Moving Your Pet to Maui

TLDR: Moving a pet directly to Maui requires everything the standard Hawaii import process requires, plus a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit arranged before travel. The NIIP cannot be issued until your pet has a confirmed passing FAVN result, and all documents must be submitted 30 days before arrival, not 10. If you book a direct flight to Kahului before your FAVN result is confirmed, you are taking a significant financial risk.

Maui is not a harder destination for pets than Oahu, but it has one additional logistics layer that catches people off guard: the Neighbor Island Inspection Permit. Everything else, including the microchip, vaccinations, FAVN test, health certificate, and tick treatment, is identical to what any dog or cat needs to enter Hawaii. What is different is the arrival process, the document submission deadline, and the coordination required with an approved veterinary facility on Maui before your pet can board the plane.

Requirements at a Glance

The Standard Hawaii Import Process

Every dog and cat entering Maui must complete Hawaii's full rabies quarantine program. There are no exceptions based on destination island, and the requirements do not change because you are flying to Kahului instead of Honolulu. Full details on each step are in the Hawaii pet import requirements guide.

Microchip: Electronic microchip implanted before the FAVN blood test. This sequence is mandatory and cannot be reversed.

Rabies vaccinations: Two vaccinations more than 30 days apart. The most recent must have been given at least 30 days before arrival and must not be expired. Both vaccination certificates must include the vaccine name, lot or serial number, booster interval, vaccination date, and expiration date.

OIE-FAVN blood test: After vaccinations are in place, a USDA-accredited vet draws blood and submits it to one of the four approved labs: Kansas State University, Auburn University, the University of Missouri, or the DOD Food Analysis and Diagnostic Laboratory. The result must be 0.5 IU/ml or greater. A 30-day waiting period begins the day after the approved laboratory receives the blood sample. Your pet cannot arrive in Maui until that period has elapsed. See our Hawaii FAVN test guide for the full breakdown of timing and approved labs.

Health certificate: In English, issued by a licensed veterinarian within 14 days of arrival. The original is required; photocopies are not accepted. Must include vaccine details and tick treatment record.

Tick treatment: Applied by a veterinarian within 14 days of arrival using a product labeled to kill ticks. Revolution (Selemectin-only) is not accepted. Product name and date recorded on the health certificate.

The Maui Addition: Neighbor Island Inspection Permit

This is what makes a Maui move different from an Oahu move.

Dogs and cats flying directly to Kahului Airport (OGG) require a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit issued by the Animal Quarantine Station before travel. The permit will not be issued under any circumstances until AQS has a confirmed passing FAVN result on file for your pet.

How to get the NIIP:

1. Confirm your pet has a passing FAVN result. Do not begin the NIIP process before this is confirmed. The AQS will not issue the permit without it.
2. Contact an approved Maui veterinary facility and make a reservation for your pet's inspection on arrival. The facility must send confirmation directly to AQS before the permit is issued.
3. Submit all documents to AQS as a complete package at least 30 days before your pet's arrival date. This is the critical deadline. Unlike Honolulu arrivals, which require documents 10 days before arrival, Maui direct arrivals require 30 days.
4. Receive the NIIP by email from AQS. Print it before travel. Your pet cannot board the flight without a printed NIIP in hand.
5. Confirm with your airline that it participates in neighbor island pet transport. Not all carriers fly pets directly to Kahului. Confirm before booking.

NIIP fee: $165 per pet, paid with the document package.

Approved Maui Inspection Facilities

You must contract with one of the following facilities and have a confirmed reservation before AQS will issue your NIIP. Verify the current list at dab.hawaii.gov/ai/nivetfac/ before booking, as this list changes.

The Timeline for a Maui Move

The Maui NIIP requirement adds time to the end of the standard Hawaii import timeline. Here is how it stacks up:

The standard Hawaii import process takes a minimum of 4 to 6 months for a pet starting from scratch. See the Hawaii pet import timeline for a full breakdown.

On top of that, the Maui NIIP adds the following at the end:

• Your FAVN result must be confirmed as passing before the NIIP process begins
• Your 30-day FAVN waiting period must be complete at least 30 days before arrival
• All documents must be with AQS 30 days before arrival
• NIIP issued and printed before travel

The practical effect: do not book a direct flight to Kahului until you have a confirmed passing FAVN result in hand and you have verified that the 30-day document deadline is achievable. Owners who book flights before receiving FAVN results and then face lab processing delays have been forced to reroute through Honolulu at significant additional cost or faced quarantine on arrival.

Arriving at Kahului Airport

Maui does not have an on-site Hawaii Department of Agriculture Animal Quarantine Facility at Kahului Airport. Your contracted inspection facility handles the inspection after arrival. When you land at OGG, your pet will be transported from the aircraft and held until your approved facility's inspector arrives to complete the inspection on site.

Present your printed NIIP to the airline at check-in and to the inspector upon arrival. Confirm logistics with your contracted facility in advance so both parties know the arrival time and flight details.

What Happens If Requirements Are Not Met

A pet that arrives at Kahului without a valid NIIP, or before all requirements are met, will not be released. The pet may be quarantined or the owner required to reroute through Honolulu at their own expense. There is no on-site resolution, no grace period, and no retroactive NIIP issuance.

A full 120-day quarantine costs approximately $1,960 at current rates ($14.30 per day plus the $244 program fee). Getting the NIIP process right costs $165. The math is straightforward.

How PetRelocation Can Help

The Maui NIIP process requires precise coordination between your vet, the approved facility, and AQS, all sequenced around a confirmed FAVN result and a 30-day document deadline. PetRelocation's relocation coordinators handle the NIIP application, facility reservation, and document submission timing so that nothing falls through the gap between steps.

Get a free quote from PetRelocation and a relocation manager will walk you through every step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a NIIP to fly my pet to Maui? Yes. All dogs and cats flying directly to Kahului Airport (OGG) require a Neighbor Island Inspection Permit issued by the Animal Quarantine Station before travel. The NIIP cannot be issued until AQS has a confirmed passing FAVN result on file for your pet.

How long before my flight do I need to submit documents for a Maui arrival? All documents must be received by AQS at least 30 days before your pet's arrival date. This is different from Honolulu arrivals, which require documents 10 days before arrival. Missing the 30-day deadline means the NIIP cannot be issued in time.

Can I book my Maui flight before I have my FAVN result? No. The NIIP cannot be issued without a confirmed passing FAVN result, and you need the NIIP before your pet can board the flight. Booking a direct Maui flight before you have a confirmed result is a risk. If your result is delayed or fails, you may need to reroute through Honolulu or postpone travel at your own expense.

Which vets on Maui can do the NIIP inspection? There are eight approved Maui inspection facilities: At Home Animal Hospital and Mobile Veterinary Services, Central Maui Animal Clinic, Kahului Animal Hospital, Kihei Veterinary Clinic, Makawao Veterinary Clinic, Maui Humane Society, South Shore Veterinary Care, and West Maui Animal Clinic. Verify the current list at dab.hawaii.gov/ai/nivetfac/ before booking as it changes.

Is the Maui import process more expensive than arriving in Honolulu? The NIIP fee is $165, compared to the $185 direct release fee at Honolulu. The government fees are slightly lower for Maui. However, the 30-day document deadline and the facility reservation requirement add coordination complexity and planning time that may make professional help worth considering.

What are the import requirements for cats specifically? Cats follow the same Hawaii quarantine program as dogs with identical requirements. See the moving cats to Hawaii guide for full details on the cat-specific process.