To use VEHCS, you’ll first set up a Login.gov account with multifactor authentication for secure access. From there, you create a certificate by choosing between a PDF upload or a VEHCS-defined form, then select your destination country and commodity type. Saved templates speed things up, and your accredited veterinarian signs and submits everything electronically. Tracking tools keep you updated after submission. Here’s what you need to know to get started.
TLDR Key Takeaways
- Access VEHCS through a verified Login.gov account with password setup and multifactor authentication enabled.
- Choose between a VEHCS-defined certificate or PDF upload based on destination country and commodity type.
- Use saved templates for consignor, consignee, and commodity data to speed up certificate creation.
- Only a USDA Accredited Veterinarian can sign and submit the completed certificate electronically.
- Track certificate status using filters like destination country, date range, or tracking number.
What Is VEHCS and Who Needs to Use It?
Because international trade in live animals and animal germplasm demands rigorous health verification, USDA APHIS built the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) to handle it electronically.
You use it to create, sign, submit, and track export health certificates without drowning in paperwork. If you’re a USDA-accredited veterinarian, you’ll rely on VEHCS to complete certificates and apply secure digital signatures accepted for live animal exports, no matter the destination country.
If you’re an exporter or shipper, you’ll depend on it to meet export regulations and satisfy each country’s health standards before goods leave U.S. soil. APHIS reviewers and endorsement staff use the same system to verify submissions and finalize approvals. VEHCS also automates the tracking and reporting of exported live animals, streamlining oversight across the export process. Anyone involved in exporting animals or germplasm needs working knowledge of this platform. To view a completed certificate within the system, users must enter a valid Certificate Number. VEHCS is widely regarded as the best way to obtain USDA endorsement for live animals and germplasm shipments.
Setting Up Your Login.gov Account for VEHCS
Before you touch VEHCS, you’ll need a Login.gov account—it’s the gateway that gets you into the system.
Account setup starts with a unique, active email address.
Head to the Login.gov sign-up page, hit “Create account,” enter your email, and accept the Rules of Use.
Confirm your email through the message Login.gov sends you, then create a password with at least 12 characters. Keep in mind that the link sent in the registration email expires soon, so complete this step promptly.
Next comes multifactor authentication—non-negotiable.
Choose from text/voice codes, authentication apps, security keys, or PIV/CAC cards. For the strongest protection, USDA suggests prioritizing options like security keys or face or touch unlock over less secure methods such as text messages.
USDA recommends setting up at least two methods for backup security.
Once you finish the login process, Login.gov redirects you back to VEHCS with a unique credential.
If you’ve got an existing USDA eAuth account under the same email, you can link it right there. Once linked, this account allows you to log in to VEHCS and begin the process of creating export health certificates.
Starting a New Certificate in VEHCS
Next, decide your certificate type. PDF upload certificates let you prepare documents externally, then upload them directly.
VEHCS-defined certificates, including Universal Health Certificates, generate content within the system itself, provided the destination country, commodity, and effective date meet activation requirements. To create one of these certificates, you begin by clicking the Create New button and completing the Definition Step by Step pages.
Either path keeps your export process moving efficiently, giving you the freedom to choose the method that fits your workflow best. Once your certificate is completed and signed, GlobalVetLink will email you a VEHCS tracking number to help you locate it for review and submission.
Selecting Your Destination Country and Commodity Type
On the Certificate Content page, you’ll pick your destination country first—this choice reveals the fields that follow, including Commodity Type, Intended Use, and Type of Admission.
Your Country Selection ties directly to APHIS IRegs and Pet Travel Website data, and each country’s page carries a color-coded banner: green means full digital endorsement through VEHCS, orange means APHIS must print and physically endorse your certificate, and red—currently unused—would require a traditional paper submission.
If your country isn’t listed, choose “Country not Listed” to trigger PDF upload.
Once you select your country, choose from the Commodity Options available. Remember that destination country requirements can change at any time, so it’s important to verify them each time you plan to travel with your pet. Keep in mind that requirements may also include an import permit, vaccination certificates, and test results depending on the destination country. A USDA-accredited veterinarian must issue and submit the certificate through VEHCS to the APHIS Veterinary Export Trade Services Endorsement Office for review.
This determines your Intended Use and Type of Admission choices, and may trigger required decisions.
Missing commodity types also mean using PDF upload instead of a Defined certificate.
Using Saved Templates to Speed Up Certificate Creation
Once you’ve chosen your destination country and commodity type, you don’t have to start from scratch every time you file a certificate. VEHCS lets you save consignor, consignee, and commodity data as reusable templates, giving you real Certificate Efficiency for recurring shipments. Hit “Save as Template” while working on a certificate, name it, and it’s ready for next time.
| Action | Where to Find It |
|---|---|
| Save as Template | Upper right corner during certificate creation |
| Start from Template | “From Saved Template” under Create Certificate |
| Launch New Cert | “Start New Cert” button after selecting template |
| Update/Delete | Template Management menu |
| Manual Entry | “New Certificate” option, no auto-fill |
Template Management keeps your data accurate and current, so you stay in control. This system-wide approach to reusable data is similar to how administrators manage recurring user notifications, where selecting View/Edit or Add New Message allows staff to update or create messages on the Manage User Messages page. This mirrors the setup process for health certificate PDFs, where VS Admins must complete a one-time process per PDF before those documents become reusable for certificate creation.
Uploading a Filled PDF Health Certificate
Filing a health certificate through VEHCS doesn’t always mean building it field-by-field in the system—sometimes you’ll complete the form outside VEHCS and upload it as a finished PDF.
Following PDF guidelines matters here: type your entries in Adobe, pull the correct form from PTW or IRegs, and make sure your AV signs and dates it before upload.
Once you’ve entered your certificate details in VEHCS, you’ll land on the “Upload Filled PDF Health Certificate” page.
Click “Add/Replace Certificate,” browse for your file, confirm the location, then hit “Upload.”
Check the resulting link to verify legibility.
If something’s off, that same button handles certificate troubleshooting—swap the file and re-upload without starting over.
You stay in control of the process from start to finish.
Signing and Submitting Your Certificate for Endorsement
Before you submit anything, make sure your health certificate is fully and accurately completed—VEHCS won’t catch missing details for you. Only a USDA Accredited Veterinarian can issue and sign it, and you’ve got three acceptable options for AV signatures: an Adobe digital signature, typing “Electronically signed” with your name in cursive font, or a scanned wet-ink signature.
Whichever you choose, it needs to appear clearly on the uploaded PDF.
The same AV who signed on the Certificate Content screen must be the one who finalizes submission.
Head to Summary/Submit, check the required acknowledgement statements, then hit “Submit Certificate.”
This triggers electronic submissions straight to the correct USDA Endorsement Office—no printing, no mailing, just a tracking number confirming it’s on its way.
Tracking Your Certificate’s Status in VEHCS
After you hit “Submit Certificate,” you don’t just wait blindly for word to arrive—VEHCS gives you real tools to track exactly where things stand. The View Certificates page lets you filter by status, date range, destination country, or tracking number—no guessing required. Certificate tracking works whether you’re checking one shipment or scanning your whole queue. If you need to search using a tracking number, the results will display details including the destination country, AV organization name, and Date Created in Central Time.
| Status | Meaning | Your Action |
|---|---|---|
| Work In Progress | Saved, not submitted | Finish and submit |
| Submitted | Awaiting VS review | Wait for review |
| Endorsement in Progress | Certificate number generated | Nearly done |
| Completed | Final endorsed certificate | Ready to ship |
| Returned | Needs correction | Fix and resubmit |
Set notification emails for automatic status monitoring, and you’ll know the moment VS submits, endorses, or returns your certificate—no manual checking needed. Once a certificate reaches Completed status, you can also verify it independently through the VEHCS Certificate Viewer, which does not require you to log in.
Requesting a Certificate Re-Issue
Once a health certificate gets endorsed, mistakes don’t just vanish—you need a formal way to fix them, and that’s exactly what Re-issue does. As the accredited veterinarian, you control this part of certificate management; support staff and exporters can’t initiate it.
Start from View Certificates, select Manage, then choose “Request Re-issue Certificate” from the Process drop-down. Enter your specific error details in the Reissue Reason field before moving forward.
The reissue process must finish in one sitting—step away, and VEHCS cancels it automatically. You’ll re-select your AV credentials and certification statements since they don’t carry over. Review every screen, hit “Next” throughout, then confirm the reason and original certificate number on the Summary/Submit page. The original stays “Completed” until your replacement’s endorsed, then it flips to “Void.”
Viewing Certificates Without Logging In
Not every certificate check requires a VEHCS account. If you need certificate authentication without credentials, the VEHCS Certificate Viewer gives you public access straight from the Log In page—just click the “VEHCS Certificate Viewer” link at the bottom of the screen.
You’ll need three things: the certificate number, the country of destination, and a quick security check equation. All fields are mandatory, so double-check your entries before hitting “View Certificate Data.”
Once you’re through, a new browser window opens with the certificate rendered as a PDF—ready to view, download, or print.
Keep in mind, only completed certificates display in full; voided ones offer limited data.
No login.gov or eAuthentication account needed—just straightforward verification.
Getting Help With VEHCS Technical Issues
Whether you’re viewing certificates or managing your own, you’ll eventually run into a technical snag—and knowing where to turn saves you time.
VEHCS gives you multiple channels for technical support, so login issues, error messages, and browser issues don’t derail your workflow.
- VEHCS/PCIT Help Desk: your go-to for application errors, system routing, and error resolution—reach them by email or phone.
- APHIS eAuthentication Help Desk: handles login issues and account management problems tied to credential activation.
- Login.gov Help Center: covers user assistance for accounts using Login.gov instead of eAuthentication.
- Online Help resources: quick reference guides, tutorials, and user manuals accessible right from your VEHCS dashboard for self-service troubleshooting.
For non-technical questions, contact your USDA Endorsement Office directly, using your certificate tracking number.
Why VEHCS Speeds Up Export Endorsements
Because it eliminates the physical shuffle of paper certificates, VEHCS cuts endorsement times dramatically.
Electronic submissions reach APHIS endorsement offices instantly, so you’re not waiting on couriers or overnight mail.
For countries that accept digital endorsement, you can print your certificate straight from the system, skipping the return-mail wait entirely.
VEHCS also standardizes your workflow.
You’ll work from a globally accepted template that aligns with importing country requirements, cutting down on clarification requests that stall your shipment.
Error reduction plays a major role, too.
The system guides you step-by-step through issuance, so you’re less likely to submit incomplete or inaccurate certificates.
If something’s off, you correct it electronically and resubmit immediately—no reprinting, no remailing, no lost days waiting on a fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Still Access a Certificate After It Has Been Voided?
You can’t fully retrieve it—voided access blocks the PDF. You can still search limited data like certificate number and destination country, confirming certificate retrieval for tracking purposes, but you won’t get the official document itself.
What Happens if USDA Endorsement Office Rejects My Certificate?
Your certificate gets marked Returned, not endorsed. You’ll review VEHCS comments identifying certificate issues, fix the rejection reasons—wrong forms, missing docs, signature errors—then edit and resubmit. You stay in control; nothing’s permanently lost.
Who Do I Contact if Login.Gov Credentials Stop Working?
Don’t contact the PCIT Help Desk—it can’t fix Login.gov credentials. For login issues, check Login.gov’s own support first. For system errors linking your account to VEHCS, reach out to USDA eAuthentication or your Regional Coordinator instead.
Can Support Staff Use VEHCS Without an Accredited Veterinarian?
No, you can’t. In staff roles, you handle support tasks like entering data and prepping drafts, but you need an accredited veterinarian to review, sign, and endorse certificates—VEHCS won’t function without one.
What Information Stays Visible for Canceled Certificates in the Viewer?
You’ll see limited certificate details—tracking number, status, species, destination, and dates—but you won’t get full viewer access to the PDF itself. Voided records keep metadata only; the actual document stays locked once canceled.
Conclusion
Once you’ve got login.gov set up and you’ve run through a certificate or two, VEHCS becomes second nature. You’re saving templates, requesting re-issues, and tracking status without waiting on phone calls or paper trails. It won’t eliminate every hiccup, but it cuts down the friction that used to slow down export endorsements. Give it a real try on your next shipment—you’ll see the difference immediately.
References
- https://www.aphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/vehcs
- https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/av-vehcs-tutorial-presentation.pdf
- https://vehcs-training.aphis.usda.gov/VEHCSHelp/Frequently_Asked_Questions_(FAQ).pdf
- https://vehcs.aphis.usda.gov/vehcs/faces/support/userguides.html
- https://vehcs.aphis.usda.gov/vehcs/faces/login_initial.jsf
- https://vehcs-training.aphis.usda.gov/VEHCSHelp/vehcs_certificate_viewer.htm
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p25bUBJ3Ppo
- https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/vehcs-flyer.pdf
- https://vehcs-training.aphis.usda.gov/VEHCSHelp/AV_Health_Certificate_Upload.pdf
- https://vehcs-training.aphis.usda.gov/VEHCSHelp/Re-issuing_a_Health_Certificate.pdf
