Honolulu County, HI Animal Ordinances: Cat Rules (2026)

1 as either a collar or tag listing the owner's current name, address, and phone number, or an implanted microchip registered with a microchip company. Subsection (b) exempts five situations: an owner who has lived in the city fewer than 30 consecutive days, a nonresident staying fewer than 30 days, an owner who proves the cat already has an active registered microchip, a cat in quarantine, and a cat brought in solely to enter a cat show or exhibition, provided it is not allowed at large.

5 sets different holding periods depending on whether it has ID: a cat with identification must be held at least five days, with the animal control contractor attempting phone and written notice to the owner, while a cat without identification is held at least 48 hours; after those windows the contractor may return, adopt out, or euthanize the cat. An owner recovering the cat pays a $10 daily impoundment fee for each full day or fraction the cat was held, plus a microchip fee if needed, though the impoundment fee is waived entirely if the cat is redeemed within 24 hours of pickup.

7(c) lets an officer cite the owner of an impounded cat for that violation, though the citation is waived if the owner furnishes proof of sterilization within 30 days. 9 separately requires owners to keep microchip registration contact information current within 30 days of any change.