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HRS §143-2

Dog and cat license or microchip requirement

This law says you must license and microchip your dog, and microchip your cat, unless the animal is under three months old or is only in Hawaii for a show and is kept from running loose. Counties can change or remove the dog licensing rule.

everyone

The statute, as written — License or microchip required

It shall be unlawful for any person to own or harbor a: (1) Dog unless the dog is licensed and has been implanted with a microchip identification as provided by this chapter; provided that the counties may, by ordinance, dispense with or modify the licensing requirements of this chapter; provided further that this chapter shall not apply to dogs under the age of three months or dogs brought into the State exclusively for the purpose of entering them in a dog show or exhibition and not allowed to run at large; or (2) Cat unless the cat has been implanted with a microchip identification as provided by this chapter; provided that this chapter shall not apply to cats under the age of three months or cats brought into the State exclusively for the purpose of entering them in a cat show or exhibition and not allowed to run at large.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.