Hawaii Pet Travel

Congratulations on your upcoming trip!
​The team at Crossroads Animal Hospital is here to make the process as easy as possible for you. 

Step 1: The Official Guide

Only dogs and cats can be transported into Hawaii.  Hawaii is the only rabies-free state in the US. To maintain this unique status, strict guidelines and specific programs must be completed before your dog or cat can be accepted into the state of Hawaii. Animals arriving without proper documentation may be quarantined for up to 120 days in Honolulu at the owner's expense.

The official rules and regulations are available here: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/​

Step 2: Timeline Planning

Disclaimer: The pet owner is responsible for verifying all information on this page against the State of Hawaii Animal Industry Division guidelines. Regulations can change at anytime and Crossroads Animal Hospital is not liable for any misinformation or negative effects on travel plans. This website is a guide only and not an official resource. 

Five Day or Less Quarantine

• This quarantine program allows pets to be directly released at the airport if the pet owner follows strict procedures prior to the pet’s arrival in Hawaii. 
• It takes at least four months to qualify an adult pet that has had at least one rabies vaccination. 
• It takes at least 10 months to qualify a newborn puppy or kitten for this program.
• Scroll to the bottom of this page to see a timeline summary.

120 Day Quarantine

• If any of the requirements of the 5-day or less quarantine cannot be met, the pet will be quarantined for 120 days at the owner's expense.
• See page 33 of the Hawaii Rabies Quarantine Information Brochure for "Preparations for Dogs and Cats that will be quarantined."
• Estimated pricing as of April 2019 was $14.30 each day in addition to the $244.00 program fee. See HRQIB for details. 

Five Day or Less Quarantine Summary

1. Rabies vaccination:
   1. Pet must have had at least 2 vaccines in lifetime
   2. Must be at least 30 days between vaccines (booster 31 days or more after 1st vax)
   3. Most recent vaccine must be at least 30 days prior to arrival in Hawaii
   4. Most recent vaccine must have been administered before the previous vaccine expired
2. Microchip implantation:
   1. Must be prior to FAVN (see next step)
3. A Rabies Antibody Test (FAVN) must be performed and sent to an approved laboratory.
   1. The lab must receive sample at least 30 days prior to arrival in Hawaii  (new as of June 2021!)
   2. The results are only valid for 36 months
   3. Results must be > 0.5 IU/ml
4. Submitting Documents to Hawaii:
   1. Send documents in as a set so they are received more than 10 days before arrival in Honolulu, to:
      Animal Quarantine Station, 99-951 Halawa Valley Street, Aiea, Hawaii 96701. Send by mail with
      return receipt to verify delivery, or by an overnight carrier that provides tracking of your documents.
      1. Dog & Cat Import Form AQS-279
      2. Original certificates for 2 rabies vaccinations - if not performed by Crossroads Animal Hospital, you may need to contact administering veterinarian - ORIGINALS ONLY - Faxes and photocopies are not accepted.
      3. AQS Payment as a cashier’s check or money order (no personal checks are accepted) with pet's microchip number listed.
   2. Airport Destination Specifics:
      1. No permit is required to fly into Honolulu at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), island of Oahu.
      2. 30 days notice and a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit (NIIP) is required to fly direct to Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA), Kahului Airport (OGG) or Lihue Airport (LIH). 
5. Hand Carry Travel Documents (Crossroads Animal Hospital will provide if able)
   1. Original Health Certificate signed within 14 days prior to arrival in Hawaii
   2. Veterinarian applied approved prescription flea & tick medication within 14 days of arrival

Let's Get Started!

Because of the expertise and time involved in researching your pet's specific needs, we ask for a $25 deposit that is applied to your health certificate appointment to cover administrative time should travel not occur.