How to vacation or move to Hawaii with your dog or cat

Are you a pet owner who wants to travel or move to Hawaii with your furry friend?

Because Hawaii is the only state in the US that’s rabies-free, bringing your pet is difficult but not impossible. You’ll have to follow some rigid guidelines and start preparing about 4 months in advance.

We’ve created this simple and straightforward guide to make the process pet travel to and from Hawaii as smooth as possible.

Hawaii pet transport checklist

Not long ago, Hawaii’s quarantine laws required pet owners to keep their pets in quarantine for 120 days. This obviously made it next to impossible for anyone taking a vacation, but thankfully the laws have changed. Here’s a summary of the steps required:

1. Pet microchip

Your pet must be microchipped with an ISO 11784 compliant 15-digit, non-encrypted microchip. The microchip must be working and implanted before your pet’s rabies titer test (FAVN).

2. Rabies vaccination

Your pet must have been vaccinated for rabies at least twice in their lifetime, and the vaccinations must be more than 30 days apart. The most recent vaccination must be no less than 30 days before coming to Hawaii.

3. Rabies titer test (FAVN)

A rabies titer test (FAVN, or Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralisation test) must be completed no more than 36 months and not less than 30 days before arrival. This blood test determines if an animal has enough rabies antibodies after vaccination.

The test results must be sent to Hawaii from Kansas State University or DOD Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory in Texas. The cost is $85 and it takes about 3–4 weeks for turnaround.

4. Tick treatment

Within 14 days of entering Hawaii, your pet must be treated with a product containing Fipronil or an equivalent long-acting product labeled to kill ticks.

5. Pet health certificate and import form

A notarized Dog and Cat Import Form (AQS 279) and a health certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian must be received by the State Department of Agriculture within 14 days before your pet’s arrival.

6. Quarantine

Pets that meet the pre- and post-arrival requirements may qualify for the 5-day-or-less quarantine program, which means they can be directly released upon arrival at the Honolulu International Airport after inspection. The cost for same-day release is $185 if you have your paperwork submitted on time.

Pets that don’t meet these requirements may be quarantined for up to 120 days. Additional fees apply for extended quarantine.

Entering Hawaii by air

Pets can only enter through Honolulu International Airport between 8 am and 9 pm.

For Kona (Big Island), Kahului (Maui), and Lihue (Kauai) arrivals, you’ll need a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit (NIIP). The NIIP is issued by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and must be presented to your airline before boarding.

Before you get the NIIP, you must also make reservations with an approved private veterinary facility on-island for inspection of your pet upon arrival.

Coming to Maui? The Maui Humane Society is approved by the State of Hawaii Quarantine Division to inspect animals at the Kahului Airport for direct release. The cost is $350 for your first pet, and $100 for additional pets.

Additional information on pet transport to Hawaii

For guide and service dogs

Guide dogs for the blind and certified service dogs for the physically disabled must meet specific pre-shipment requirements.

For puppies and kittens

Your puppy and kitten should not be vaccinated for rabies before 3 months of age. They must be about 5 months old by the time they meet the requirements for pet import to Hawaii.

Banned breeds

Non-domestic dogs and cats and hybrids such as wolf, wolf cross, Dingo, Bengal, Savannah, etc., are prohibited from entering Hawaii.

Image credits: Josh Leong, Berkay Gumustekin, Andrew Pons, Anaclara Vardiero, Sophie Dale, Piotr Musioł