Can You Kill Raccoons in Hawaii? What State Law Actually Says

Hawaii occupies a completely different legal and ecological position than every other U.S. state when it comes to raccoons. On the mainland, the question of whether you can kill a raccoon typically involves hunting seasons, nuisance permits, and property-defense rules. In Hawaii, the question starts somewhere else entirely: raccoons are not supposed to be here at all.

If you have spotted what looks like a raccoon on one of the islands, understanding how state law treats the animal — and what you are and are not allowed to do — is not just a regulatory matter. It is a biosecurity matter with real consequences for Hawaii’s native wildlife and your own legal standing.

Are Raccoons Protected in Hawaii?

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are not a native Hawaiian species, and the state does not extend the kind of wildlife protection to them that you would find for native birds or marine mammals. However, that does not mean you are free to handle them however you choose. The legal framework in Hawaii is built around preventing raccoons from establishing a foothold on the islands — not around managing an existing wild population.

Raccoons are not legal to keep as pets in Hawaii. More broadly, most U.S. states prohibit keeping raccoons as pets, and Hawaii is explicitly among them. The prohibition goes well beyond pet ownership, though. The introduction into Hawaii of live animals at any stage of development is prohibited except for those animals on the conditionally approved lists, by permit, and as provided by Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 150A-6.2.

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) regulates the transport and release of wildlife and manages aquatic and terrestrial resources. Under statutory authorities provided by Chapter 183D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, DLNR’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife maintains Hawaii Administrative Rules Chapter 124, which defines “injurious wildlife” as any species known to be harmful to agriculture, aquaculture, indigenous wildlife or plants, or that constitutes a nuisance or health hazard. Raccoons fall squarely within that framework.

Key Insight: Because raccoons are not established wild residents of Hawaii, the state’s legal system treats any raccoon encounter as a biosecurity incident first — not a nuisance wildlife situation to be resolved at your discretion.

When Can You Legally Kill a Raccoon in Hawaii?

The short answer is: you almost certainly cannot kill a raccoon in Hawaii on your own authority. There is no open hunting season for raccoons, no general nuisance-shooting permit available to private citizens, and no self-help rule that lets you dispatch one on your property the way some mainland states allow.

Unlike areas in the continental U.S., it is actually possible for Hawaii to limit the spread of new species into local ecosystems, and that is beneficial for conserving the wildlife of the islands. That capacity to limit spread is precisely why the state takes an aggressive, government-led response to any raccoon sighting rather than leaving control to individual residents.

When a raccoon was discovered in a shipping container on O’ahu in 2023, the response illustrated how the state handles these situations. A raccoon was captured in a shipping container of household goods; moving crews spotted it as they unloaded the container at a residence in Iroquois Point, O’ahu, and immediately contacted the Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) Plant Quarantine Branch. The state dispatched agricultural inspectors and handled the removal. A second incident the same year followed a similar pattern: the 16-pound male raccoon was euthanized for rabies testing by government personnel — not by the property owner.

The practical takeaway is that killing a raccoon in Hawaii is a government action, not a private one. If you encounter a raccoon, your legal obligation is to report it, not to resolve it yourself.

Legal Methods for Killing Raccoons in Hawaii

Because raccoons are a prohibited species rather than a managed game or nuisance animal, there are no legally sanctioned methods for a private individual to kill one. The state does not publish approved kill methods for homeowners the way some mainland wildlife agencies do for nuisance species like coyotes or feral hogs.

When government agencies do euthanize a raccoon — as happened in both 2023 incidents on O’ahu — it is done by trained HDOA personnel or cooperating federal agencies. Agricultural inspectors from HDOA’s Plant Quarantine Branch conducted periodic searches and deployed traps and field cameras, and trapping and monitoring activities were a joint effort with additional assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services. That level of coordinated response reflects the seriousness with which the state treats even a single animal.

Using poison, firearms, or any other lethal method on your own is not a legally protected course of action under Hawaii’s framework. Doing so could expose you to liability under state animal cruelty statutes (Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 711) as well as potential violations of the HDOA’s prohibited-species rules.

Important Note: Do not attempt to kill a raccoon yourself in Hawaii. The correct and legally sound action is to immediately call the HDOA Pest Hotline at (808) 643-PEST (7378) and let trained state personnel handle the situation.

Trapping Raccoons in Hawaii: Rules and Restrictions

Trapping in Hawaii is heavily regulated, and private citizens do not have a general right to trap wildlife on their own. It is illegal in Hawaii to trap without a license. Trap type is important, bait is somewhat relevant, trap placement is vital, and there are dozens of small things that are very important to know.

Even if you were to legally set a trap and capture a raccoon, you would face the additional problem of what to do with it. Once an animal is trapped, it must be removed and dealt with in the proper manner according to Hawaii law. For a prohibited species like a raccoon, “the proper manner” means contacting HDOA — not releasing the animal or disposing of it yourself.

The 2023 Kalaeloa incident shows how trapping is actually conducted in Hawaii. The Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command immediately set out traps in the area near a pond, and agricultural inspectors from HDOA’s Plant Quarantine Branch subsequently surveyed the area, conducted periodic searches, and deployed additional traps and field cameras. More than two dozen traps were set before the animal was captured. This is not a DIY operation.

If you believe a raccoon is present on your property, the right step is to call the HDOA Pest Hotline and allow licensed inspectors to deploy and monitor traps. The HDOA’s Pest Hotline for reporting illegal animals is (808) 643-PEST (7378).

Action	Private Citizen	HDOA / Licensed Agency
Set traps for raccoons	Not permitted without license	Yes, with proper equipment and authority
Kill a raccoon	Not permitted	Yes, authorized euthanasia for testing
Report a sighting	Required — call (808) 643-PEST	Responds to all reports
Handle or transport a raccoon	Not permitted	Yes, with proper training and equipment

Can You Relocate a Raccoon Instead of Killing It in Hawaii?

Relocation is not a legal option for private individuals in Hawaii, and it is not even a practical one for government agencies in the way that term is used on the mainland. On the mainland, “relocating” a raccoon typically means trapping it and releasing it at a rural site. In Hawaii, that approach is counterproductive and potentially illegal.

Under HAR 13-124-3(d), no person shall transport injurious wildlife to islands or locations within the state where they are not already established and living in a wild state. Moving a raccoon from one location to another on the same island — or between islands — would violate this rule and could spread the animal further into Hawaii’s fragile ecosystems.

The state treats non-native animals as a potential threat to native wildlife, primarily because island ecosystems are especially vulnerable to introduced animals. Unlike many mainland states, Hawaii takes a strict prevention-first approach. Releasing a raccoon anywhere on the islands, even with good intentions, could allow it to prey on native birds, raid seabird nesting colonies, damage crops, and potentially introduce rabies — a disease Hawaii has worked hard to keep out.

Hawaii is one of the only places completely free of rabies, a deadly virus found in many common animal species in the continental United States. Hawaii strictly enforces any transport of animals into the state to ensure the region remains free of the devastating illness. That rabies-free status is one of the most significant reasons why raccoon encounters are treated as emergencies rather than routine nuisance calls. For context on how Hawaii’s roadkill laws reflect this same biosecurity-first approach, the state’s rules around dead animals are equally strict.

Hiring a Licensed Wildlife Control Operator in Hawaii

If you spot a raccoon or suspect one is on your property, hiring a licensed wildlife control operator is a reasonable step — but you need to understand what that operator can and cannot do. Wildlife technicians are trained and experienced with the behaviors and traits of each animal, take care of problem animals humanely, and know the laws governing nuisance wildlife removal in your area.

A licensed operator in Hawaii can legally set traps, monitor for activity, and coordinate with HDOA. Wildlife removal professionals perform a full inspection of the home or property, determine why the animal is there, and if inside a building, how it got in. All animals are trapped and removed, or if possible, removed using special exclusion devices. Once the animals are gone, preventative repairs are essential.

What a licensed operator cannot do is circumvent the HDOA reporting requirement or independently decide to euthanize a raccoon without coordinating with state authorities. Any raccoon capture in Hawaii triggers a mandatory government response, including rabies testing. A HDOA veterinarian tests captured raccoons for rabies. That testing requirement exists regardless of whether the animal appears healthy.

• Ask any wildlife control company whether they are licensed under Hawaii state law before hiring
• Confirm they have experience coordinating with HDOA on prohibited-species captures
• Do not hire a company that offers to “remove and release” a raccoon anywhere in Hawaii
• Expect the operator to contact HDOA’s Plant Quarantine Branch as part of the process
• Request documentation of the outcome, including any rabies test results

For comparison, residents in other states where raccoons are common deal with a very different set of rules. If you are researching raccoon laws across the country, see how neighboring jurisdictions handle it: California and Florida both have active wild raccoon populations and permit frameworks that differ significantly from Hawaii’s approach.

Local Ordinances That May Override State Law in Hawaii

Hawaii has four counties: Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii County, and Kauai. Each county has its own animal control authority, but when it comes to raccoons specifically, county ordinances do not override — and cannot weaken — the state’s biosecurity framework. The HDOA’s prohibited-species rules apply statewide.

Hawaii’s ban on non-native prohibited species is a statewide rule, not a county-by-county policy. The restriction applies equally across all four counties: Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii County, and Kauai. A county ordinance cannot grant you permission to keep, transport, or kill a raccoon if state law prohibits it.

That said, county animal control agencies play a role in the response chain. Honolulu County Animal Services does not handle wildlife issues — that is the domain of licensed wildlife control operators and HDOA. If you call county animal control about a raccoon, they will typically refer you to HDOA or a licensed wildlife professional.

Some county ordinances address the keeping of dangerous or exotic animals more broadly, and those rules could add additional penalties on top of state law if you were found to be harboring a raccoon. Violations of the state’s invasive species and non-native animal laws can carry serious financial penalties. The animal would be seized by authorities, and depending on circumstances, you could face additional legal consequences related to the importation of the animal.

Pro Tip: If you are moving to Hawaii from the mainland and own a pet raccoon, do not attempt to bring it to the islands. There is no permit pathway for raccoon importation as a pet, and attempting to do so could result in confiscation and significant fines.

The raccoon situation in Hawaii is genuinely unlike what you will find in any other state. There is no hunting season to consult, no nuisance permit to apply for, and no self-help rule that gives you authority to act on your own. Your role as a resident or visitor is simple: report any sighting immediately to the HDOA Pest Hotline at (808) 643-PEST (7378) and let trained state personnel take it from there. Residents in other states dealing with established raccoon populations face a very different calculus — you can read about how those rules work in Virginia, Texas, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania for a sense of how different the mainland framework really is.