How do you bring a pet to Costa Rica in 2026?

SENASA publishes the companion-animal entry path for dogs and cats. You need an official sanitary certificate (certificado sanitario / international veterinary certificate) issued by the competent veterinary authority of the origin or departure country. A private vet letter alone is not enough. The animal needs a clinical exam inside about two weeks before travel. Dogs and cats older than three months need valid rabies vaccination. Dogs also need age-appropriate shots against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, and leptospirosis. Cats need feline rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia coverage alongside rabies. Vaccine brand, lot, and validity dates belong on the certificate and must still be current on arrival.

Internal and external parasite treatments must fall inside about fifteen days before arrival, with product names and lots declared on the certificate. Recheck SENASA’s live notice in the weeks before boarding rather than trusting an old Facebook thread. Other species often need separate authorisations.

At Juan Santamaría (SJO), Liberia (LIR), and other ports of entry, officers review certificates and may inspect the animal. Complete owner-accompanied files often continue without quarantine. Missing rabies timing, incomplete parasite declarations, or cargo without a prior SENASA import permit create the painful exceptions. Unaccompanied or cargo pets need that prior import permit managed through a customs broker before the crate leaves origin.

Airlines add a second rulebook: cabin versus cargo, crate size, breed restrictions, and heat embargoes. Book the pet as early as the human ticket. After release, plan a local vet visit for Costa Rican records. Keep lease evidence ready for pet-friendly buildings in Escazú, San José, or Tamarindo while residence continues: Living in Escazú, Living in San José, and Living in Tamarindo. Beach walks and Central Valley park loops come after the paperwork: Outdoor recreation. Keep the human immigration stack moving in parallel: Paperwork after moving and Get a DIMEX.