Pet Transport via Vietnam–China Land Border: Can You Cross at Lào Cai, Móng Cái or Lạng Sơn?

Pet transport across the Vietnam–China land border is legal only for a pet that meets every Chinese rule. None of the border crossings has a pet quarantine facility. If the pet fails any check there, it cannot be quarantined: it is returned to Vietnam or destroyed.

Short Answer: Can a Pet Cross the Vietnam–China Land Border?

• Is it allowed? Yes, if the microchip, two rabies vaccinations, titer test and health certificate are all correct.
• Which crossings? Lào Cai to Hekou, Móng Cái to Dongxing, and Hữu Nghị in Lạng Sơn to Youyiguan.
• What if something is wrong? No quarantine is possible at these crossings, so the pet is sent back or destroyed.
• Do we recommend it? Only with written confirmation from the Chinese port that it will inspect the pet. Otherwise, fly.

Every document China requires is listed in our guide to China pet import regulations.

Which Vietnam–China Land Crossings Do Pet Owners Ask About?

All three carry heavy trade and passenger traffic. On the Vietnam side, an animal quarantine station checks animals leaving the country. On the China side, customs inspects arriving animals.

Why Does the Land Border Matter for China’s Pet Rules?

China’s customs authority, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), splits ports into two groups. A pet that meets every rule can enter at any port, including a land crossing. A pet that needs quarantine can only enter at one of 10 ports with a quarantine facility. These rules are set out in GACC Announcement No. 5 of 2019.

Hekou, Dongxing and Youyiguan are not among the 10 ports. So a pet that needs quarantine at these crossings has no legal way in. GACC orders such a pet returned or destroyed.

When Does a Pet Need Quarantine at the Border?

A pet from Vietnam needs quarantine in three cases:

• no readable ISO microchip;
• no valid rabies titer result from a GACC-approved laboratory;
• signs of infectious disease or parasites at inspection.

A missing or defective health or vaccination certificate is worse. It leads to return or destruction at any port. The full outcome table is in our guide to the pet inspection on arrival in China.

What Documents Does a Pet Need to Cross by Land?

The documents are the same as for a flight:

• an ISO 11784/11785 microchip with 15 digits;
• at least two rabies vaccinations, with the latest still valid;
• a titer test of at least 0.5 IU/ml from a laboratory on the GACC list, with the blood sample taken on or after the second dose;
• an export health certificate from Vietnam’s Department of Animal Health (DAH), with the examination within 14 days before entry;
• your passport and the pet registration form, filled in at the Chinese counter.

China allows one dog or cat per traveller per entry. You declare the pet in writing, under GACC Announcement No. 43 of 2025.

Why Does Daisy Pet Advise Flying Instead of Crossing by Land?

• No fallback: at an airport with a quarantine facility, a problem means 30 days of quarantine. At a land crossing, the same problem means the pet is sent back or destroyed.
• Few pet imports: these crossings mainly handle trade cargo and travellers. We have not found published guidance from Hekou, Dongxing or Youyiguan customs on pet imports.
• Long drive after the border: Kunming and Nanning are several hundred kilometres from the crossings.

Flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City reach Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. The options are compared in our guide to airlines flying pets to China.

When Could Crossing by Land Make Sense?

• Final home near the border, such as Kunming or Nanning, with no suitable direct flight.
• A crate too large for the aircraft serving your city.

Even then, ask the Chinese customs office at the crossing to confirm in writing that it will inspect a pet under GACC Announcement No. 5 of 2019 (official English translation). Book nothing until you have that answer.

FAQ: Pet Transport via the Vietnam–China Land Border

Can I drive my dog from Vietnam to China?

Yes, if the dog meets every Chinese rule: microchip, two rabies vaccinations, titer test and health certificate. If anything fails at the border, the dog cannot be quarantined there and is returned or destroyed.

Do the Vietnam–China land crossings have pet quarantine facilities?

No. Hekou, Dongxing and Youyiguan are not among China’s 10 ports with a pet quarantine facility.

What documents does a pet need to cross the land border into China?

The same as for a flight: an ISO microchip, two rabies vaccinations, a titer test from a GACC-approved laboratory and a health certificate from Vietnam’s Department of Animal Health.

Is crossing by land cheaper than flying to China?

It saves the airfare, but the documents cost the same. The risk is higher, because a failed check at a land crossing ends in return or destruction instead of quarantine.

How many pets can cross the border with one traveller?

One dog or cat per traveller per entry. Two pets need two travellers.