Senate BillChaptered/SignedFood and Agriculture
SB 312: Dog importation: health certificates.
What SB 312 does, verified December 7, 2025
This bill would add a new chapter to the food and agricultural code and repeal a related health code provision. It would require a health certificate for dogs being imported into the state for resale or ownership change, which must be completed by a licensed veterinarian within 10 days of the dog's arrival. The certificate must include specific information and be submitted to the department of food and agriculture and the buyer. The bill would also designate the health certificate as a public record, requiring the department to retain it for 5 years.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 480, Statutes of 2025. (2025-10-09)Alert me
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| Oct. 09, 2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 480, Statutes of 2025. |
| Oct. 09, 2025 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 17, 2025 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. |
| Sep. 10, 2025 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2829.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Sep. 08, 2025 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3000.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, October 9, 2025 · 1,158 words
Senate Bill No. 312
CHAPTER 480
An act to add Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 31000) to Division 14 of the Food and Agricultural Code, and to repeal Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 121720) of Part 6 of Division 105 of the Health and Safety Code, relating to dogs.
[ Approved by Governor October 09, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 09, 2025. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 312, Umberg. Dog importation: health certificates.
Existing law requires a person seeking to bring a dog into this state, or importing a dog into this state, for the purpose of resale or change of ownership to obtain a health certificate with respect to the dog that has been completed by a licensed veterinarian and is dated within 10 days before the date on which the dog is brought into the state. Existing law requires the person to submit the health certificate to the applicable county health department, as specified.
This bill would repeal the above-described requirements, and would instead require a person selling, transporting, or importing a dog into the state for the purpose of resale or change of ownership to obtain, and submit to the Department of Food and Agriculture and the buyer, a health certificate for the dog that has been completed by a licensed veterinarian and is dated no more than 10 days before the date on which the dog is brought into the state, as specified. The bill would require that the health certificate contain specified information. The bill would designate the health certificate as a public record, and require the department to retain a health certificate for 5 years.
Under existing law, a violation of the Food and Agricultural Code is a misdemeanor, except as specified.
Because the requirements of this bill would be part of the Food and Agricultural Code, the violation of which would be a crime, the bill would create a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 31000) is added to Division 14 of the Food and Agricultural Code, to read:CHAPTER 4.5. Importation of Dogs
31000.
(a) A person selling, transporting, or importing a dog into the state for the purpose of resale or change of ownership shall obtain, and submit to the department and the buyer, a health certificate for the dog that has been completed by a licensed veterinarian and is dated no more than 10 days before the date on which the dog is brought into the state.(b) The health certificate shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following information:
(1) The date of the examination.
(2) A statement that the examination revealed no clinical evidence of infectious or communicable disease, including external parasites and fungi, and that, to the best of the licensed veterinarian’s knowledge, the dog has not recently been exposed to such infectious or communicable disease.
(3) Any vaccinations, treatments, or tests, and the results of such administered to the dog.
(4) (A) A statement that the dog has been properly immunized against rabies by a vaccine approved by the United States Department of Agriculture within 12 months before the date of importation into the State of California.
(B) This immunization requirement shall not apply if the dog is under three months old or if a licensed veterinarian certifies in writing that because of old age, or another reason, the life of the dog would be endangered by the administration of the rabies vaccine.
(5) The number of dogs in the shipment.
(6) A description of each dog in the shipment, including breed, age, and sex.
(7) If microchipped, the microchip number for each dog in the shipment.
(8) The physical address for both the origin and destination of the dog in the shipment. A post office box, airport, parking lot, or other public or nonfixed location shall not be used as the physical address. The physical address shall correspond to a verifiable, permanent residence or business location where the animal resides or is housed.
(9) The signature, printed name, physical address, and state license number of the licensed veterinarian who examined the dogs in the shipment.
(10) The full name, physical address, email address, and telephone number of the consignor and the full name, physical address, email address, and telephone number of the buyer.
(11) The United States Department of Agriculture license number associated with the breeder of the dog, if applicable.
(c) Completion of a United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Form 7001, known as the United States Interstate and International Certificate of Health Examination for Small Animals, may be used to satisfy the requirements of subdivision (a) if the minimum requirements described in subdivision (b) are satisfied by the form. A different form of health certificate acceptable to the department may also be used to satisfy the requirements of subdivision (a) if the minimum requirements described in subdivision (b) are satisfied by the form.
(d) The person selling, transporting, or importing the dog into this state for the purpose of resale or change of ownership shall submit the health certificate to the department and the buyer via an electronic transmission.
(e) For purposes of this section, “consignor” means a person, business, or organization that ships or sends goods to another party for sale or storage, retaining ownership until the goods are paid for.
31002.
(a) A health certificate received by the department pursuant to this chapter is a public record subject to disclosure, without redaction, under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code).(b) The department shall make the health certificates it receives pursuant to this chapter available upon request and without requiring a person to submit a request under the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code).
(c) The department shall retain a health certificate for five years.
SEC. 2.
Chapter 1.5 (commencing with Section 121720) of Part 6 of Division 105 of the Health and Safety Code is repealed.SEC. 3.
No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.Text of SB 312 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions