TLDR: New Zealand requires two separate health certificates for pet imports from the United States, and Certificate B and all corresponding laboratory reports must carry a physical stamp, ink signature, and certificate number on every page. Certificate A accepts ink or electronic signature. A single page of Certificate B missing any of these three elements will result in rejection at the border. Most families preparing for a US to New Zealand move are not told this until it is almost too late.
New Zealand's documentation rules are strict in a way that surprises even experienced pet owners. The dual certificate requirement is one of the most common compliance failure points on this route, and the Certificate B stamping requirement is the detail that trips people up most.
New Zealand Category 3 imports require two distinct certificates completed within two days of travel. These are not interchangeable documents, and they cannot be completed by the same person.
Certificate A is completed by your USDA-accredited private veterinarian. Certificate B is completed by an official USDA government veterinarian. Both must be finished within two days of your pet's departure date.
The two-certificate structure exists because New Zealand separates clinical health assessment from government endorsement. Both pieces are required, and neither replaces the other.
Not all pages in the document package have the same requirements. Certificate A, completed by your USDA-accredited private veterinarian, accepts either an ink or electronic signature. Certificate B is where the wet-ink mandate applies in full.
For Certificate B, the official USDA APHIS endorsement officer must physically stamp every page, ink sign every page, and add the certificate number to every page. This applies to the health certificate and all corresponding laboratory reports. It is not a cover page requirement. Every single page in the Certificate B package must carry all three elements.
If any page of Certificate B or its accompanying lab reports arrives at the New Zealand border without a physical stamp, ink signature, and certificate number, the document set will be rejected.
Certificate A is completed by your USDA-accredited private veterinarian and accepts ink or electronic signature. Certificate B is completed by the official USDA APHIS endorsement officer, who must physically stamp, ink sign, and add the certificate number to every page, including every page of all corresponding laboratory reports.
The laboratory reports attached to Certificate B are a common gap. Owners and vets sometimes assume that stamping the certificate cover page is sufficient. It is not. Every page of every lab report in the Certificate B package must carry all three elements: physical stamp, ink signature, and certificate number.
Before your pet travels, verify that every page of Certificate B and all corresponding lab reports has been reviewed and that no page has been missed. A single oversight anywhere in the stack will cause rejection.
Both Certificate A and Certificate B must be completed within two days of your pet's travel date. This is a narrow window, and coordinating two different veterinarians within that timeframe requires advance planning.
Confirm availability with both your private vet and the official USDA government veterinarian well before your travel date. Last-minute scheduling is one of the most common reasons this step creates problems.
If any page of Certificate B or its corresponding lab reports is missing a physical stamp, ink signature, or certificate number, New Zealand border authorities will reject the documentation. Your pet will not be cleared for entry.
Depending on timing and what is available at the port, this can result in your pet being held, returned, or denied entry entirely. There is no grace period for missing elements and no opportunity to resubmit documents after arrival.
If you are moving to New Zealand with a pet and want to make sure every document is completed correctly and on time, our team handles the full process from start to finish. Get a free quote to start planning.
No, but both must be completed within two days of your pet's travel date. Certificate A is completed by your USDA-accredited private vet and Certificate B is completed by an official USDA government veterinarian. Coordinating both within that two-day window requires planning well in advance.
Yes, but specifically to Certificate B and its corresponding laboratory reports. The official USDA APHIS endorsement officer must physically stamp every page, ink sign every page, and add the certificate number to every page of Certificate B and all accompanying lab reports. Certificate A accepts ink or electronic signature. The requirement is not limited to cover pages or signature pages. Every page in the Certificate B package must carry all three elements.
For Certificate B, a valid stamp means a physical stamp applied directly to the paper by the official USDA APHIS endorsement officer, accompanied by an ink signature and the certificate number on every page. Certificate A accepts ink or electronic signature. Photocopied stamps, printed signatures, and digital marks do not satisfy the Certificate B requirement.
New Zealand border authorities will reject the document set. A single page of Certificate B or its corresponding lab reports missing a physical stamp, ink signature, or certificate number is grounds for border rejection. There is no process for correcting or resubmitting documents after arrival, so the verification must happen before your pet departs.