January 22, 2026 - SACRAMENTO, CA. – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is informing 
the public and veterinary community of changes to the state’s requirements for dogs entering California for sale or transfer of ownership.
Credit: Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society of the United States)
Effective January 1, 2026, a new law, California Senate Bill 312 (SB 312), amends existing law concerning the importation of dogs entering California for sale or transfer of ownership and their accompanying Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI).
How Are CVIs Changing in California?
The new state law makes it a requirement that a CVI must be submitted to CDFA for any dog imported into California for the purpose of sale, transfer of ownership, or change of custody.
Additional changes include:
- Electronic Submission is Now Required: CVIs must now be submitted to CDFA electronically. Paper submissions (including mail-in submissions) will no longer be accepted.
- Public Access: Submitted CVIs will be made available to the public upon request, consistent with the requirements of SB 312.
Animal Health and Transparency
To assist with compliance, CDFA has developed a dedicated online resource where CVIs can be submitted, and additional information can be found. That website can be found at the following link: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/Animal_Health/dog-cvi/.
CDFA has notified state veterinarians across the country regarding this change in California law.
CDFA's mission includes protecting and promoting the health of California's animals. By facilitating the electronic submission and public availability of these CVIs, we are supporting transparency for California residents who purchase dogs imported for sale. This process helps ensure greater accountability regarding the health and origin of animals entering the state.
Source: CDFA
