How to Bring Your Pet to Maui: What You Need to Know about Direct Release and Quarantine
Bringing a pet to Maui takes careful planning, but with the right timeline, pet owners do not have to subject their pets to quarantine.
As a Maui resident, I've gone through this process myself with my dog Lily. I've taken her with me on two trips to the mainland, and gone through this process with the guidance of the Maui Humane Society's Direct Release program.
To be honest, I was nervous about flying with Lily and getting everything done properly. I worked with Judson Goode of MHS and he answered all of my questions and helped guide me through the steps and how to fill out the State paperwork properly. When we landed back on Maui the first time, he met us at the plane and signed off on Lily's paperwork. The whole process took about 5 minutes.
I asked him what drew him to working with MHS on this program. He shared with me that by working with MHS, the fees from his program help support their services. As I was writing this, I reached out to him to share more:
"I am very passionate about my job. I've been doing this for almost 14 years. My 14 year anniversary is October 15th. When the position opened up at MHS in January of 2018, I left the vet practice I was working for and moved to MHS because the fee goes to helping the animals instead of a profit point for a private veterinarian. During my time with MHS, the program has grown from 378 inspections my first year, to 1030 inspections last year."
Traveling with Lily has made my trips more memorable and far more fun. We took two road trips: one from Napa to Carmel and back to San Francisco. Another was from Seattle to Vancouver, Whistler, Kicking Horse, Banff, Bend, Portland, and finally, Seattle. Both were amazing!
Lily on her first plane ride to the mainland
The Maui Humane Society (MHS) works directly with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) as an authorized contractor to conduct Direct Airport Release (DAR) right at Kahului Airport (OGG). For complete guidelines and forms, you can also visit our official page: https://www.mauihumanesociety.
FAQ's Traveling with Pets: Direct Release, & Quarantine
1. Do pets brought to Maui have to go through quarantine?
Not if the pre-arrival requirements are completed in advance. If all health, vaccination, and blood testing protocols are met on schedule, pets qualify for Direct Airport Release (DAR). Owners meet an MHS inspector at Kahului Airport (OGG) upon landing, sign off on the paperwork, and take their pet home or to their hotel that day. If these steps are not completed before landing, the pet must undergo a mandatory 120-day quarantine at the central facility on Oahu.
2. Why does Hawaii have quarantine?
Hawaii is one of the few places on Earth (along with Australia, New Zealand, and the UK) that is 100% rabies-free. Because Hawaii is an isolated island ecosystem, rabies has never taken root in local wildlife populations. The quarantine program exists strictly to prevent rabies from being introduced to the islands.
3. What options and costs can pet owners expect?
There are two main paths: 1) Direct Release by completing protocols ahead of time or 2) doing full quarantine.
1) Direct Airport Release (DAR) (Recommended):
- What happens: Meet MHS at OGG airport, pass inspection, and walk out with your pet.
- Fee breakdown: $165.00 State Fee (HDOA) + $185.00 MHS Fee ($193.72 incl. tax).
– MHS Fee Schedule:
- Total base cost: $350.00 – $358.72.
2. Full 120-Day Quarantine:
- What happens: Required if requirements aren't met. Pet goes to the Oahu facility.
- Fees: $1,080.00 per pet (plus transport costs).
Note that for inspections in Honolulu, there is no MHS fee, as the inspection occurs at the port of entry with no inter-island requirements; the fee for this is $185.
Additional Cost Considerations for Direct Release:
- Multiple Pets: MHS charges an additional fee for each extra pet on the same flight (approx. $100 + tax per additional pet).
- After-Hours / Late Flights: If a flight is delayed or lands outside standard operational hours, MHS charges an after-hours inspection fee (approx. $100–$105).
- Veterinary Expenses: Pet owners also pay their mainland vet for microchipping, two rabies vaccines, the FAVN blood test/lab fees, shipping, and a final Interstate Health Certificate.
4. What does it take to qualify for Direct Release?
MHS recommends starting this process 4 to 6 months before travel. The steps must be completed in strict chronological order:
1) Microchip First: The pet must have a working microchip implanted BEFORE their rabies titer test.
2) Two Rabies Vaccines: Given at least 30 days apart in their lifetime. The most recent one must be given at least 30 days prior to arrival and cannot be expired.
3) Passing FAVN Rabies Titer Test: The vet draws blood and sends it to an approved lab (such as KSU or Auburn). The test must yield a passing score (>= 0.5 IU/mL).
4) The 30-Day Waiting Period: The pet cannot land in Hawaii until 30 full days have passed starting the day AFTER the laboratory receives the blood sample. Arriving even one day early invalidates DAR and triggers quarantine.
5) Documentation & Submissions: Form AQS-279 is no longer used. Instead, applicants must use the Hawaii Pet Online Portal (HIPOP) website to submit applications at least 30 days in advance. Within 10 days of travel, an accredited vet must issue an Interstate Health Certificate with original signatures.
6) Book MHS Inspector: Coordinate with Maui Humane Society to ensure an inspector is scheduled to meet the flight.
5. What is different about arriving on Maui specifically?
Unlike Honolulu (HNL), which has a permanent, full-time state quarantine station inside the terminal, Maui does not have state facilities at the airport.
MHS staff can meet arrivals any day at any time, whereas the Honolulu office is open from 8:00am–4:30pm daily.
- MHS Inspection Contracting: State inspectors do not meet arrivals on Maui; Maui Humane Society staff are certified to perform the inspection on behalf of the state.
- Neighbor Island Inspection Permit (NIIP): Travelers must apply specifically for an NIIP from HDOA. The state will not issue this permit until MHS confirms an inspector is available to meet that specific flight.
- No "On-the-Fly" Fixes: If paperwork has an error when landing in Oahu, they can hold the pet at the terminal facility. On Maui, if paperwork fails at OGG, MHS is authorized to quarantine the pet at their facility until release authorization is granted by the state.
6. What is required for a trip to the Mainland after bringing a pet to Maui?
For pet owners traveling between Hawaii and the mainland, note that leaving Hawaii has no state requirements, though a health certificate is needed.
- Keep Rabies Boosters Up to Date: Never let the rabies vaccine lapse, even by a single day.
- FAVN Titer Validity: A passing FAVN blood test remains valid for 36 months. As long as the pet's rabies vaccine stays continuously active, the same FAVN test result can be reused for re-entry within 3 years.
- Re-Entry Paperwork: Before departing Maui for a trip, a vet must issue a health certificate. For returns, owners must apply for an NIIP at least 30 days prior if landing on Maui, or 10 days prior if landing in Honolulu.
7. Is there a "pet passport" or a way to get to Maui without waiting 30 days?
No. There are strictly no shortcuts, "pet passports," or waivers for short notice.
- The 30-day clock cannot be expedited: The wait period begins the day AFTER the laboratory receives the blood sample. Even when flying through Oahu (HNL), the same state rules apply.
- Arriving before 30 days: If a pet arrives without waiting out the mandatory 30 days, they will be impounded upon arrival and placed in quarantine under the "5 Day or Less" or 120-day quarantine program, with daily boarding fees ($14.30/day plus program fees) until the 30-day post-blood draw mark is reached.
Exception: Routing through Honolulu is a way to bypass the 30-day NIIP processing time, requiring only 10 days' notice. If the 30-day waiting period is already complete, the state will perform the inspection for a $244 fee under the "5 Day or Less" program.
You do not need to go through the Direct Release process to travel interisland.
Always consult with your veternarian and check with the airline on their policies regarding traveling with a pet.
Lily's first fall in Bend, Oregon...you can follow her adventures on instagram @itslilysworld
Posted by Courtney M. Brown on
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