I have traveled to Hawaii a few times now, but I don’t recall previous restriction related to United States Department of Agriculture. I wanted to share my experience during a recent trip to Honolulu.
When departing the mainland and prior to boarding, the airline gate agents made announcements related to requirements by the State of Hawaii for documentation related to any animals being transported into Hawaii. This included service animals. Any animal being brought onto the flight needed to be declared prior to boarding with proper documentation presented.
Additional paperwork was required prior to landing in Hawaii, specifically O’ahu in this case. Approximately one hour prior to landing in Honolulu, flight attendants announced they would be handing out and later collecting a form declaring any plant or animal items being brought into Hawaii. This form was simple to complete with a red “nothing to declare” box checked approximately mid-way down the form. The form was then signed and dated at the bottom. There was one form per family required. The reverse side of the form was optional, asking routine department of tourism type questions ie. How long will you be in the State of Hawaii, what islands are you visiting, purpose of your visit, etc. There was nothing additional to do after landing.
When departing Hawaii, all checked bags (no carry-on bags) are required to be scanned prior to check in with the airline. This is also a requirement by the US Department of Agriculture. These lines were short and moved quickly on my day of travel in July.