TLDR: Japan's health certificate has a trap built into it. USDA officially permits two forms for Japan exports: Form AC and the generic APHIS Form 7001. Only Form AC is designed for Japan's specific required fields. Any deficiency in the health certificate triggers detention quarantine of up to 180 days at the importer's expense. Form AC is the only safe choice for mainland US exports to Japan.
Japan's health certificate requirement has a trap built into it. The US Department of Agriculture officially permits two forms for exporting pets to Japan: Form AC and the generic APHIS Form 7001. On paper, both are acceptable. In practice, only one of them is designed for Japan's specific required fields, and arriving with the wrong form completed incorrectly means your pet faces detention quarantine for up to 180 days at your expense. Here is what you need to know.
Form AC is a Japan-specific health certificate that combines two documents into one: the owner declaration and the health certificate. It was designed specifically for pets being exported to Japan from the United States mainland and contains all the fields Japan's Animal Quarantine Service requires for import inspection.
The form must be completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian within 10 days before your pet boards. For dogs, the clinical exam must confirm freedom from clinical signs of both rabies and leptospirosis. For cats, it must confirm freedom from clinical signs of rabies. Once completed by the veterinarian, Form AC must be endorsed by USDA APHIS before your pet travels.
Form AC is the recommended health certificate for mainland US exports to Japan. It is designed for this specific route. The fields match what AQS inspectors are looking for at the port of entry.
APHIS Form 7001 is a generic health certificate used for a wide range of international pet exports from the United States. It is not Japan-specific. USDA officially permits it as an alternative to Form AC for Japan exports, which means your USDA-accredited veterinarian may offer it as an option.
The problem is that APHIS 7001 was not designed around Japan's required fields. Japan's import inspection requires specific information about vaccination history, microchip details, titer test results, and clinical exam findings in a format that maps directly to AQS's review process. APHIS 7001 does not have dedicated fields for all of these. When a veterinarian uses APHIS 7001 for a Japan export, they are working around a form rather than working with one, and gaps or ambiguities in how the information is recorded increase the risk of a deficiency finding at AQS inspection.
Japan's Animal Quarantine Service inspects every document at the port of entry. If any deficiency is found in the health certificate, including a missing field, an inconsistency with another document, or an unclear attestation, your pet will not be released. Detention quarantine of up to 180 days applies, entirely at the importer's expense.
This is not a situation where AQS asks you to clarify a minor point and releases your pet the next day. A deficiency in the health certificate is treated as a failure to meet the import requirements. The consequences are the same as if you had never completed the 180-day wait.
The cost of detention quarantine, including transport to the facility, daily boarding, food, veterinary visits, and any additional administrative costs, accumulates quickly. The use of the wrong form or an incorrectly completed form is entirely avoidable. It is not worth the risk.
If your destination is Hawaii or Guam rather than mainland Japan, the health certificate requirements are different. Hawaii and Guam use Form A/B rather than Form AC. Form AC is for mainland Japan exports only. If your veterinarian completes Form AC for a Hawaii or Guam move, that is the wrong form. Confirm your destination and the correct form with USDA APHIS before your veterinary appointment.
Step 1: Confirm your veterinarian is USDA-accredited. Not every licensed veterinarian is USDA-accredited. Only a USDA-accredited veterinarian can complete and sign Form AC. If your regular vet is not accredited, find one who is before your 10-day pre-export window opens.
Step 2: Request Form AC specifically. Do not leave the form choice to your veterinarian. Ask for Form AC by name. Explain that your destination is mainland Japan and that Form AC is the Japan-specific health certificate required by AQS. If your veterinarian is unfamiliar with Form AC, provide them with the USDA APHIS Japan page before the appointment.
Step 3: Send a draft to AQS before obtaining USDA endorsement. Once your veterinarian has completed Form AC, send a draft copy to the AQS office handling your advance notification before submitting it to USDA APHIS for endorsement. AQS can review the draft and flag any issues before the document is formally endorsed. Catching an error at the draft stage costs nothing. Catching it at the port of entry costs months.
Step 4: Obtain USDA APHIS endorsement before travel. Form AC must be USDA-endorsed before your pet boards. Allow enough time for the endorsement process. USDA APHIS endorsement typically takes one to three business days depending on your state and submission method. Some states offer walk-in endorsement; others require mail or courier submission.
Step 5: Carry the original. Present the original endorsed Form AC at AQS inspection. Copies are not accepted unless they are specifically endorsed by USDA APHIS as certified copies.
Get a free quote from PetRelocation and a relocation manager will walk you through every step.
USDA officially permits it but it is not recommended. APHIS 7001 is a generic form not designed for Japan's required fields. The risk of a deficiency at AQS inspection is higher with APHIS 7001 than with Form AC. Any deficiency triggers detention quarantine of up to 180 days at the importer's expense. Use Form AC.
Form AC is for mainland Japan exports from the US. Form A/B is for Hawaii and Guam. They are different documents for different destinations. Confirm your destination and the correct form with USDA APHIS before your veterinary appointment.
It can be. A veterinarian unfamiliar with Form AC may complete it incorrectly or leave required fields incomplete, which increases the risk of a deficiency at AQS inspection. Provide your veterinarian with the USDA APHIS Japan page in advance, send the completed draft to AQS for review before endorsement, and allow time to correct any issues before the 10-day pre-export window closes.
The clinical exam and Form AC completion must happen within 10 days before your pet boards. USDA APHIS endorsement must be obtained after completion and before travel. Allow at least three to five business days between the veterinary appointment and your departure date to allow time for endorsement and any corrections.
A new Form AC must be completed, signed, and endorsed. The 10-day pre-export window applies to the new form. If the error is discovered close to your travel date, you may need to reschedule travel. This is why sending a draft to AQS before obtaining endorsement is strongly recommended.