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With domestic travel spiking over Thanksgiving, the same can be expected for the busy December holiday season. With COVID-19 cases still surging across the country, here are latest interstate travel restrictions for December, 2020.
With the Thanksgiving holiday wrapping up, Americans set a new record for the busiest day of travel late last week.
Many health experts are warning of a surge in COVID-19 cases in the coming weeks as an outcome of this influx of travel.
As a precaution to the uptick in projections, many states are looking to increase restrictions and adjust their guidelines for interstate travel. With the final holiday of the year soon approaching, here’s a look at the most up to date restrictions for entry which each state has set in place, as of December 1, 2020.
No Statewide Restrictions
Currently, the following states do not have any state-wide restrictions in place for travel:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
States With Quarantine Requirements
Alaska
For all non-residents entering Alaska, they must do one of the following in order to enter:
– Submit a travel declaration and self-isolation plan and arrive with proof of a negative COVID-19 test
– Follow work plan filed by your employer, provided you are entering for work reasons
– Purchase a COVID-19 test from the state for $250 and quarantine until the results arrive
For all residents returning to Alaska, they must do one of the following in order to enter:
– Submit a travel declaration and self-isolation plan and arrive with proof of a negative COVID-19 test
– Receive a COVID-19 test at no cost and quarantine until the results arrive
– Follow work plan filed by your employer, provided you are entering for work reasons
– Self-quarantine for duration of trip or 14 days, whichever is shorter
For full information, as well as the portal to submit travel declarations and self-isolation plans, please visit the state website.
California
All non-residents and residents arriving to California are being asked to quarantine for 14 days, as well as check up on the local restrictions of the jurisdiction which they will be staying.
More information can be found on the state website.
Connecticut
Any traveler coming in to the state from another state with a positive case rate higher than 10 per 100 000 residents, or a 7-day rolling average test positivity rate of higher than 10%, or a country which the CDC has issued a level 3 health notice, are required to self-quarantine for 14 days and submit a travel health form.
The traveler would have to have stayed at an affected location for 24 hours or more during the 14 days prior to arrival for the requirement to apply.
The requirement is not enforced for visitors staying less than 24 hours, and travelers which obtain a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to arrival, or at any time following arrival are exempt from the quarantine.
Residents from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island are exempt from quarantine and travel health form requirements.
For full details, please visit the state website.
Hawaii
Effective December 02, 2020, all visitors to Kauai, Hawaii will be subject to a 14-day quarantine.
For the rest of Hawaii visitors still have the option of bringing a negative Covid-19 test, taken no longer than 72 hours before arrival to circumvent the quarantine.
For full details, please visits the latest Hawaii COVID-19 Entry Requirements Guide
Illinois
While the state of Illinois does not have any statewide quarantine requirements, the city of Chicago is implementing a 14-day mandatory quarantine requirement for travelers from states that they have placed in the ‘red’ category.
States they have placed in the ‘orange’ category have the option of obtaining a negative COVID-19 result up to 72 hours prior to arrival to avoid a quarantine.
For the classification of states and more information, please visit the city of Chicago’s website.
Kansas
Kansas does not require quarantine for the majority of travelers, however, a mandatory 14-day quarantine is required for travelers who meet any of the following criteria:
– Attended out-of-state gathering of over 500 people where social distancing and mask-wearing were not practiced
– Traveled to or from South Dakota from November 4 – November 17
– Travel to or from Belgium and Czechia from November 4 – November 17
– Travel to or from North Dakota from October 21 – November 17.
– Travel to or from the country of Andorra from October 21 – November 17
– Traveled on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15
For full details, please visit the state website.
Kentucky
Travelers visiting from states with a COVID-19 testing positivity rate of 15% or more on John Hopkin’s University website will have to quarantine for a period of 14 days.
For more information, please visit the state website.
Maine
Those visiting Maine are subject to a 14-day quarantine. Travelers who are able to present a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours prior to the arrival are exempt from the quarantine. Travelers may also take a test upon arriving, but would have to quarantine until they receive their test results.
New Hampshire and Vermont residents are exempt from the quarantine.
For more information, please visit the state website.
Massachusetts
Visitors to Massachusetts are subject to a 14-day quarantine, unless they are able to present a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours prior to the arrival.
Travelers may also take a test upon arriving, but would have to quarantine until they receive their test results.
All travelers, with the exception of residents of Maine and Hawaii, are required to complete a travel form.
For a link to the travel form and more information, please visit the state website.
Minnesota
Currently, Minnesota is requiring all visitors and returning residents to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival to the state.
New Hampshire
International travelers and visitors from all states other than Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont are required to self-quarantine for 14 days. Residents returning from any of these locations are also subject to the quarantine.
Persons able to obtain a negative COVID-19 result after a week of quarantine may end it early.
For full details, please visit the state website.
New Jersey
Travelers and returning residents from all states other than Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Pennsylvania are asked to self-quarantine and fill out an online survey form.
The quarantine and travel form are voluntary, not mandatory.
For full details and a link to the online survey, please visit the state website.
New Mexico
The state is imposing a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine to all visitors entering the state, while residents of Hawaii are currently exempted.
There is no longer any exception for negative COVID-19 results, however, certain work-related circumstances apply for exemptions.
For full details, please visit the state website.
New York
All travelers from states other than Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont, are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine. The quarantine also applies to visitors from countries with a Level 2 or Level 3 health notice from the CDC.
Visitors are able to shorten the quarantine time by obtaining a negative test result up to 72 hours prior to arrival, in which case they may then quarantine for 3 days and exit the quarantine on the fourth day after obtaining a second negative COVID-19 test result.
All visitors are required to complete a traveler health form.
For a link to the form and more information, please visit the state website.
Ohio
Travelers visiting from states with a COVID-19 testing positivity rate of 15% or more on John Hopkin’s University website are advised to quarantine for a period of 14 days.
For more information, please visit the state website.
Oregon
All visitors and returning residents to Oregon are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
The recommendation does not apply to essential travel.
For more information, please visit the state website.
Pennsylvania
All visitors and returning residents over the age of 11 are required to self-quarantine for 14 days.
A negative COVID-19 test will remove the requirement of the quarantine.
Those staying for under 24 hours, or with work or medical reasons are exempt from the quarantine.
For more information, please visit the state website.
Rhode Island
Travelers to Rhode Island from a state with over 5% COVID-19 positivity rate must quarantine for 14 days. You may find a list of those states here.
Proof of a negative COVID-19 result within 72 hours of arrival will grant exemption to the quarantine. Visitors may also exit the quarantine if they are able to provide a negative test result after arriving.
For more information, please visit the state website.
Vermont
All visitors to Vermont must self-quarantine for 14 days. An option to end the quarantine early is available to those who can provide a negative test result, but they would have to participate in the first seven days of the quarantine.
Exemptions are made for essential travel and visits for less than 24 hours.
For full details, please visit the state website.
Washington, DC
Travelers are required to obtain a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of travel to the state. For travelers staying more than 3 days, they are required to obtain a second test within 3-5 days of arrival.
Exceptions are made for visitors from Maryland and Virginia, essential workers, visitors staying for less than 24 hours and those coming for a family emergency or funeral.
For more information, please visit the state website.
Washington State
The state currently has an advisory in effect, recommending travelers to partake in a 14-day quarantine upon arrival to the state.
Exceptions are made for essential travel purposes.
The travel advisory may be viewed here.
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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories
Belgrade
Tuesday 1st of December 2020
Hi everyone, and thanks in advance for your response. I have a big problem with the upcoming CONNECTING FLIGHT at JFK, given the conflicting rules on covid safety and immigration clearance, so I do not know what on earth to expect if: I am due to arrive at JFK on a direct Air Serbia flight (no connections) from Belgrade, Serbia (Level 3 warning for covid), clear immigration, pick up checked luggage and then re-check for my connection to Dominican Republic. How on earth am I going to do that now, given the quarantine rules in the state of NY? I have read their quarantine proclamation at least 7 times and do not see a single ref. to the possibility that a a traveler does not want to enter NY but only changes planes there!
Kashlee Kucheran
Tuesday 1st of December 2020
Transits should be fine, as you are not leaving the airport. You will still need to fill out the forms needed for entry, but your transit should be fine. JFK is a massive transit hub and they wouldn't stop important transits from happening. If you have doubts, get in contact with the airport's help desk
Liberty
Tuesday 1st of December 2020
So much for freedom of movement.