Bringing your pet to The Aloha State? We’ve handled thousands of pet exports to Hawaii — let us help with yours.
Traveling to Hawaii with your pet is more complicated than domestic travel elsewhere, especially if you want to plan for a quick release upon arrival.
Our guide details every step of the process, including when it may be best to use our expert pet relocation services to save you some stress.
Eligible Pets and Country Restrictions
Hawaii allows the import of most dogs and cats and some household birds, tropical fish, and non-domesticated animals.
Eligible Pets
Hawaii does not have an active dog breed ban, but the state legislature has been considering breed-neutral legislation to add restrictions on dogs deemed dangerous. If you have an exotic pet and aren’t sure about whether it’s eligible to fly, consult the state’s List of Conditionally Approved Animals.
Hawaii has restrictions on dog and cat hybrids. These include wolf crosses, Dingos, Bengal cats (domestic cats crossed with leopard cats), and Savannah cats (domestic cats crossed with servals).
Consult the state’s Breed Code List for dog and cat breeds cleared for entry into Hawaii. This won’t include any additional restrictions placed by the airline you choose for Hawaii travel.
Approved Countries
Hawaii does not have a list of approved countries to reference when planning a relocation from your origin point. If you’re coming from a high-risk country for rabies, you’ll meet the CDC’s requirements by following Hawaii’s strict rabies restrictions.
Need support shipping your pet within the U.S.? We can help
Microchip and Vaccinations
The state of Hawaii is a rabies-free state. While resident pets don’t need to be vaccinated for rabies, all relocating pets need scannable microchips and proof of rabies vaccinations before entry into Hawaii.
Microchip
Pets moving to Hawaii should have microchips implanted before rabies titer tests are performed. Your vet should scan and verify microchips are working before starting the rest of the process.
Pets that can’t be identified by their microchip may face delays upon arrival or potential quarantine. The state’s Animal Industry Division doesn’t list restrictions on the type of microchip to get for your pet, but a 15-digit ISO-compliant pet microchip is the standard.
Vaccinations
Traveling dogs and cats should be vaccinated for rabies at least twice in their lifetimes. Vaccines should be given more than 30 days apart, with the current shots given more than 30 days before the pet’s arrival in Hawaii.
Health certificates should be dated and include vaccine brand information for every round of vaccinations.
If your pet’s most recent rabies shots are expired when they arrive in Hawaii or given less than 30 days before their arrival in Hawaii, they will be subject to quarantine until requirements are met.
Hawaii has no additional vaccination requirements, but the following are recommended for dogs traveling to Hawaii, especially if they face a potential quarantine stay:
- Canine distemper
- Infectious canine hepatitis
- Canine parvovirus
- Canine parainfluenza
- Bordetella bronchiseptica
- Leptospirosis
The following vaccines are recommended for cats:
- Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
- Feline calicivirus
- Feline panleukopenia (enteritis)
- Viral rhinotracheitis
Blood Tests and Treatments
All pets need the OIE Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization (OIE-FAVN) Rabies Antibody Test, a blood titer test that measures the level of rabies antibodies in a pet’s blood. The results of your pet’s titer must be greater than or equal to 0.5 IU/ml.
Samples should be taken by one of the following approved labs:
- Kansas State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
- Auburn University
- University of Missouri, Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
- DOD Laboratory (Department of Defense)
There is a mandatory 30-day waiting period that starts the day the labs receive your pet’s sample. (This is a huge improvement over the previous 120-day waiting period.) If your pet arrives before the end of that 30 days, they’ll be kept in quarantine until the waiting period is over. No more than 14 days before travel, dogs and cats must be treated for ticks by a licensed veterinarian. See a list of acceptable tick treatments from the State of Hawaii Animal Industry Division. The treatment should appear on the pet’s health certificate.
Import Documents
In addition to your pet’s rabies certificates, all cats and dogs need a completed Dog & Cat Import Form (AQS-297) from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. This form no longer needs to be notarized. How you fill out this form will determine the fee you pay.
Pets should also travel with a health certificate from their vet to show that they’re healthy enough to fly. This form may not need to be endorsed by a USDA-accredited vet if you’re traveling from the mainland United States.
If you’re seeking Direct Airport Release in Hawaii, you’ll need to submit all but your pet’s health certificate at least 10 days before their arrival. (Health certificates should be dated within 10 days of your pet’s travel date, so they wouldn’t meet that timeframe.)
Forms should be sent to the Animal Quarantine Station in Honolulu with your payment. Fees are $185 for a Direct Airport Release and $244 for the state’s 5-Day-or-Less Program. We’ll describe your options in more detail in the section on quarantines.Any documents sent to the Animal Quarantine Station should be originals, but we always recommend making at least one copy of everything you send in case of any issues.
Airline Options
How you fly to Hawaii depends on your needs. That includes the size of your pet. Hawaiian Airlines is an option for both in-cabin and checked pets, but the maximum combined weight of your pet and their kennel is 70 lbs.
Alaska Airlines allows most pets to travel as Excess Baggage in their climate-controlled baggage compartment. The airline has a ban on brachycephalic, or snub-nosed, dogs, but there is no weight restriction on cargo pets.
Pacific Air Cargo is a cargo service we use often with our clients. They offer express air cargo shipping services between Los Angeles and Honolulu. For inter-island travel, Aloha Air Cargo is another solid option, but you’ll need to complete additional forms for travel beyond Oahu.
Dogs and cats arriving directly in Lihue on Maui, Kahului on Maui, and Kona on the Big Island must arrive with a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit (NIIP) from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. This is because Honolulu is the only location with an Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility.
Pet owners flying to neighboring islands must also send in their health documents and rabies forms at least 30 days before their pet’s arrival. That includes the results of their rabies titer tests.
In most cases, we suggest arrival in Honolulu just in case there are any issues with your pet’s arrival that could require a quarantine. No matter the airline, you’ll need to consider the seasons when planning your and your pet’s travel itinerary. All airlines place limits on high-temperature days to keep traveling pets safe.
In most cases, we suggest arrival in Honolulu just in case there are any issues with your pet’s arrival that could require a quarantine.
Quarantine
Pets who meet all of the requirements we’ve detailed in this guide, including relevant waiting periods, are eligible for direct release at the airport. Fees for a Direct Airport Release are $185.
Getting your pet’s packet of documents to the Animal Quarantine Station in Honolulu at least 10 days before their travel date is the most important piece here. If there’s any delay, your pet may be moved to the 5-Day-or-Less Program or a 120-day quarantine with additional fees.
Normal inspection hours for pets arriving at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu are between 8am-4:30pm. It can take up to an hour for the airline to transport your pet to the quarantine facility.
If your flight arrives outside of those hours, they’ll need to be picked up the following day during regular inspection hours to avoid entering the 5-Day-or-Less Program.
5-Day-or-Less Program
Pets who arrive with documents that didn’t get to the Animal Quarantine Station at least 10 days ahead of their arrival are placed in the state’s 5-Day-or-Less Program. Whether your pet stays for a single day or the full 5 days, the fee for this option is $244.
This program is only for pets who would have met the requirements for a direct release if the paperwork was received in time. Pets who arrive with obvious health issues, lapses in vaccines, and other big issues are subject to a 120-day quarantine.
120-Day Quarantine
Pet owners who miss any of the essential steps in the process of relocating to Hawaii may face a 120-day quarantine upon arrival. This includes pets that can’t be identified by their microchip number. The 120-day quarantine program costs $1,080 per pet. In the worst-case scenario, if a pet owner is unable to provide the needed documentation for their pet’s move to Hawaii, that pet may be returned to their origin point at the owner’s expense.
How Tailwind Can Help
At Tailwind, we work with pet owners from start to finish to ensure a stress-free move to Hawaii. That includes helping our clients navigate connections upon arrival in Honolulu and getting the relevant paperwork together for a speedy arrival process.
If you’re planning to travel elsewhere, whether domestically or abroad, we can help you and your pet get there safely and as efficiently as possible.
Ready to get started? EachReady to get started? Each situation is a little different, so contact us to get an idea of the costs involved.
See What Our Clients Have to Say
“Moving is not easy and trusting other people with my dog is definitely a challenge for me. Brady gave us peace of mind when everything else was so stressful. My dog Nala is a big Rottweiler and we left a small town in Florida to go all the way to Hawaii. The airline we traveled with gave us a really hard time with misinformation and not doing their job correctly so we scheduled for Nala to stay overnight in L.A. very last minute. We were so worried and stressed because Nala was gonna spend more than 2 days without seeing us and everyone from the airline was so scared of her just because of her breed. When she was in L.A. our airline sent us an email changing her flight and we started panicking because we had less than an hour to figure everything out before getting in our other flight but Brady helped us SO MUCH confirming that she was there, that she was ok and still scheduled for the first flight, he went above and beyond to show us that she was fine and being well cared for. We REALLY appreciate Brady and how he helped us. I’m so glad there’s people that take care of our doggies like this service. 100% recommend!”
–Luiza M.
“I had a wonderful experience working with Tailwind Global Pet Service and specifically with Brady. I needed 4 dogs boarded and shipped with health certificates to Hawaii last minute and he was able to schedule and handle everything. The dogs arrived safely and on time. I highly recommend their services. Thank you Brady!!!”
-Razi B.
“We enrolled with Kennel Club very soon after we got our Weimaraner, knowing that she’d need the exercise and we would need occasional boarding. Kennel Club LAX was exactly what we needed. She was a daycare girl 2x a week and loved it! She came home exhausted. She especially loved their snow and pool days!
We felt very comfortable boarding her when we traveled since she was already familiar with them from daycare. Then, when we decided to move to Hawaii, we knew Kennel Club would be the pro to handle her trip – and they were! We boarded her the night before her flight. They know exactly what to do as far as feeding pre-flight, transport to cargo and all the necessary paperwork needed for Hawaii.
I’m actually sad to leave them. Kennel Club LAX has been a reliable, trustworthy and caring instrumental part of my life with my dog. We will miss them dearly. Thank you for a great 3+ years!”
–Breee G.