limits families to two pets, and not every installation guarantees off-post housing. Check your new installation’s housing policy before you move.
The right crateAirlines and the Patriot Express require an approved hard-sided crate sized to your pet. Crate and pet weight also affect your cost. See our crate guidelines.
U.S. Military Installations in South Korea We Support
Korea’s import rules are the same nationwide. Patriot Express pets arrive at Osan Air Base, and commercial and cargo arrivals come through Incheon. We plan the arrival point and ground transport around your installation.
| Installation | Branch | Region |
|---|---|---|
| USAG Humphreys (Camp Humphreys) | Army | Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi |
| Osan Air Base | Air Force | Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi |
| Kunsan Air Base | Air Force | Gunsan, North Jeolla |
| USAG Daegu (Camps Walker, Henry, Carroll) | Army | Daegu and Waegwan |
| Fleet Activities Chinhae | Navy | Changwon, South Gyeongsang |
| USAG Casey | Army | Dongducheon, Gyeonggi |
Leaving Korea: Bringing Your Pet Back to the U.S.
When your tour ends, your pet needs an export inspection from APQA before departure, plus the U.S. entry requirements. South Korea is not on the CDC’s high-risk rabies list, so dogs returning to the U.S. need to be at least 6 months old, have a readable microchip, and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. Cats follow state and airline rules. For the full checklist — CDC forms, export steps, and pickup at SEA-TAC or LAX with delivery to your new base — see our PCS Back to the U.S. with Pets guide.
PCS to Korea with Pets: FAQs
How long does it take to prepare a pet for Korea?
About six to eight weeks for a pet starting from scratch: the microchip and rabies vaccination, a titer blood draw at least 30 days later, two to four weeks for results, then a health certificate within 10 days of departure. A pet with a passing titer from the last 24 months can be ready much faster.
Is there a waiting period after the titer test, like Japan?
No. Unlike Japan’s 180-day wait, Korea has no waiting period. Your pet can travel as soon as the result is at least 0.5 IU/mL, and the result stays valid for 24 months from the blood draw.
Will my pet be quarantined in Korea?
Not if every requirement is met — pets are released the same day. Pets missing a microchip or a valid titer result are held in quarantine at the owner’s expense until the missing step is completed, usually 10 days or more.
Can my pet fly on the Patriot Express to Korea?
Yes, the Patriot Express from Seattle-Tacoma to Osan Air Base carries a limited number of dogs and cats for families on PCS orders, up to two per family. Pets must travel with the owner or a designated representative. Request space through your transportation office 90–120 days before departure.
Will the military reimburse my pet’s move to Korea?
For PCS orders effective on or after January 1, 2024, the JTR reimburses qualifying expenses for one dog or cat up to $2,000 on an OCONUS move. Commercial shipping requires a non-availability letter from your transportation office. Confirm your eligibility with your finance office.
Can I bring my pet on an unaccompanied tour?
Usually not. Pets aren’t allowed in unaccompanied dorms, and off-post housing isn’t guaranteed. Check with your sponsor and your new installation’s housing office before planning your pet’s move.
Do cats have to meet the same requirements as dogs?
Yes. Dogs and cats 90 days or older from the U.S. both need the microchip, a current rabies vaccination, a passing titer test, and an endorsed health certificate. The breed permit rules apply only to dogs.
Got Orders to Korea? Let’s Map Your Pet’s Dates
Send us your report date and your pet’s records. We’ll tell you when your pet’s titer and health certificate need to happen and handle every step from there.
