Red Tape Travel

Flying a cat from Great Britain to Hawaii

The State of Hawaii, which sets its own rules for every dog and cat that arrives. This page leaves out one way in for England, Scotland and Wales: “Pets that have lived for 6 months in an exempt area”. Hawaii names the British Isles as an exempt area but no Hawaii source says which places that covers.

Last verified 12 primary sources

Conditional: yes, with 6 hard deadlines

A cat can enter Hawaii (The State of Hawaii, which sets its own rules for every dog and cat that arrives) from Great Britain without quarantine when every condition is met. It must be taken by the airline straight from the plane to the airport quarantine holding facility. It needs a second rabies vaccination more than 30 days after the earlier rabies vaccination, the most recent rabies vaccination more than 30 days before arrival and 8 more steps, 3 of them hard deadlines (see the planner). If a condition is missed: Quarantine for up to 120 days on arrival, or the pet is sent out of the state at the owner's expense.

Cabin
Airline decidesHawaii does not regulate where in the aircraft a pet flies; that is each airline's policy. The airline must bring every arriving animal straight from the plane to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility.
Quarantine
Nonedirect release at Honolulu airport after inspection
Rabies titer
Required
Lead time
63 daysHawaii advises 4 months: FAVN test results may be delayed by 1 to 2 months.

Your deadlines, counted back from arrival

5 of these steps are hard deadlines. Changing the date re-dates the plan in your browser; it fetches nothing.

Lead time: 63 days

  1. By 63 days before arrival

    Earlier rabies vaccination

    No later than

  2. By 32 days before arrival

    Rabies vaccinationHard deadline

    No later than

    The pet has had two rabies vaccinations given more than 30 days apart. Timing: more than 30 days after the earlier rabies vaccination.

    Fails if: Done 30 days or less after the earlier rabies vaccination.

    The most recent rabies vaccination was given more than 30 days before arrival and has not expired when the pet arrives. Timing: more than 30 days before arrival.

    Fails if: Done 30 days or less before arrival.

  3. By 31 days before arrival

    Microchip

    No later than

    A microchip is implanted before, or when, the blood is taken for the FAVN test. Timing: on or before the blood sample.

    Fails if: Done after the blood sample.

  4. By 31 days before arrival

    Blood sampleHard deadline

    Between and

    Advised: Have the blood drawn on a later day than the rabies vaccination. Drawn at the same visit, the test may fail. Timing: after the rabies vaccination, not on the same day.

    The FAVN result is valid for up to 36 months. We count the 36 months from the day the blood was drawn, the earliest of the dates Hawaii uses. Timing: within 36 months before arrival.

    Fails if: Done more than 36 months before arrival.

  5. By 31 days before arrival

    Lab receives the sampleHard deadline

    Between and

    The day after the lab receives the blood sample is at least 30 days before arrival. Timing: at least 30 days before arrival.

    Fails if: Done less than 30 days before arrival.

  6. By 11 days before arrival

    Documents received

    No later than

    All documents, including a Dog and Cat Import Form (AQS-279) for each pet, reach the Animal Quarantine Station as a set more than 10 days before arrival in Honolulu. Only the original health certificate may instead be handed to the inspector on arrival. Timing: more than 10 days before arrival.

    Fails if: Done 10 days or less before arrival.

  7. By 1 day before arrival

    Vet signs the health certificateHard deadline

    Between and

    An original health certificate in English, done within 14 days of arrival in Hawaii. Timing: within 14 days before arrival.

    Fails if: Done more than 14 days before arrival.

  8. By 1 day before arrival

    Tick treatmentHard deadline

    Between and

    A vet treats the pet with a long-acting tick product (not Revolution) within 14 days of arrival and records it on the health certificate. Timing: within 14 days before arrival.

    Fails if: Done more than 14 days before arrival.

  9. Arrival

    Arrive on

    Note: Book a flight that lands in Honolulu by 3:30 p.m. The airline can take up to one hour to bring the pet to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility, and a pet that is not there by 4:30 p.m. is not released at the airport that day. The planner does not check the time of day.

This plan assumes one air journey, with every step done before you leave. It assumes you leave the day before arrival or on arrival day. Where a rule counts hours, it assumes you land at 12:00 local time. Times are local to Hawaii (Pacific/Honolulu).

Which airlines carry cats on this route

No airline in our sources carries this route yet.

No rule changes in 12 months

We have recorded no change to the rules on this page in the last 12 months. See every recorded change.

Where every rule above came from

  • eCFR (Office of the Federal Register / GPO)ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-09-22/title-42.xmlA cat may arrive through any US airport; The cat must appear healthy on arrival and may be inspected at the port of entry; An animal refused entry after a flight is returned by the airline to the country it…; The dog is denied admission and returned to the country it left; The airline must refuse to board a dog whose importer has not shown the CDC Dog Import…checked

    page says updated amendment citation in the text: 89 FR 41837, May 13, 2024 (the dog and cat rule, effective 1 Aug 2024); eCFR text as of 2026-09-22

  • USDA APHISaphis.usda.gov/pet-travel/another-country-to-us-import/catsA cat needs no proof of rabies vaccination to enter the United States, but CDC…checked

    page says updated December 24, 2025

  • CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-us/index.htmlThe cat must appear healthy on arrival and may be inspected at the port of entry: what fails; The cat must appear healthy on arrival and may be inspected at the port of entry; A cat needs no proof of rabies vaccination to enter the United States, but CDC…; CDC does not require a general health certificate, but some states and airlines dochecked

    page says updated Aug. 22, 2025

  • Hawaii Department of Agriculture (Rabies Quarantine Branch)dab.hawaii.gov/ai/files/2019/08/AQS-39_8.21.2019.pdfMicrochip; Rabies vaccination; Blood samplechecked

    page says updated 8/21/2019

  • Hawaii Department of Agriculture (Animal Quarantine Station)dab.hawaii.gov/ai/files/2023/06/Checklist-1-06.13.2023.pdfRabies vaccination; Original certificates for both rabies vaccinations, signed in ink by a licensed vet…; The FAVN blood test is done at an approved lab (Auburn University, Kansas State…; Documents received; and 6 morechecked

    page says updated June 13, 2023

  • Hawaii Department of Agriculture (Animal Quarantine Station)dab.hawaii.gov/ai/files/2024/01/Checklist-2_01.17.2024.pdfRabies vaccination; The FAVN blood test is done at an approved lab (Auburn University, Kansas State…; Lab receives the sample; Blood sample; This page plans an arrival in Honoluluchecked

    page says updated JAN 17, 2024

  • Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (Animal Quarantine Branch)dab.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/faq-for-animal-quarantineHawaii does not regulate where in the aircraft a pet flies; that is each airline's policy; Rabies vaccination; Direct release at Honolulu airport costs $185 per pet, paid by cashier's check or money…checked

    page says updated FAQs Updated 6/2023

  • Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (Animal Quarantine Branch)dab.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/faq-for-five-day-or-less-programHawaii does not regulate where in the aircraft a pet flies; that is each airline's policy; Blood samplechecked

    page says updated UPDATED 10/2018

  • Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (Animal Industry Division, Animal Quarantine Branch)dab.hawaii.gov/ai/aqsPets that have lived for 6 months in an exempt areachecked

  • Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (Animal Quarantine Branch)dab.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs/aqs-infoDirect airport release (5 Day Or Less program); A dog or cat that meets every pre- and post-arrival requirement is released directly at…; Rabies vaccination; Documents received; and 7 morechecked

  • Hawaii Department of Agriculture (news release NR18-12, on dab.hawaii.gov)dab.hawaii.gov/blog/main/nr18-12-newaqsrules8-22-18Rabies vaccination; Lab receives the samplechecked

    page says updated Posted on Aug 22, 2018

Rules change without notice. Confirm each item against the linked official page before you book: we re-check weekly and date every check, but the official page is the authority.

See everything that applies in Hawaii, or what changed across the site.