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Exit guide

Taking a dog or cat out of Hawaii (US): the rules

What Hawaii (US) asks before a dog or cat leaves: the steps and their timing, every destination with how long it takes, and coming back.

Rules checked up to 12 October 2026From 5 official pagesGet an alert if these rules change

Exit rules verifiedAuthority: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
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In short

We’re re-checking these rules. An official source they rely on has changed since we last verified them, so something here may be out of date. Before you book or travel, confirm the details with USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Show only the rules for your pet

Choose your animal and where it is going, and this page hides the rules that can’t apply. Rules that depend on your pet’s age or your route stay, marked “Applies when”.

Going to

Leaving Hawaii (US)

The steps

What the authorities in Hawaii (US) ask before your pet leaves, mostly the health certificate and who has to sign or endorse it.

  1. Vet exam

    Use a USDA-accredited veterinarian

    Applies when: you do not travel to Hawaii (US)

    Only a USDA-accredited veterinarian can issue your pet's international health certificate. Tell them the destination, any transit countries, your departure date and whether the pet travels in the cabin or as cargo.

    Details and the official words

    “contact a USDA-accredited veterinarian as soon as you decide to travel”

  2. Official stamp

    USDA APHIS endorsement

    Applies when: you do not travel to Hawaii (US)

    Your accredited vet submits the certificate to USDA APHIS (usually electronically through VEHCS) for endorsement; the endorsement date counts as the issue date for the destination.

    Details and the official words

    “assist you through the process of obtaining a USDA-endorsed pet health certificate”

Only for some destinations

  1. Paperwork

    Accredited vet completes the UK health certificate

    Applies when: you travel to the United Kingdom

    Your USDA-accredited vet completes and signs the non-commercial UK health certificate. It is valid for 30 days after the vet signs it, but APHIS must endorse it within 10 days of arriving in the UK — and the UK requires an original ink endorsement.

    Details and the official words

    “Valid for 30 days after the USDA Accredited Veterinarian completes and signs it.”

Worked out from the rules

Where you can go from Hawaii (US), and how long it takes

How each destination we cover treats pets from Hawaii (US), as its authority names the group, and the least time its official waits allow. Tap a destination for the full route.

46 destinations

Destination (dogs)Your pet’s group there · entry feesAlready vaccinatedNothing done yet
No official wait · 10Bahrain, Canada, China, Costa Rica…BahrainEntry fees: 5 BHDAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitCanadaCountry not on Canada’s rabies-free listAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitChinaDesignated country or regionAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitCosta RicaAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitIndonesiaEntry fees: 25,000 IDRAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitMexicoUnited StatesAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitMoroccoUnited StatesEntry fees: 300 MADAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitPeruEntry fees: 98.60 PENAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitSouth KoreaCountry on South Korea’s rabies-free listAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official waitVietnamAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: No official wait
Up to a month · 25Ecuador, Hong Kong SAR China, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia…EcuadorAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 2 weeksHong Kong SAR ChinaGroup I placeEntry fees: 432 HKDAlready vaccinated: 2 weeksNothing done yet: 2 weeksMalaysiaNon-scheduled countryEntry fees: 40 MYRAlready vaccinated: 2 weeksNothing done yet: 2 weeksSaudi ArabiaAlready vaccinated: 2 weeksNothing done yet: 2 weeksArgentinaAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksBrazilAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksColombiaEntry fees: 78,200 COPAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksEgyptEntry fees: 132 USDAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksEuropean UnionListed non-EU country (Annex II)Already vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksSerbiaListed third country (Annex 2)Already vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksSwitzerlandGroup 2 (low rabies risk) countryAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksUruguayAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 3 weeksNorthern Ireland (UK)Listed non-EU country (Annex II)Already vaccinated: 1 dayNothing done yet: 3 weeksNorwayListed third countryAlready vaccinated: 1 dayNothing done yet: 3 weeksUnited Arab EmiratesCountry not on the UAE’s low-risk listEntry fees: 700 AEDAlready vaccinated: 1 dayNothing done yet: 3 weeksUnited KingdomListed countryAlready vaccinated: 1 dayNothing done yet: 3 weeksChileAlready vaccinated: 5 daysNothing done yet: 3 weeksThailandEntry fees: 500 THBAlready vaccinated: 3 weeksNothing done yet: 3 weeksPhilippinesAlready vaccinated: 2 weeksNothing done yet: 4 weeksDominican RepublicAlready vaccinated: No official waitNothing done yet: 4 weeksQatarAlready vaccinated: 3 daysNothing done yet: 4 weeksPanamaEntry fees: 65 USDAlready vaccinated: 5 daysNothing done yet: 4 weeksTaiwanCountry on Taiwan’s rabies-free listAlready vaccinated: 3 weeksNothing done yet: 4 weeksSouth AfricaCountry whose dogs skip quarantineEntry fees: 250 ZARAlready vaccinated: 4 weeksNothing done yet: 4 weeksIndiaEntry fees: 1,000 INRAlready vaccinated: 9 daysNothing done yet: 4 weeks
1 to 3 months · 2Israel, JapanIsraelCountry not on Israel’s rabies-free listAlready vaccinated: 4 daysNothing done yet: 5 weeksJapanDesignated (rabies-free) regionAlready vaccinated: 6 weeksNothing done yet: 6 weeks
3 to 6 months · 6Kuwait, Singapore, Iceland, Türkiye…Kuwaitunder reviewAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 3 monthsSingaporeSchedule II countryEntry fees: 50 SGDAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsIcelandCategory 2 countryEntry fees: 39,633 ISKAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsTürkiyeAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsOmanEntry fees: 20 OMRAlready vaccinated: about 4 monthsNothing done yet: about 4 monthsAustraliaGroup 2 (rabies-free) countryEntry fees: 2,017 AUDAlready vaccinated: about 6 monthsNothing done yet: about 6 months
More than 6 months · 2Kenya, New ZealandKenyaEntry fees: 500 KESAlready vaccinated: about 3 monthsNothing done yet: about 6 monthsNew ZealandCategory 3 countryEntry fees: 642.29 NZDAlready vaccinated: about 6 monthsNothing done yet: about 6 months
Not possible, or not covered yet · 1Bali (Indonesia)Bali (Indonesia)Already vaccinated: —Nothing done yet: Not possible

For a dog; choose Cat above for cats. Grouped by the time for a pet with nothing done yet. “Already vaccinated”: microchipped, with a rabies vaccination still valid. Only the official waiting periods are counted: “No official wait” still means vet visits and paperwork, and appointment times come on top. Hover over a time to see the rule that sets it.

Money

What it costs to leave Hawaii (US)

Hawaii (US)’s government fees for a pet leaving, exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Hawaii (US) publish. The destination’s own fees come on top: they are in the table above and on each route.

Government fees when leaving Hawaii (US)

  • USDA APHIS health certificate endorsementLeaving United States, Hawaii (US) · depends on how many lab tests the certificate lists101–275 USD
    “Number of Pets Associated Fee per Certificate 0 Any $101 per certificate 1-2 1 $160 1-2 2 or more $160 for the first pet, plus $10 for each additional pet on the same certificate.”

    Cost to endorse your pet's health certificate · as of 2026-06-18

What vets and labs charge Not official figures

Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices

If you need them Not official figures

  • Travel cratea pet shop or the airline139.99–269.99 USD
    • Petmate (petmate.com): Petmate Sky Kennel, 28" (28 x 20.5 x 21.5 in), weight range 25-30 lbs as the page states; page says it complies with the IATA Live Animals Regulation (51st edition, 2025); manufacturer's own online store139.99 USD · read 2026-10-13
    • Petmate (petmate.com): Petmate Sky Kennel, 40" (40 x 27 x 30 in), weight range 70-90 lbs as the page states; IATA LAR-compliant per the page; manufacturer's own online store269.99 USD · read 2026-10-13
  • Pet shipper, door to doora pet relocation company3,395–10,000 USD
    • Starwood Pet Travel: Published starting price for relocating 1 pet (dog) from the USA to the UK with Starwood Pet Travel; the page calls it a starting estimate and says final costs vary3,395 USD · read 2026-10-13
    • PetRelocation, Inc.: Published pricing example: door-to-door move of 1 small pet from the United States abroad with PetRelocation (Complete Relocation Support); the page says vet visits and a travel crate are not included5,975–10,000 USD · read 2026-10-13
    • PetRelocation, Inc.: Published worked example: one small dog moving from the United States to Singapore with PetRelocation Complete Support, total of required costs plus service fee; the page calls these estimates based on typical cases7,500 USD · read 2026-10-13

Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.

Before you go

Coming back to Hawaii (US)

What USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says about bringing your pet back. Some of it only works if done before your pet leaves.

Entry rules for Hawaii (US) · Everything about coming home

Notes

Good to know

  • Leaving Hawaii and planning to bring your pet back? Hawaii's quarantine rules for the return must be met before your pet leaves Hawaii, or it faces up to 120 days of quarantine when it comes back. Before departure: a working microchip, then at least two rabies vaccinations more than 30 days apart, the most recent given in Hawaii at least 14 days before departure (and still valid on return), and a passing FAVN rabies blood test (0.5 IU/ml or more) at an approved lab that received the sample at least 14 days before departure. A licensed vet in Hawaii must also issue a health certificate for the departure, with the pet's Hawaii address and departure date. Send the documents to the Animal Quarantine Station more than 10 days before the return. (Hawaii's Checklist 3, for a return to Honolulu; Checklist 4 covers a direct return to Kona, Kahului or Lihue.)Applies when: you travel from Hawaii (US)
  • USDA: destination requirements can change at any time — check them every time you travel.Applies when: you do not travel to Hawaii (US)

Where this comes from

Official sources

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Last checked 2026-10-12. Next re-check due by 2026-11-11.

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Questions owners ask

What do I need to take my dog or cat out of Hawaii (US)?

On the Hawaii (US) side: use a USDA-accredited veterinarian, USDA APHIS endorsement and accredited vet completes the UK health certificate. The destination’s own requirements come on top; the route pages combine both.

Who signs the export paperwork in Hawaii (US)?

Your accredited vet submits the certificate to USDA APHIS (usually electronically through VEHCS) for endorsement; the endorsement date counts as…

How early should I start when leaving Hawaii (US)?

It depends on where you go. For a dog with nothing done yet, the official waiting periods allow Bahrain, Canada and China in no official wait, and New Zealand in about 6 months. Vet and appointment times come on top.

Can my pet come back to Hawaii (US) afterwards?

Coming back to the U.S. with your dog? Your destination is high-risk for dog rabies, so get the 'Certification of U.S.-Issued Rabies Vaccination'…

How this page is made

The explanations are ours, in plain English. Every rule, number and quote about a country comes from a rule file we have checked word for word against the government’s own page, and it changes when that page changes. Rules are summarised, not legal advice: confirm with the authority and your vet before you travel. How we verify · Report a mistake

Read next

Turn this into dates for your pet

Where from, where to, when. You get every step with its deadline and the official page it comes from.

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