U.S. Covid-19 travel restrictions state by state

By Forrest Brown and Megan Marples | CNN

Editor’s note: This story was current at the time of last publication on January 25 and will be updated periodically. However, you should still check with the official state websites before you commit to travel plans.

(CNN) — With cases of Covid-19 now past the 25 million mark in the United States, some states have updated their rules and regulations in the new year.

If you wish to travel to another state, it is important to be updated on the latest statewide regulations. While some US states still have no restrictions on leisure travel, all their official websites have important Covid-19 safety information, including possible face mask mandates in public settings.

This list is alphabetical and includes links where you should get more information and updates before you head out:

Alabama

UPDATE: As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Alabama. However, visitors should be aware of the state’s mask mandate, as it applies to travelers, too. It’s effective through March 5. You can check here for updates.

Alaska

Visitors to Alaska should have a “qualifying Covid-19 test within 72 hours of departure” and upload their negative result to a Travel Declaration Form. You’re then asked to observe strict social distancing for five days. A second test is suggested — but not required — between days 5 and 14. If you don’t arrive with a negative Covid-19 result, you must take a Covid-19 test at the airport for $250 and quarantine at your own expense until you get the results. Check here for details and updates.

Arizona

UPDATE: As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Arizona. Check here for updates. And here’s a direct link for information on Native American lands.

Arkansas

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Arkansas. Check here for updates.

California

UPDATE: As of January 25, California has lifted its stay-at-home order. Local orders in some Bay Area counties and Los Angeles still restrict activities, including those of interest to tourists. But in most counties, restaurants can serve patrons outdoors and hotels can accommodate vacationers.

You can click here to find out local travel information — this highly advised before you go as the situation is different depending on the location. And you can continue to check here for updates on California more generally.

Colorado

Pitkin County, Colorado (which includes ski resort Aspen/Snowmass), requires overnight visitors to complete a health affidavit and provide a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival or face a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

There are no other travel restrictions in the rest of Colorado, though nonessential travel is not recommended. Check here for updates and click here for regional information about what’s open.

Connecticut

Anyone traveling to Connecticut from anywhere other than New York, New Jersey or Rhode Island must self-quarantine for 10 days. You must also fill out a travel health form. Failure to do either could result in a $500 fine. You can be exempt from the quarantine with a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours before your arrival or after getting a negative result for a test taken after arrival. Check here for updates and details.

Delaware

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Delaware. Check here for updates.

Florida

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Florida. Check here for updates.

Georgia

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Georgia. Check here for updates.

Hawaii

Hawaii has a complicated and evolving set of travel requirements and you can expect variation within the islands. You should read them thoroughly before you plan a trip and check often for updates. A brief summation according to the state:

“Travelers (5 and older) wishing to bypass the 10-day mandatory quarantine must have their negative Covid-19 test results — from a trusted testing partner — prior to departure for the State of Hawaii. Travelers heading to Hawaii must upload their negative test result to the Safe Travels system prior to departure or, as an alternative to uploading, bring a hard copy of their negative test result with them when boarding their flight.” The test must be taken within 72 hours of the final leg of departure.

Visitors to Kauai must quarantine regardless of test result unless they qualify to stay in a “resort bubble” hotel. Check here for important additional details, including going from one island to another.

Idaho

As of January 25, there are no statewide travel restrictions in Idaho. Check here for updates.

Illinois

As of January 18, there are no statewide restrictions in Illinois, but visitors heading to Chicago have been placed in two categories — orange and yellow. Anyone from an orange state must quarantine for 10 days or have a negative Covid-19 test result no more than 72 hours old to avoid the quarantine. There are no specific requirements for yellow states (which is currently only Hawaii). Check here for the list of states and more information before you travel.

Indiana

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Indiana. Check here for updates.

Iowa

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Iowa, but anyone 2 and older is required to wear a face covering in indoor public settings. Check here for updates and gathering restrictions.

Kansas

While mostly open, Kansas has some rather specific quarantine requirements subject to frequent change. Check here for updates and more details.

Kentucky

The Bluegrass State has been discouraging out-of-state leisure travel since December 14. If you decide to go anyway, the state asks you to self-quarantine for 14 days. Read Kentucky’s travel advisory here.

Louisiana

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Louisiana. Check here for updates.

Maine

Travelers must quarantine for 10 days upon arrival or fill out a travel protocol form stating they’ve received a negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours. You may also get tested upon arriving in Maine but must quarantine while awaiting results. Residents of New Hampshire and Vermont are exempt. Check here for updates.

Maryland

People who travel to Maryland must either get a negative Covid-19 test result within 72 hours of arrival or self-quarantine for 10 days. This applies to people in all places except Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC. Check the following for updates: VisitMaryland guide | The governor’s recovery plan | PDF with detailed instructions (pages 2 and 3).

Massachusetts

All visitors and returning residents must complete a travel form before arriving in Massachusetts unless they are arriving from a state designated by the Department of Public Health as low risk. As of January 25, the only low-risk state was Hawaii.

Otherwise, visitors must quarantine for 10 days or have proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of arrival. You could be fined $500 a day if you don’t comply. Check here for updates.

Michigan

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Michigan, though some of the activities and venues vacationers might enjoy are not open or very limited in operations for now. Check here for updates.

Minnesota

Visitors to Minnesota are asked to quarantine for 14 days or follow CDC guidelines on how to shorten a quarantine. Also note that many indoor tourism venues are either closed or have tight restrictions. Outdoor recreation is encouraged. Find out more: Explore Minnesota | Minnesota Department of Health.

Mississippi

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Mississippi. Check here for updates.

Missouri

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Missouri. Check here for updates.

Montana

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Montana. Travel restrictions might vary at Native American reservations. Check here for updates.

Nebraska

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Nebraska. Check here for updates.

Nevada

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Nevada, though many indoor places tourists might visit have strict capacity limits. Check here for updates.

New Hampshire

UPDATE: Visitors to New Hampshire are asked to self-quarantine for 10 days unless they are arriving from elsewhere in New England. People who get a negative Covid-19 test result on or after the seventh day of quarantining can break it early. If it has been 14 days or more since you got your second Covid-19 vaccine, you do not need to quarantine or get tested. Check here for updates.

New Jersey

Tourism is discouraged. Travelers not from New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware should self-quarantine at their home, hotel or other temporary lodging with the following in mind:

— If travel is unavoidable, you should consider getting tested with a viral test (not an antibody test) one to three days before the trip and again three to five days afterward.
— If you test negative, you should quarantine for seven days after travel.
— If testing is not available or results are delayed, you should quarantine for 10 days after travel. Check here for details and updates.

New Mexico

People traveling from out-of-state are required to self-quarantine for 14 days or the length of their stay in New Mexico, whichever is shorter. Exemptions from low-risk states are allowed, but as of January 18, no states were deemed low risk. Check here for updates.

New York

Current guidelines allow travelers to New York to “test out” of the mandatory 10-day quarantine. Travelers from states that are contiguous with New York will continue to be exempt from the travel advisory. Covered travelers must continue to fill out the Traveler Health Form. You can check for important details on how to test out along with other updates.

North Carolina

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in North Carolina. Check here for updates and details on closings and mandates.

North Dakota

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in North Dakota. The state does post suggested travel guidance and testing protocols. Be aware North Dakota has had the highest number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the country for months now. Check here for updates.

Ohio

Travelers visiting Ohio from states reporting positive testing rates of 15% or more are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days. This list updates each Wednesday. Check here for details.

Oklahoma

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Oklahoma. Check here for updates.

Oregon

People arriving in Oregon from other states or countries, including returning Oregon residents, are encouraged to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival. Nonessential travel, which includes tourism, is discouraged. Check here for updates and details.

Pennsylvania

Travelers arriving in Pennsylvania are required to quarantine for 10 days or provide a negative Covid-19 test result that’s less than 72 hours old upon arrival. Check here for updates.

Rhode Island

Those traveling to Rhode Island from a state that has a positive testing rate of 5% or more must quarantine for 14 days. Travelers can opt out of the quarantine if they can provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of their arrival. This exception does not apply to international arrivals. You can check that list of states here.

Those waiting on test results must self-quarantine until a negative test result arrives. You must also fill out a certificate of compliance and travel screening form. Check here for updates and access to the forms.

South Carolina

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in South Carolina. Check here for updates.

South Dakota

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in South Dakota. Some routes through Native American lands might be closed. Check here for updates.

Tennessee

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Tennessee. Check here for updates.

Texas

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Texas. The state urges people to wear a mask, saying “an itty-bitty piece of cloth goes a long way towards keeping yourself and others healthy.” Check here for updates.

Utah

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Utah, though there is a statewide mask mandate. Check here for updates.

Vermont

Vermont has a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival for nonessential travel. You have the option of taking a Covid-19 PCR test on day seven of the quarantine and ending the quarantine early with a negative reading. Check here for updates.

Virginia

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Virginia. The state suggests getting tested one to three days before travel and again three to five days after you return. Check here for updates.

Washington, DC

These travel requirements apply to anyone coming to the District from a jurisdiction with more than 10 cases per 100,000 people. Visitors are asked to get tested 72 hours or less before coming to DC. If you’re there for more than three days, you’re asked to get tested again. Check here for updates and important details. And you can click here for the status of tourist-oriented sites.

Washington state

Washington state recommends a 14-day self-quarantine for interstate and international travel. Tourists are being discouraged from visiting. Check here for details, including information on the Covid variant.

West Virginia

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in West Virginia. Check here for updates.

Wisconsin

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions. However, the state is discouraging nonessential travel. Check here for updates.

Wyoming

As of January 25, there were no statewide travel restrictions in Wyoming. Check here for updates.

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