Hawaii’s strict animal importation rules can make traveling with a pet feel daunting, but careful preparation ensures a smooth journey for you and your dog. I’ve brought Dash to Hawaii on a few occasions, and once you know the process, it only gets easier.

Here’s a straightforward guide to help navigate the requirements.

And please note this is a guide for travelers residing in/entering from other U.S. states only. While I have read that there are fewer restrictions for visitors from the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand (because they have similar precautions already in place), I am not familiar with the process for non-U.S. residents.

Check Eligibility and Requirements

Hawaii is rabies-free, and the state enforces strict quarantine laws to protect its ecosystem. Your dog must meet the guidelines for the Direct Airport Release (DAR) program to avoid extended quarantine periods.

Requirements include:

A microchip implanted for identification. You will need the number on the application and it will be verified by your vet on the travel form later.

Proof of two rabies vaccinations, with the second one administered no less than 30 days before arrival.
A rabies antibody test (FAVN) performed at an approved laboratory. (There are only a handful of these designated locations in the United States; your vet will know how to handle this.) The result must be sent directly from your vet’s office to Hawaii’s Animal Quarantine Branch. You will receive the results within a few months, but that is why you need to plan this well in advance.

Basically you cannot bring your dog to Hawaii for a last-minute getaway. (And this is heavily enforced; when I first brought Dash to Honolulu, the Delta gate agent at LAX asked if I had the paperwork, which I affirmed. The flight attendant came by later on the flight to ask the same thing, and I affirmed that again. She said she was happy to hear that because she has seen instances of people showing up in Hawaii without the paperwork, and they won’t even let you out of the terminal; you will be sent right back to your departure airport at your own cost.

Complete the Necessary Paperwork

Hawaii requires a Dog & Cat Import Form (AQS-279), which must be submitted with payment to the Animal Quarantine Station at least 30 days before travel.

Don’t forget about the payment here; I used a money order I bought at the post office.

Attach copies of your dog’s vaccination certificates and test results.
And most importantly (because even the travel vet I worked with forgot about this), the most recent rabies vaccination certificate MUST be signed in blue ink! I cannot stress this enough—you can’t just bring a PDF print out of this either, so be sure to get this done with your vet. I had to go back and get one from BondVet before mailing the application in.)

You will receive an email from the State of Hawaii office that handles this confirming receipt and/or if there is anything missing. If you don’t hear from them within a few weeks, you can try emailing rabiesfree@hawaii.gov. They should get back to you, but be mindful of both the time difference and that there are only a few people who work in that office handling ALL of these requests, so they reply in the order emails are received.

Within 10 days before departure, you need to have an exam done with your vet. Make sure to schedule this well in advance and inform the vet of the purpose of the visit: to have the travel forms filled out to enter Hawaii. They should be able to handle this as they submit these online directly to the State of Hawaii.

Timing the Flight

Airlines typically have specific guidelines for pet travel, so confirm weight limits, carrier specifications, and seasonal restrictions before booking. It’s best to call your airline before departure to ensure your pet is on your reservation. (While there are no limits to how many service animals can be onboard a commercial flight, there are limits to how many pets can fly, so you want to make sure there is space in the cabin for you.)

When booking, it’s also recommended you book a flight directly into Honolulu, which is where the central Animal Quarantine Station is. Technically, you are not supposed to fly directly to the other islands (i.e. Maui, the big island, etc.) from mainland U.S. airports with an animal, but you can apply for a waiver and have that filled out by your vet as well.

Arrive at the airport early to ensure check-in and security screening go smoothly. Familiarize yourself with the airline’s rules regarding pet carriers and onboard pet accommodations.

There are a number of airports from which Hawaii DOES NOT accept pets; I’m not sure as to what all the reasons are, but some of them most likely have to do with distance/timing.

For example, New York-JFK is on that list. Most of the direct JFK or Newark to Honolulu flights (either Delta, United, or Hawaiian) leave around 9AM or 10AM ET, and they don’t arrive until after 4:30 or 5PM local time, and that’s assuming they land on-time. The problem here? The Animal Quarantine Station office closes at 5PM. They will absolutely not, under no circumstances, stay open later than this. So this doesn’t mean you can just walk off the plane with your dog. Rather, if your flight arrives after 5PM, a handler will take your pet from you at the gate and you will have to come by the following morning when the office opens at 8AM.

Thus, flying directly from NYC was never going to be an option for me, but it’s also a 10-11 hour daytime flight. Personally I find that to be cruel to do to an animal; Dash is well trained but he doesn’t usually use the pads; he prefers going outside or some designated area.

So I made the decision to break up the trip and stop in Los Angeles for one night between the flights, which made for much easier flights and travel days. (You can see some of the most dog-friendly hotels in Los Angeles here.) It also made for a more fun vacation with that extra stop.

There are also many more flights from LAX to HNL, so I took one at 8AM (scheduled to land after noon local time) to guarantee I arrived well before 4PM, even if there was a delay of some kind.

Keep Your Dog Comfortable

Traveling to Hawaii involves a long flight. To ensure your dog is comfortable:

If your animal is a pet, not a service animal, use a well-ventilated, airline-approved carrier that allows your dog to stand and turn around. (Service animals do not need to be in carriers.)
Line the carrier with an absorbent pad and bring familiar items like a blanket or toy to ease anxiety.
Avoid feeding large meals right before the flight and keep water accessible to prevent dehydration. (For example, you can pack a collapsible bowl, but I have tried just using the plastic cups provided by the flight attendant during drinks service when I forgot to pack one.)

Prepare for Arrival

After landing, your dog will be inspected by a veterinarian at the airport Animal Quarantine Station. It’s advised that the process could take one to two hours if all paperwork is in order.

I will say that for us, the whole process lasted 30 minutes tops—from the gate to being cleared to leave the Animal Quarantine Station and on our way.

The part I could not find information about anywhere before leaving was just how was I supposed to get from the plane to the station. I could see that it was walking distance, but was I supposed to just go on my own? The answer is no, and I finally got this answer a week before departure after emailing the office in Hawaii about it. As promised, a Delta gate agent (this will be a gate agent of any airline you choose to fly) meets you at the plane door. They have a manifest, including of who boarded the plane with animals. So there is no escaping this if you thought you could.

The gate agent was very friendly, and first walked Dash over to the Animal Relief Station, which at HNL is outside in the middle of a courtyard (which also has a Japanese tea garden; it’s nice spending time here before departure, too).

After Dash had his break, it was another 10 minute walk around the airport to get to the Animal Quarantine Station. When entering, the gate agent handed over Dash to the vet, who then took Dash away behind a closed door for the examination. Pet owners aren’t present for this part. Meanwhile, I went over the paperwork with the receptionist, and because I had filled everything out properly and already paid, we were all set almost immediately.

If you plan to bring your dog back to Hawaii while the FAVN antibody test is still valid (up to three years from when the test was first taken), you should tell the receptionist this and they will give you a form that makes re-entry a lot easier.

But within 10 minutes, Dash was out and about and ready for his well-deserved Hawaiian vacation.

Enjoy Your Trip

Hawaii has plenty of pet-friendly beaches and parks, but always adhere to local leash laws and guidelines. Ensure your dog is up to date on flea, tick, and heartworm prevention treatments to safeguard against parasites.

If you’re going between the islands, make sure to double check with your airline about rules for inter-island travel. (Many boats/cruises don’t allow pets of any kind, so you will need to do further research if that is your mode of transportation.)

There is also no required process for exiting Hawaii with your pet. It seems like a lot—and it is—but I had the best time, and I know Dash did, too.

How to Take Your Dog to Hawaii