Hawaii has reached a significant milestone in its reopening; as of today, fully vaccinated individuals are no longer required to undergo pre-testing or quarantine.

Editor's note: This article has been refreshed with new details. It was first published on June 24.

The moment has arrived. Effective today, July 8, 2021, Hawaii is lifting the quarantine and pre-testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers from the mainland.

Last week, the Hawaii governor's office confirmed to TPG that the state's testing and quarantine mandates are being discontinued.

The governor's office also confirmed that children under 5 will not require testing before arrival, but kids aged 5 to 12, who are not yet eligible for vaccines, will still need to be tested to avoid quarantine.

The office of Hawaii Governor David Ige announced that the state has initiated a vaccination exception program for domestic travelers vaccinated in the U.S. or U.S. Territories. This program allows these travelers to bypass the state's quarantine requirement with proof of vaccination starting Thursday, July 8, 2021.

This is great news for those looking to visit Hawaii who have been deterred by the strict testing regulations. As of today, vaccinated individuals will no longer need to undergo testing before their trip to Hawaii and will not face quarantine.

According to Ige's office, children under 5 years old are exempt from testing and quarantine when traveling with an adult who has a pre-travel test or vaccination exception. However, children aged 5 and older who have not been vaccinated must participate in the Pre-Travel Testing Program and test with a Trusted Testing Partner to avoid the mandatory 10-day quarantine.

Ige initially announced the July 8 date during a press conference in Honolulu on June 24, later formalizing it with additional details last week.

This marks a significant update to the sometimes confusing procedures associated with visiting Hawaii under its Safe Travels program.

Travelers heading to Hawaii must adhere to the following guidelines set by the State of Hawaii:

• Prior to departure, travelers must upload one of three accepted vaccination documents to their Safe Travels Hawai'i account before arriving in Hawaii. The documents accepted are:
• A CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card
• A printout from VAMS (Vaccination Administration Management System) or
• The DOD DD Form 2766C
• Complete the online legal attestations on Safe Travels Hawaiʻi, confirming the authenticity of the uploaded documentation.
• Have a printed copy of their vaccination proof ready to present to screeners at the gate before boarding and/or upon landing in Hawaii. Screeners will verify the vaccination documents, check photo IDs, names, and dates of birth, and confirm that the attestations have been completed.

According to Hawaii, their "digital platform now supports the uploading of vaccine documents for trips arriving in Hawaiʻi starting July 8 and later."

The state is also relaxing rules on gatherings and dining, anticipating a 60% vaccination rate in the upcoming weeks, which should alleviate issues like difficulty securing dinner reservations or accessing various attractions for tourists.

Ige mentioned, "The case numbers are declining. More individuals are getting vaccinated. And the number of people at risk of infection is steadily decreasing."

He also mentioned that all COVID-19 restrictions will be removed once the state achieves a 70% vaccination rate. Currently, masks are still mandatory indoors, but not outdoors.

Additionally, effective July 8:

• Restaurants in Hawaii may operate at 75% capacity.
• Indoor gatherings are limited to 25 participants.
• Outdoor gatherings can include up to 75 people.

The governor warned that restrictions might be reinstated if there is a surge in cases or if new, more dangerous COVID-19 variants emerge.

We've provided a comprehensive overview of essential information for visiting Hawaii here.

Highlighted image of Honolulu and Diamond Head by Clint Henderson/Dinogo.