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Quarantine guide · Hawaii → Korea · Dogs & cats

Taking your pet from Hawaii to Korea

Korea recognizes Hawaii as a rabies-free region. A dog or cat born in Hawaii is released the same day once quarantine officers confirm the microchip. The test, though, is where your pet was born — not where it has lived. If it was born in a rabies-affected region such as the mainland, vaccination and a titer test apply.

Official rules last verified: 2026-08-27

The essentials

Step by step

What you need depends on where your pet was born. Born in Hawaii, the microchip and paperwork are enough. Born in an affected region, vaccination and a titer test are added, and so is the time they take.

  1. Confirm the birthplace

    First

    Korea’s exemption applies to dogs and cats born in a rabies-free region. Born in Hawaii, your pet qualifies for same-day release on a microchip check alone. Born on the mainland or elsewhere affected and later moved to Hawaii, the vaccination and titer requirements apply regardless of how long it has lived there. Check adoption papers or veterinary records.

    Where your pet was born decides whether the shot and titer test apply. Pick the birth country in the app. Check in the app →

  2. Microchip

    Required either way

    Implant an ISO 11784/11785 microchip. It is the first thing checked on arrival, and the number is recorded on the quarantine certificate. If your pet is vaccinated, the chip must come first.

  3. Rabies vaccination

    Required if born in an affected region · otherwise recommended

    For a pet born in Hawaii, vaccination is not a requirement for entering Korea, though APQA recommends it. For a pet born in an affected region it is required, and it counts only if given after the microchip. Ask for the certificate in English.

  4. Rabies titer test (blood draw)

    Born in an affected region · 90 days or older

    Blood is drawn at least 30 days after the vaccination. The result must be 0.5 IU/mL or higher, and the draw must fall within 24 months before arrival in Korea. The requirement does not apply to pets born in Hawaii, or to pets under 90 days old on arrival.

    If the test applies, the draw date and its validity also have to hold. Enter them and the app checks. Check in the app →

  5. Health certificate

    Before departure

    Have a USDA-accredited veterinarian issue the health certificate. It must list the microchip number, and for a pet born in a rabies-affected region, the antibody result as well (0.5 IU/mL or higher; the threshold applies to pets 90 days or older).

  6. USDA APHIS endorsement

    Before departure

    Have USDA APHIS endorse the health certificate. What Korea requires is a quarantine certificate issued by a government authority before departure, and the endorsement is what satisfies that. Endorsement takes time to process, so leave room in your schedule.

  7. Departure and quarantine on arrival in Korea

    Arrival day

    Your pet goes through import quarantine by the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) at Incheon or your arrival airport, and is released at the airport the same day once the conditions are confirmed. For a pet born in an affected region whose titer is unverified or below the threshold, extended quarantine of up to 90 days may apply.

Documents to carry on arrival day

Frequently asked questions

My pet was born in Hawaii. Can we skip the rabies vaccination?

It is not required for entering Korea, but APQA recommends it, and your airline or a future destination may ask for proof. If you do vaccinate, it counts only when given after the microchip.

My pet was born on the mainland but has lived in Hawaii for years.

Korea’s exemption is for pets born in a rabies-free region, and there is no provision that lets time spent living there take the place of birthplace. In this case it is safer to prepare the vaccination and the titer test (0.5 IU/mL or higher).

I have no paperwork showing where my pet was born.

If a rabies-free birthplace cannot be shown, it is safer to prepare as though your pet was born in an affected region. With the vaccination and titer test in hand, the release conditions are met either way. Check your specific situation with APQA in advance.

Is there a waiting period?

No. Unlike the wait that applies when entering Hawaii, leaving Hawaii for Korea involves no waiting period on arrival. If your pet was born in an affected region, though, the blood draw still comes at least 30 days after the vaccination.

My puppy is still young.

Korea exempts dogs and cats under 90 days of age from the rabies titer requirement, judged by age on arrival. For young animals, also check the airline’s minimum age for travel.

Can I bring several pets together?

Bringing 10 or more dogs and cats requires submitting an advance notification to APQA and obtaining prior approval to use an animal quarantine facility. It does not apply to nine or fewer pets brought in personally.

Sources and verification dates

This guide is reference information compiled from publicly available official rules. Final decisions rest with APQA, USDA APHIS and your airline, and actual procedures may differ as rules change or depending on conditions on the day. Please confirm directly with the authorities and your airline before you travel.

If you need help with dates and scheduling

Enter your pet’s birthplace, vaccination dates and planned departure in the TabiPet app, and it narrows the steps down to the ones that actually apply. Your first diagnosis is free.

  • Requirements split by birthplace
  • Document order and D‑Day alerts
  • Airline boarding conditions by weight and breed
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