FAQs
The State of Hawai‘i Plants and Animals Declaration Form, also known as the Agriculture Declaration Form, was created in 1973 to help protect the State’s unique biodiversity, endemic plants and animals, and agricultural production. Hawai‘i State Law mandates all travelers arriving from the Continental U.S. must complete the declaration form before leaving the State’s airports or harbors.
Hawai‘i State Law mandates all travelers arriving from the Continental U.S. must complete the declaration form before leaving the State’s airports or harbors. International flights are subject to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which enforce Federal and State laws, thus are not mandated to submit a declaration form.
The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture’s Plant Quarantine Program began more than a hundred years ago when, in 1888, King David Kalākaua decreed that in order to protect the coffee industry in Hawai‘i, new coffee plants would not be allowed into the islands. Two years later, laws were enacted to prevent the introduction of injurious insect pests and plant diseases. In 1905, after 14 snakes were seized, the responsibility of preventing detrimental non-domestic animals from coming into the islands was added to the program in order to protect Hawai‘i’s people and the environment.
Today, Plant Quarantine (PQ) is the State’s “First Line of Defense” in keeping pests out of the islands. Behind the scenes, PQ officials inspect everything from single-celled organisms used for research to exotic animals in the zoo; from flowers, fruits, and vegetables in the market to animal feed at the farm; from the clams and oysters in local restaurants to birds and fishes at pet stores. Each agricultural product is checked at the various ports of entry, including airports and harbors, to ensure safety for residents and visitors alike.
Yes, Hawai‘i State Law requires all travelers must submit a declaration form prior to leaving the State’s airports or harbors. While completing the form, travelers may select an option stating they have nothing to declare.
Yes, travelers may opt to submit one form for their entire party in the same household, given their address, and, if applicable, lodging address, are the same.
The State of Hawai‘i is exploring the potential to transition the Agriculture Declaration Form from a paper form to a digital form. To assess the feasibility of a digital form, certain flights flying into the State of Hawai‘i may require travelers to fill out their Agriculture Declaration Form digitally either before or during flight.
For a full list of flights included in the Pilot Program, please visit https://akamaiarrival.hawaii.gov/pilot/
The Pilot Program will run from March 1, 2025 to May 31, 2025.
No, flights not included in the Pilot Program can not opt to use the digital version of the declaration form. Travelers on flights not impacted by the Pilot Program will still be expected to complete and submit the paper declaration form.
Success of the digital Agriculture Declaration Form utilization will be assessed during the Pilot Program. Announcements on post-Pilot Program actions, including the future use of the digital form, should be expected on the Akamai Arrival website and through other communication channels.
Please email any additional questions to [email protected].