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SB-312 • 2026

Dog importation: health certificates.

Dog importation: health certificates.

Agriculture Crime Education
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Umberg
Last action
2025-10-09
Official status
Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 480, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide specific details about what constitutes a violation or the exact penalties associated with it.

Dog Importation Health Certificates

The law changes the requirement to submit health certificates for dogs entering California for resale or change of ownership from county health departments to the Department of Food and Agriculture.

What This Bill Does

  • Repeals the requirement to submit a dog's health certificate to county health departments.
  • Requires sellers, transporters, and importers to get a health certificate from a licensed vet within 10 days before entering the state.
  • Specifies that this certificate must be given to both the Department of Food and Agriculture and the buyer.
  • Designates these health certificates as public records and requires the department to keep them for five years.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who sell or transport dogs into California for resale or change of ownership.
  • The Department of Food and Agriculture in California.

Terms To Know

Health Certificate
A document from a licensed veterinarian that confirms the health status of an animal before it is moved to another location.
State-Mandated Local Program
A program where state laws require local agencies or school districts to take actions, often at additional cost.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact information that must be included in the health certificate.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect existing dog importation practices before the new requirements are implemented.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-09 California Legislative Information

    Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 480, Statutes of 2025.

  2. 2025-10-09 California Legislative Information

    Approved by the Governor.

  3. 2025-09-17 California Legislative Information

    Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.

  4. 2025-09-10 California Legislative Information

    Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2829.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.

  5. 2025-09-08 California Legislative Information

    In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.

  6. 2025-09-08 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3000.) Ordered to the Senate.

  7. 2025-09-03 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. 2025-09-02 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  9. 2025-08-29 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (August 29).

  10. 2025-07-16 California Legislative Information

    July 16 set for first hearing. Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  11. 2025-07-03 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  12. 2025-06-24 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on AGRI. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on AGRI.

  13. 2025-06-05 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on B. & P. and AGRI.

  14. 2025-05-28 California Legislative Information

    In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  15. 2025-05-28 California Legislative Information

    Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 1301.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  16. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  17. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0. Page 1195.) (May 23).

  18. 2025-05-20 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 23.

  19. 2025-05-19 California Legislative Information

    May 19 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.

  20. 2025-05-09 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing May 19.

  21. 2025-05-05 California Legislative Information

    Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  22. 2025-05-01 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0. Page 932.) (April 29).

  23. 2025-04-10 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 29.

  24. 2025-04-07 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on AGRI. (Ayes 10. Noes 0. Page 680.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on AGRI.

  25. 2025-03-26 California Legislative Information

    From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on B. P. & E.D.

  26. 2025-03-18 California Legislative Information

    Set for hearing April 7.

  27. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Coms. on B. P. & E.D. and AGRI.

  28. 2025-02-11 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 13.

  29. 2025-02-10 California Legislative Information

    Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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