Avian Flu Regulations in Hawaii: What Poultry Owners Need to Know

Hawaii’s island geography has long shielded it from many of the livestock diseases that routinely sweep through mainland states — but that protection is no longer absolute when it comes to avian influenza. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) received confirmation from the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) on November 15, 2024, that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in a backyard flock of various birds in Central O’ahu — marking a turning point for poultry owners across the state.

Whether you keep a small backyard flock or operate a commercial poultry farm, understanding Hawaii’s avian flu regulations is no longer optional. The rules govern everything from how you register your premises to how you report sick birds, restrict movement between islands, and qualify for federal compensation if your flock must be depopulated. This guide walks you through each layer of the regulatory framework so you know exactly what is required of you.

HPAI vs. LPAI: Understanding Avian Flu Classifications in Hawaii

Not all avian influenza strains carry the same risk, and Hawaii’s regulatory response differs depending on which type is detected on or near your property. Understanding the distinction between highly pathogenic and low pathogenic strains is the foundation for everything else in this guide.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strains are deadly to domestic poultry and can wipe out entire flocks within a matter of days, while low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) strains typically cause few or no signs of illness and occur naturally in wild birds around the world. The danger does not stop there, however. Some LPAI strains can become highly pathogenic in poultry, which is why both classifications are tracked and regulated.

In practical terms, the two types trigger very different regulatory responses:

• HPAI — Triggers mandatory depopulation of all affected and exposed birds, immediate quarantine, movement restrictions, and federal indemnity proceedings. HPAI is classified as an urgent category notifiable condition in Hawaii.
• LPAI — May allow for alternatives such as quarantine or controlled marketing depending on the specific H5/H7 subtype involved, though USDA must approve all response methods.

The HPAI virus detected in Hawaii is clade 2.3.4.4b, similar to the strain that has infected wild birds, domestic poultry, and dairy cows on the U.S. mainland. This is the same H5N1 lineage driving outbreaks globally, and it is the primary strain driving Hawaii’s current regulatory posture.

For context on related avian health concerns that can affect your flock alongside influenza, see the resources on avian tuberculosis and avian chlamydiosis, two other reportable conditions monitored by Hawaii’s Animal Industry Division.

Premises Registration Requirements for Poultry Owners in Hawaii

One of the most important steps you can take as a poultry owner in Hawaii is registering your premises with the appropriate state and federal agencies. Registration is the backbone of Hawaii’s disease surveillance system — without it, officials cannot contact you quickly during an outbreak, and your eligibility for federal compensation may be affected.

At the federal level, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains the National Premises Identification System. Registering your premises assigns you a unique Premises Identification Number (PIN) tied to your physical location — not your company address — which is used in all indemnity and response paperwork if HPAI is ever detected on your property.

At the state level, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity (DAB) Animal Industry Division (AID) maintains its own poultry registry. Commercial operations are generally required to register, and backyard flock owners are strongly encouraged to do so. Registration allows DAB to:

• Notify you directly if HPAI is detected in your area or on a nearby premises
• Include your flock in active surveillance programs
• Expedite the indemnity and response process if your birds are affected
• Enforce import permit conditions and interisland transport rules

HDOA already has established strict bird import laws that require permits, inspections, health certificates, and in some cases, isolation periods prior to arrival and physical identification. These import permit requirements are tied directly to your registered premises, so having your registration current is essential before you bring any new birds onto your property.

Biosecurity Requirements for Commercial and Backyard Flocks in Hawaii

Hawaii’s biosecurity requirements apply to every poultry owner in the state, regardless of flock size. The DAB has issued specific guidance for both commercial operations and backyard bird owners, and following these measures is not just good practice — it is a condition for receiving federal indemnity payments if your flock is ever affected by HPAI.

Hawaii bird and poultry owners are encouraged to institute and maintain good biosecurity measures, which include good sanitation practices and making sure that their birds do not come in contact with other wild and migratory birds. The following practices are the core of Hawaii’s biosecurity framework:

1. Restrict access to your premises. Minimize traffic coming onto your premises and avoid visiting farms that keep poultry, waterfowl, or game birds.
2. Secure your poultry housing. Seal poultry house attics, cover ventilation openings with screens, keep your poultry in closed and locked houses, and allow only essential personnel inside.
3. Use dedicated clothing and footwear. Provide clean or disposable coveralls, head covers, and boots that can be cleaned and disinfected, and put on clean clothing and footwear before working with your own flock.
4. Prevent equipment sharing. Do not share equipment or vehicles with other farms.
5. Maintain disinfection stations. Change disinfectant foot baths daily and place them at outside entries to poultry houses and egg rooms.
6. Control incoming vehicles. Insist that vehicles and equipment entering your premises be cleaned and disinfected, as personnel and equipment that have been in direct or indirect contact with other farms pose a great risk.

For commercial operations, biosecurity requirements are even more stringent because they are directly linked to indemnity eligibility. APHIS requires commercial poultry premises to successfully pass a biosecurity audit prior to restocking if they were previously HPAI-infected and wish to be eligible for indemnity for the restocked poultry. USDA will share up to 75 percent of the costs to fix the highest-risk biosecurity concerns identified by the assessments.

USDA’s Defend the Flock program offers free tools and resources to help everyone who works with or handles poultry follow proper biosecurity practices. Hawaii poultry owners are encouraged to use these resources in addition to DAB’s state-specific guidance.

Reporting Sick or Dead Birds in Hawaii

Timely reporting is one of your most critical legal obligations as a poultry owner in Hawaii. Because HPAI is classified as an urgent notifiable condition, delays in reporting can result in wider spread of the virus, put neighboring flocks at risk, and potentially disqualify you from compensation programs.

Here is who to contact and when:

When you make a report, provide details including the number of sick or dead birds, the bird species, and the exact location. Not all dead birds will be tested, depending on the situation. The more detail you provide, the faster officials can assess the risk and respond appropriately.

HPAI is an urgent category notifiable condition in Hawaii. Those who were in direct contact with sick or dead animals infected with avian influenza, or healthcare providers with patients suspected of HPAI infection, must report to the Hawaii State Department of Health by telephone as soon as a provisional diagnosis is established.

If you find a dead wild bird on your property and it does not appear to be part of a larger illness event, you do not necessarily need to submit it for testing. Wear disposable gloves or turn a plastic bag inside out to pick up the carcass, place the bird in a second bag, seal it and dispose of it with your regular household trash, wash your hands thoroughly, and disinfect any clothing or shoes that may have come into contact with the bird. Monitor your health for any unusual symptoms afterward.

Hawaii’s Current HPAI Status and Active Outbreak Zones

Hawaii’s HPAI situation has evolved significantly since the virus first arrived on the islands. Staying current on the state’s outbreak status helps you calibrate your biosecurity response and understand which regulatory measures are actively in force.

The first confirmed detection of the virus in Hawaii came in November 2024. In November 2024, a bird sanctuary in Wahiawā on O’ahu was infected with the virus and DAB veterinarians conducted measures to disinfect the property and euthanized about 100 birds. That same month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service detected HPAI in a single duck at a North Shore wildlife refuge.

The virus did not remain confined to O’ahu. As of November 2025, a second confirmed case of HPAI was detected in a migratory duck on the island of Maui — the first confirmed detection of H5N1 on Maui. The Northern pintail was found along the Wailea shoreline and submitted for testing; the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Iowa later confirmed the bird was infected with the H5N1 virus.

Wastewater surveillance has also revealed the virus’s wider geographic footprint. H5 has been detected through wastewater testing in Hilo and on Kauai. Initial testing in December 2024 detected the H5 bird flu virus at very low levels in wastewater samples from Kaua’i, with similar detections in subsequent weeks. While none of these samples were considered fully positive, the repeated low-level detections suggest a high likelihood that the virus is present on the island. However, no confirmed cases of H5 bird flu have been found in birds, dairy cows, or humans on Kaua’i.

The broader national picture provides important context. A(H5) bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with sporadic human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers. At this time, the CDC and the Hawaii Department of Health consider the human health risk from HPAI as “low.” However, those with close or prolonged exposure to infected birds and other infected animals or environments have a greater risk of infection and should take protective measures.

Poultry Movement and Quarantine Restrictions in Hawaii

Hawaii’s island geography makes movement restrictions one of the most powerful tools available to prevent the spread of HPAI. The state has used both voluntary and mandatory mechanisms to control how birds move within and into the state.

Interisland Transport

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA), in consultation with the Department of Health and the Department of Land and Natural Resources, extended the voluntary pause on the interisland transport of poultry and other bird species as a precaution to prevent the spread of HPAI. The initial 90-day pause was issued on December 13, 2024, and a subsequent extension continued until June 13, 2025. You should contact DAB directly to confirm the current status of interisland transport rules, as these restrictions may be renewed or modified depending on active surveillance findings.

Interisland transport of all live birds requires inspection by HDOA’s Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB). In general, to import poultry into Hawaii, importers must apply for a Poultry and Bird Import Permit from the Animal Industry Division.

Importing Birds from the Mainland

Due to HPAI outbreaks, the avian influenza status of the areas where shipments originate is investigated before import permits are issued. Poultry shipments are also subject to other requirements, such as originating from a disease-free flock, and may require a seven-day isolation period in a mosquito-free enclosure under the supervision of an accredited veterinarian prior to arrival.

Import restrictions have been placed on all poultry, other birds, hatching eggs, and day-old chicks from affected zones within states to prevent the importation of infected birds. There is also an embargo on importing birds through the mail.

Quarantine Zones During an Active Outbreak

When HPAI is confirmed on a premises, USDA and state officials establish a structured set of control zones around the infected location. These typically include:

• Infected Premises (IP): The confirmed positive location, subject to immediate depopulation and movement lockdown
• Contact Premises (CP): Locations that have had direct or indirect contact with the IP
• Control Area: Encompasses a defined radius (typically 10 kilometers) around the IP, within which all poultry movement requires official permits
• Surveillance Zone: A broader buffer area subject to enhanced monitoring and testing

Response plans call for enacting USDA-defined Control Areas or Surveillance Zones, eliminating or enclosing poultry and domestic fowl in disease zones, controlling feral and non-native species in or near disease zones, and limiting the movement of animals in or near disease zones.

If your premises falls within any of these zones, you are required to comply with all movement permits, testing requirements, and access restrictions issued by state or federal officials. Violations can result in loss of indemnity eligibility and civil penalties. For a comparison of how Hawaii’s approach aligns with other state-level animal movement regulation frameworks, see this overview of horse boarding regulations in Wyoming and horse boarding regulations in Wisconsin, which illustrate how states structure premises-based animal control systems.

Flock Depopulation and Compensation Rules in Hawaii

If HPAI is confirmed on your premises, depopulation is not a choice — it is a regulatory requirement. Understanding the process in advance helps you act quickly, protect your eligibility for compensation, and minimize the time your operation is offline.

The Depopulation Process

There is no approved treatment for HPAI in poultry. The only way to stop the disease among poultry operations is to depopulate all affected and exposed birds. Depopulation must be conducted under federal and state supervision. Water-based foam and carbon dioxide gas are the most humane and effective options available in an emergency situation with large numbers of birds. Disposal methods include composting, onsite burial, incineration, rendering, and landfilling, and the method chosen must follow all state environmental laws.

Federal Indemnity Payments

USDA and state animal health officials work with you to prepare an inventory as soon as HPAI is identified in your flock. The inventory lists all living animals in the flock and the current number of eggs on hand, if applicable. This inventory forms the basis of your indemnity claim.

You must have a biosecurity plan in place and a flock plan to receive compensation for depopulation, disposal, or virus elimination activities. This is a hard requirement — not having a documented biosecurity plan at the time of detection can disqualify you from receiving indemnity.

The payment timeline works as follows:

1. USDA confirms HPAI and assigns you a case manager
2. An inventory appraisal is completed before or immediately after depopulation
3. You register your business with the U.S. Government System for Award Management (SAM), complete and sign the paperwork including your bank information, and return it to your case manager or Field Reimbursement Specialist. You will receive payment from USDA via direct deposit in about 2–3 weeks.
4. If you dispute the initial indemnity value, you may appeal for a higher appraisal

Commercial poultry premises must successfully pass a biosecurity audit prior to restocking if they were previously HPAI-infected and wish to be eligible for indemnity for the restocked poultry. If your commercial poultry operation has been confirmed positive for HPAI, you must pass an Infected Premises Restock Biosecurity Audit before restocking. If you are moving poultry into a designated buffer zone, you must pass a USDA Buffer Zone Placement Biosecurity Audit to be eligible for federal indemnity for any birds moved onto the premises.

Backyard Flock Owners

If your flock has 500 birds or fewer, or if the total indemnity and compensation cost is $10,000 or less, a simplified form — the HPAI-Affected Backyard Flock Management Agreement — is used instead of the full commercial indemnity process. A USDA case manager will guide you through the appropriate paperwork based on your flock size.

Penalties for Non-Compliance in Hawaii

Hawaii takes avian disease regulations seriously, and the penalties for non-compliance reflect the severity of the risk that HPAI poses to the state’s agricultural sector and native bird populations. Violations can carry both civil and criminal consequences under state and federal law.

State-Level Penalties

Under the Hawaii Revised Statutes and DAB administrative rules, violations of animal disease control regulations — including failure to report suspected HPAI, unauthorized movement of birds during a quarantine, or obstruction of state veterinary officials — can result in:

• Civil fines assessed per violation and per day the violation continues
• Seizure and quarantine of your birds at your expense
• Revocation of import permits and poultry operation licenses
• Required remediation at the owner’s cost

Administrative rules establish the guidelines, limitations, and parameters for specific types of actions within the context of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. The DAB’s administrative rules for animal disease control are the primary state-level enforcement mechanism, and they are updated regularly to reflect current disease threats.

Federal-Level Consequences

At the federal level, non-compliance with USDA APHIS regulations during an active HPAI response carries its own set of consequences:

• Loss of indemnity eligibility — Failure to maintain a documented biosecurity plan, moving birds without permits during a quarantine, or interfering with federal depopulation activities can permanently disqualify you from USDA indemnity payments for that outbreak event
• Denial of future import permits — Non-compliant premises may be flagged in the USDA system, affecting your ability to import birds or hatching eggs from the mainland
• Civil monetary penalties — Under the Animal Health Protection Act, violations of federal quarantine orders can result in civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation for individuals

Import Violations

For decades, HDOA has strictly regulated the import of all animals into the state, including birds, to protect Hawaii from animal disease outbreaks around the world. These import requirements have been significant in keeping Hawaii free from bird-borne diseases such as West Nile virus and exotic Newcastle disease. Attempting to import birds without a valid permit, circumventing the mandatory isolation period, or falsifying health certificates are among the most serious violations and can result in criminal prosecution under state law.

Staying compliant with Hawaii’s avian flu regulations ultimately serves your own interests as much as the state’s. A documented biosecurity plan, current premises registration, and prompt reporting are the three pillars that protect both your flock and your financial recovery options if HPAI ever reaches your property. For additional regulatory context across animal ownership categories, explore related guides such as bass fishing regulations in Texas and fly fishing regulations in Washington, which illustrate how state agencies structure compliance frameworks for animal-related activities.