CollarPassDocuments to check
- Health certificate, within 14 days before arrival
- Send the import form, both rabies certificates and the fee to AQS
- Request the Neighbor Island Inspection Permit
🌺Country requirements
Hawaii pet travel requirements
Hawaii is a US state with its own rabies-quarantine rules in addition to US federal entry rules for arrivals from abroad. Dogs and cats need a microchip, two rabies shots and a passing FAVN blood test with a 30-day wait for direct airport release; otherwise quarantine can last up to 120 days. Qualifying pets from Australia, the UK, Guam and New Zealand have an exempt-area route. Foreign-vaccinated dogs with recent CDC high-risk-country history cannot enter the US directly through Hawaii, which has no CDC animal care facility. Rabbits need a health certificate and Honolulu inspection. Ferrets are prohibited. A qualifying domestic US/territory journey does not require CDC importation paperwork; a foreign layover that clears customs triggers US re-entry requirements. Hawaii DAB requirements apply in either case.
Pet travel at a glance — free
Start with the destination's requirements for this pet. Documents and preparation vary by origin and other conditions; read the full guidance and any unverified details below.
Preparation lead times
- The second rabies shot must be given more than 30 days after the first
- The most recent rabies shot must be given more than 30 days before arrival
- The 30-day wait starts the day after the lab receives the sample, so it must reach the lab more than 30 days before arrival
Which pets can enter
- Dog: Some requirements need confirmation
- Cat: Depends on the conditions below
- Rabbit: Requirements listed below
- Ferret: Not permitted as a pet
Vaccination requirements
- Rabies vaccination
- Second rabies vaccination, more than 30 days after the first
- Core dog vaccinations, at least 10 days before arrival
Details to confirm with the authority
These information gaps concern specific cases. Read their conditions and linked official sources before relying on them.
CDC’s rule is established, but the itinerary does not yet say whether the dog will clear customs during the foreign or unverified layover. A qualifying domestic US/territory journey has no CDC importation requirement; entering another country triggers US re-entry requirements. Confirm the customs handling with the airline before relying on either route.
Dogs · Customs clearance during a foreign connection has not been established
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
The aggregate US Minor Outlying Islands origin code was not established as a specific travel jurisdiction by the checked CDC pages. Confirm the actual island and applicable CDC/Hawaii route before booking; the ordinary five-territory domestic rule is not automatically applied to this aggregate code.
Dogs · Departure countries/regions: UM
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Entering Hawaii
Reference requirements for this pet. Read each item's conditions: different origins, histories and entry options can require different steps. Each item links to its official source and check date.
Before you travel
Microchip your pet
Your pet needs a working electronic microchip, implanted before the FAVN blood sample is taken or on the same day. Have your vet scan it and check the number: it must appear on the lab report and the health certificate. Owners outside the 50 US states can order a chip from Hawaii with form AQS-73.
Dogs / Cats · Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu / Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit) / 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station / Quarantine of up to 120 days
If the chip can't be scanned on arrival, the pet can't be released at the airport or in 5 days or less, and goes into quarantine for up to 120 days.
AQS-73 Request for Electronic Microchip
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Rabies vaccination
Hawaii needs at least two rabies vaccinations in your pet's life, given more than 30 days apart; this is the first of the two. Puppies can't be vaccinated before 3 months of age. For every shot, your vet gives you a certificate signed in ink showing the vaccine name, lot or serial number, booster interval, vaccination date and lot expiry date.
Dogs / Cats · Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu / Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit) / 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station
Some rabies vaccines for kittens are licensed from 2 months of age; ask your vet. We plan with 3 months.
Already vaccinated? Enter the date of the most recent rabies shot. We can record only one shot, so the next step still plans a booster.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Second rabies vaccination, more than 30 days after the first
The second (most recent) rabies shot must be given more than 30 days after the previous one and more than 30 days before arrival, and must still be valid on arrival: 12 months for a 1-year vaccine, 36 months for a 3-year vaccine. Make sure your vet doesn't give a rabies shot in the 30 days before arrival.
Dogs / Cats · Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu / Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit) / 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station
If your pet already has two rabies shots more than 30 days apart, and the latest was given more than 30 days before arrival and is still valid then, it doesn't need another one. We can record only one shot, so our dates assume it still does.
With 3 or more shots, the latest may be given within 30 days of arrival if it was given before the previous one expired; ask AQS.
The checklists say more than 30 days; the rules and the FAQ say not less than 30 days. We use the stricter reading: 31 days or more.
We count the vaccine as valid for 12 months; a 3-year vaccine counts for 36 months.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
FAVN rabies blood test at an approved lab
After the microchip is in, your vet draws blood and sends it to Kansas State University, Auburn University, the University of Missouri or the DOD Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory in Texas. Ask for the FAVN test (not RFFIT) and write HAWAII as the destination on the lab form. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/mL; the lab sends it to your vet and to AQS. Enter the date the lab received the sample: Hawaii counts from that day.
Dogs / Cats · Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu / Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit) / 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station
Labs can take 1 to 2 months to report (Checklist 2 says 6 to 8 weeks), and DAB's online result lookup can lag 3 to 4 weeks. The pet can't qualify until the passing result is in.
Blood drawn on the same day as a rabies shot may fail; AQS-39 says a retest 10 to 14 days later usually passes.
Sending the sample through another lab (Antech, Idexx) can delay the date the approved lab receives it.
The checklists start the 30 days on the day after the lab receives the sample; the rules count from receipt. We use the later start.
The result counts for 36 months; we count them from the day the lab received the sample.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Core dog vaccinations, at least 10 days before arrival
Hawaii's rules require dogs 90 days or older on arrival to be vaccinated against distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus-2), parvovirus, parainfluenza and Bordetella (kennel cough), at least 10 days before arrival and within the booster interval on the label. For quarantine, the brochure also lists leptospirosis.
Dogs · Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu / Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit) / 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station / Quarantine of up to 120 days
The airport-release checklists don't list these vaccines, but the rules apply to every dog entering Hawaii; we plan them in.
Puppies under 90 days on arrival are vaccinated by AVMA guidelines.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Tick treatment by a vet, within 14 days before arrival
A vet treats the pet with a long-acting product labelled to kill ticks and records the product and date on the health certificate. DAB publishes the accepted active ingredients (fipronil, fluralaner, sarolaner and others); Revolution isn't accepted. If ticks or other parasites are found on arrival, the pet isn't released at the airport.
Dogs / Cats · Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu / Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit) / 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station / Quarantine of up to 120 days
A vet can leave it out with a written statement that the treatment would harm the pet.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Health certificate, within 14 days before arrival
A vet issues an original health certificate in English no more than 14 days before arrival. It lists the microchip number, the rabies vaccinations (vaccine name, lot or serial number, booster interval, date and lot expiry) and the tick treatment (product and date), and must include this statement: "All animals were inspected and found free of evidence of New World Screwworm infestation." Send it with your documents or hand the original to the inspector on arrival; photocopies aren't accepted.
Dogs / Cats · Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu / Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit) / 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station / Quarantine of up to 120 days
Some airlines want the certificate issued within 10 days of the flight; check with yours.
Hawaii's rules also ask the vet to state that the pet is free of external and intestinal parasites.
Dogs and cats more than 45 days pregnant aren't accepted into quarantine. Very young (under 9 weeks), very old, chronically ill or weak animals shouldn't be shipped.
AQS-39 Summary for Veterinarians
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Send the import form, both rabies certificates and the fee to AQS
Send Dog & Cat Import Form AQS-279, the original certificates for both rabies vaccinations and the $185 fee (cashier's check or money order, with the microchip number) as one set to the Animal Quarantine Station, 99-951 Halawa Valley Street, Aiea, HI 96701. Use tracked mail or an overnight courier; faxes and photocopies aren't accepted. You can also apply online in DAB's Hawaii Pet Owner Portal (HIPOP). The health certificate can go in the set or travel with the pet.
Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu
Checklist 1 says the set must arrive more than 10 days before arrival in one place and 10 days or more in another; we use the earlier date.
It isn't clear whether an online upload counts as the originals arriving, or whether the originals must still be mailed; ask AQS.
With late documents the fee is $244 and the pet may not be released that day.
HIPOP requires a separate animal file and application for each dog or cat. Upload the supporting rabies certificates, FAVN result, health certificate and itinerary; the portal accepts Visa or Mastercard for state fees. Submitting online does not waive the eligibility windows or the need to carry required originals.
Dog & Cat Import Form AQS-279 (Rev. 1/24)
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Book an approved vet to inspect your pet at the arrival airport
Before you book your flight, contract with one of DAB's approved vets at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (listed under the airport). The vet agrees to meet the pet at the airport on your arrival date and time, and sends AQS a confirmation; without it, AQS won't issue the permit.
Entry pathway: Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit)
Some airlines don't fly pets straight to the neighbor islands; check with yours early.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Request the Neighbor Island Inspection Permit
Send AQS the import form AQS-279 (tick "Neighbor Island Inspection Permit $165" in section 4), the original certificates for the two most recent rabies vaccinations, the $165 fee (cashier's check or money order), your flight details (airline, flight number, date and time) and a letter asking for direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue. You need a passing FAVN result first.
Entry pathway: Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit)
DAB doesn't say how long the permit takes to issue; leave time.
It isn't clear whether an online upload counts as the originals arriving; ask AQS.
Dog & Cat Import Form AQS-279 (Rev. 1/24)
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Print the permit and show it at check-in
AQS emails the permit only to the primary owner on form AQS-279, once it has your documents and the vet's confirmation and the pet qualifies. Print it: the airline needs it to board the pet, it travels with the pet, and you give it to the inspector on arrival. Airlines can't fly a dog or cat straight to Kona, Kahului or Lihue without it.
Entry pathway: Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit)
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Send the import form, both rabies certificates and the fee to AQS
Send form AQS-279, the original certificates for both rabies vaccinations and the $244 fee (cashier's check or money order, with the microchip number) to the Animal Quarantine Station, 99-951 Halawa Valley Street, Aiea, HI 96701, before the pet arrives. The health certificate travels with the pet.
Entry pathway: 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station
If documents are still missing on the release date, the stay is extended.
Dog & Cat Import Form AQS-279 (Rev. 1/24)
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Rabies vaccination (pets 90 days or older on arrival)
Dogs and cats 90 days or older on arrival must have a rabies vaccination that is still within the booster interval on its label. The vaccine name, lot or serial number, lot expiry and date go on the health certificate.
Dogs / Cats · Entry pathway: Quarantine of up to 120 days
We count the vaccine as valid for 12 months; a 3-year vaccine counts for 36 months.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Send the import form for the 120-day program
Fill in form AQS-279, tick the 120-day program, and name an approved Hawaii vet hospital you've registered the pet with (for emergencies). Mail it so it reaches the Animal Quarantine Station no less than two weeks before arrival.
Entry pathway: Quarantine of up to 120 days
Dog & Cat Import Form AQS-279 (Rev. 1/24)
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Health certificate from a government vet, within 14 days before shipment
A vet holding an appointment as an officer of the government of the country of origin examines the pet and certifies it free of external parasites and signs of transmissible disease, no more than 14 days before shipment. It must also include: "All animals were inspected and found free of evidence of New World Screwworm infestation." The original travels with the pet.
Entry pathway: Exempt area: direct flight from Australia, the UK, Guam or New Zealand
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Owner's affidavit: the pet hasn't left the country in 6 months
Sign an affidavit that the pet has not been outside its country of origin in the 6 months before shipment (time in another exempt area or in Hawaii is allowed). Include the airline, flight number and departure date. The original travels with the pet.
Entry pathway: Exempt area: direct flight from Australia, the UK, Guam or New Zealand
The checklist doesn't mention time in other exempt areas or Hawaii; the rules allow it.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Guam affidavit (form IC-5)
Pets from Guam also need a completed and signed Affidavit for Export from Guam (IC-5) for the inspectors on arrival.
Departure countries/regions: GU · Entry pathway: Exempt area: direct flight from Australia, the UK, Guam or New Zealand
IC-5 Affidavit for Export from Guam
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Ask AQS about rabies and core vaccinations before you book
The exempt-area checklist asks for no vaccinations. Hawaii's general rules, though, say dogs and cats 90 days or older must be vaccinated against rabies, and need core vaccinations at least 10 days before arrival. Email AQS (rabiesfree@hawaii.gov) to ask whether these apply to your pet.
Entry pathway: Exempt area: direct flight from Australia, the UK, Guam or New Zealand
Until AQS answers, we leave time for the core vaccinations.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Sealed travel crate
Ship the pet in a crate sealed so that taking the pet out breaks the seal.
Entry pathway: Exempt area: direct flight from Australia, the UK, Guam or New Zealand
The checklist only asks for a seal that breaks when the crate is opened; the rules call for an official government seal with a number. Ask your export authority for an official seal.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Fly on one aircraft to Honolulu, with the captain's affidavit
The pet must travel on the same aircraft from its home country to Honolulu and not be off-loaded on the way. A transfer to another aircraft is allowed only under the direct supervision of the officer in charge, who certifies in writing that the pet had no contact with other animals, giving their name, position, airline, address and phone, and the date, time, aircraft and flight number of both flights. The captain, or the airline's senior station official in Hawaii, signs an affidavit that the pet stayed on one aircraft.
Entry pathway: Exempt area: direct flight from Australia, the UK, Guam or New Zealand
The rules also allow a neighbor island port approved by DAB; the checklist names only Honolulu.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Submit the CDC Dog Import Form (flights from abroad)
Dogs flying into Honolulu from another country must also meet CDC's rules. From a dog-rabies-free or low-risk country such as Australia, New Zealand or the UK, that means the free online CDC Dog Import Form receipt, a microchip a universal scanner can read, at least 6 months of age, and a healthy dog. Keep the receipt on paper or your phone; the dog clears US Customs before it's released. Check the dog’s entire 6-month travel history, not just the last departure country. A foreign-vaccinated dog with any CDC high-risk-country history must first enter through a US airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility and a reservation there; Hawaii has no such facility. A dog with valid USDA-endorsed Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination may use any US port, subject to all Hawaii requirements and a matching CDC receipt.
Dogs · Except when all of these apply: (Journey remains within the United States under CDC rules) · Except when all of these apply: (Customs clearance during a foreign connection has not been established) · Except when all of these apply: (Departure countries/regions: UM)
A dog vaccinated abroad that has been in a CDC high-risk country in the last 6 months must land at a US airport with a CDC-registered animal care facility, and there's none in Hawaii. It enters the US elsewhere first.
CDC importation requirements do not apply to a direct journey between US states and territories, or to an itinerary that does not enter another country. If the dog clears customs during a foreign layover, US re-entry rules apply. Hawaii DAB rules still apply to every arrival.
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Carry the USDA-endorsed US rabies vaccination certificate
For a dog with any CDC high-risk-country history in the last 6 months, the US-vaccinated route requires a valid Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA before the dog left the United States. Carry the printed endorsed form and the CDC Dog Import Form receipt; the US arrival port must match the receipt. A US vaccination record by itself is not enough.
Dogs · Departure or recent travel history includes: AE, AF, AM, AO, AZ, BD, BF, BI, BJ, BN, BO, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CD, CF, CG, CI, CM, CN, CO, CU, DJ, DO, DZ, EA, EC, EG, EH, ER, ET, GA, GE, GH, GM, GN, GQ, GT, GW, GY, HN, HT, ID, IL, IN, IQ, IR, JO, KE, KG, KH, KM, KP, KW, KZ, LA, LB, LK, LR, LS, LY, MA, MD, MG, ML, MM, MN, MR, MW, MY, MZ, NA, NE, NG, NP, OM, PE, PH, PK, PS, QA, RU, RW, SD, SL, SN, SO, SR, SS, ST, SV, SY, SZ, TD, TG, TH, TJ, TL, TM, TN, TR, TZ, UA, UG, UZ, VE, VN, YE, ZA, ZM, ZW · Current rabies vaccination given in the destination country · Except when all of these apply: (Journey remains within the United States under CDC rules) · Except when all of these apply: (Customs clearance during a foreign connection has not been established) · Except when all of these apply: (Departure countries/regions: UM)
The US vaccine must still be valid and must have been given after the microchip. For a first vaccination the form is completed at least 28 days after vaccination; an on-time booster has no new wait.
The certificate must have been endorsed before the earlier departure from the US: it cannot be issued after the dog has left. If it is missing or invalid, contact CDC or use the foreign-vaccinated pathway through a US airport with a reserved CDC animal care facility instead of direct Hawaii entry.
CDC also accepts an eligible USDA-endorsed export certificate issued no later than 31 July 2025 if it is viewable in USDA’s database and includes the required age, microchip and still-valid US rabies vaccination information.
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Follow Hawaii’s requirements for a domestic US or territory journey
CDC says a direct flight between US states, including Hawaii, and US territories does not require CDC dog importation compliance. A dog that does not enter another country during a layover is also treated as domestic for this rule. If it clears foreign customs, it has left the United States and must meet US re-entry requirements. This does not waive Hawaii DAB health certificates, preparation, permits or quarantine.
Dogs · Journey remains within the United States under CDC rules
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
On arrival
Land at Honolulu by 3:30 pm for inspection and release
The airline takes the pet to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility, which can take up to an hour. Inspection runs 8:30 am to 4:30 pm every day, weekends and holidays included; pets not there by 4:30 pm aren't released that day. If everything checks out, the pet is released to the owner or a person named on form AQS-279. Keep it in its carrier until you leave the airport.
Entry pathway: Direct airport release at Honolulu
Checklist 1 gives the inspection hours as 8:00 am to 4:30 pm; the information page says 8:30 am. We use 8:30 am.
Pets that arrive in the evening or at night stay overnight. Pick them up between 8 and 10 am the next morning: Checklist 1 says later pets go into the 5-day-or-less program ($244); the information page says $59 more.
If papers are wrong, documents are missing or ticks are found, the pet goes to the quarantine station until it qualifies, or for up to 120 days.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Arrival inspection by your contracted vet
The vet you contracted meets the pet at the airport on the agreed date and time, collects the original health certificate and the permit, and releases the pet if it qualifies.
Entry pathway: Direct release at Kona, Kahului or Lihue (neighbor island permit)
DAB doesn't say what time the flight must land; agree it with the vet.
A pet that doesn't qualify is sent to Honolulu for inspection or quarantine, or out of state, at your cost.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Up to 5 days at the Animal Quarantine Station
The pet goes from the airport to the Animal Quarantine Station in Halawa Valley, Oahu, and is released within 5 days once its documents are checked. Releases: Monday to Friday 9 to 11 am and 1 to 4:30 pm; weekends and holidays 8 to 10 am and noon to 3:30 pm.
Entry pathway: 5 days or less at the Honolulu quarantine station
A pet not picked up on its release date costs $17.80 a day more.
A pet that arrives before it qualifies (for example before the 30-day wait after the FAVN test is over) stays until that date, at $14.30 a day plus $244.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Quarantine of up to 120 days
The pet stays at the Animal Quarantine Station in Halawa Valley, Oahu, for up to 120 days, counted from the day after arrival, or at an approved satellite station or vet hospital after first coming to Oahu. Owners can visit at set hours. The fee is due on arrival.
Entry pathway: Quarantine of up to 120 days
A pet that arrives before its 5-day-or-less qualifying date stays until that date, then is released (rules, section 4-29-8.1). Hawaii's FAQ instead says 120 days after the FAVN test and 90 days after the latest rabies shot; ask AQS.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Arrival inspection at Honolulu airport
Land at Honolulu during inspection hours, allowing up to an hour for the airline to bring the pet to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility; on international flights the pet clears US Customs first. An inspector examines the pet and may treat it for external parasites. Any sign of transmissible disease in a shipment sends every animal in it to the quarantine station. A pet that qualifies after hours is released the next day.
Entry pathway: Exempt area: direct flight from Australia, the UK, Guam or New Zealand
The checklist gives inspection hours of 8:00 am to 4:30 pm; the information page says 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and to land by 3:30 pm. Plan for the earlier landing.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Restrictions
Species, origin, age and other restrictions. Each item applies under its listed conditions.
Non-domestic dogs and cats and their hybrids, such as wolves, wolf crosses, dingoes, Bengal and Savannah cats, are prohibited in Hawaii.
Dogs / Cats
Hawaii's Plant Quarantine Branch decides which hybrids are allowed; ask it (808-832-0566) about any other mixed breed.
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB), Animal Quarantine Branch · Checked Oct 26, 2026
CDC: dogs flying in from another country must be at least 6 months old when they enter the US.
Dogs · Except when all of these apply: (Journey remains within the United States under CDC rules) · Except when all of these apply: (Customs clearance during a foreign connection has not been established) · Except when all of these apply: (Departure countries/regions: UM)
This federal six-month minimum applies to international re-entry, including a US/territory itinerary that clears foreign customs. It does not apply to a qualifying domestic US/territory journey; Hawaii’s own preparation and quarantine requirements remain in effect.
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
A foreign-vaccinated dog that has been in a CDC high-risk country in the last 6 months cannot enter the United States directly through Hawaii: CDC requires arrival at an airport with a reserved CDC-registered animal care facility, and Hawaii has none.
Dogs · Departure or recent travel history includes: AE, AF, AM, AO, AZ, BD, BF, BI, BJ, BN, BO, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CD, CF, CG, CI, CM, CN, CO, CU, DJ, DO, DZ, EA, EC, EG, EH, ER, ET, GA, GE, GH, GM, GN, GQ, GT, GW, GY, HN, HT, ID, IL, IN, IQ, IR, JO, KE, KG, KH, KM, KP, KW, KZ, LA, LB, LK, LR, LS, LY, MA, MD, MG, ML, MM, MN, MR, MW, MY, MZ, NA, NE, NG, NP, OM, PE, PH, PK, PS, QA, RU, RW, SD, SL, SN, SO, SR, SS, ST, SV, SY, SZ, TD, TG, TH, TJ, TL, TM, TN, TR, TZ, UA, UG, UZ, VE, VN, YE, ZA, ZM, ZW · Not: Current rabies vaccination given in the destination country · Except when all of these apply: (Journey remains within the United States under CDC rules) · Except when all of these apply: (Customs clearance during a foreign connection has not been established) · Except when all of these apply: (Departure countries/regions: UM)
This is the foreign-vaccinated high-risk pathway only. A dog holding valid USDA-endorsed Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination (or an eligible legacy USDA export certificate) may enter at any US port, subject to all Hawaii rules.
After lawful US admission elsewhere, confirm the Hawaii inter-state movement requirements with DAB; this rule does not bar a domestic US-to-Hawaii journey.
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · Checked Nov 12, 2026
How many pets can you bring?
Caps recorded for Hawaii can depend on the species, origin and entry conditions. Your airline can set a lower limit.
No pet cap recorded
We have not recorded a per-person or per-entry pet cap for Hawaii. Check the official sources before booking.
Official forms and documents
Links go to the issuing authority. We do not sell, fill in or issue official documents.
Dog & Cat Import Form AQS-279 (Rev. 1/24)Official page · Checked Oct 21, 2026AQS-39 Summary for VeterinariansOfficial page · Checked Oct 21, 2026AQS-73 Request for Electronic MicrochipOfficial page · Checked Oct 21, 2026IC-5 Affidavit for Export from GuamOfficial page · Checked Oct 21, 2026CDC Dog Import FormOnline form · Checked Oct 21, 2026
Open the official page to download or complete the form. Requirements can change; confirm with the authority before you travel.
Official sources
Every rule above is checked against these pages. Dates show our last check, not the page's own update.
Recent rule changes
Sourced entries that affect this country.
Expanded destination-specific pet requirements, including origin-country branches, young-animal exemptions, official documents and entry options. Known unverified details remain clearly marked; free country summaries and personal trip reports use the same rules.
All rule updatesChecked current Australian group-specific and returning-pet guides, the live New Zealand rabbit-to-Australia case, and New Zealand 2021/2026 transition and certificate models. Added species-specific preparation, reciprocal rabbit procedures and explicit entry options; corrected calendar-month and laboratory-receipt waits and CDC domestic-journey handling. Known source conflicts and history-dependent checks remain marked. Also checked Australian dog/cat export procedures for New Zealand and the Canadian US-bound cat/ferret endorsement exemption; unverified export species remain explicit gaps.
All rule updates