COVID-19 October Travel Restrictions: Latest Quarantine Rules for US States

While more and more destinations are opening up to Americans, traveling domestically could still prove challenging for some Americans visiting select states this fall as several are still requiring out-of-state visitors to quarantine for at least 14 days or present a negative COVID-19 test result in some cases. Here's the latest information for travelers to keep in mind when making plans this October.

Out-of-state visitors to Alaska will need to be tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of departure and upload the negative result into the Alaska Travel Portal. Testing is also available for $250 on arrival, however, those awaiting results must quarantine in the meantime. Any non-resident spending more than a week in Alaska is advised to undergo a second test 7-14 days after arrival.

Connecticut requires visitors from areas with a high rate of infection (higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day rolling average) to self-isolate for at least 14 days upon their arrival. As of September 29, the list includes 32 states and Puerto Rico and Guam. Travelers from impacted states and territories can shorten or avoid quarantine by providing a negative PCR test result to Connecticut's Commissioner of Public Health.

After several delays, Hawaii plans to roll out its pre-travel testing program on October 15 that would allow visitors to bypass the 14-day quarantine period with proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of their arrival. Travelers will also be required to pass an airport temperature screening and fill out a travel and health declaration form.

While travelers don't face any statewide restrictions in Idaho, visitors to Ada County, including places like Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Garden City, Star and Kuna are encouraged to self-quarantine for 14 days if they are traveling from an area with substantial community spread or case rates higher than Idaho.

Similarly to Idaho, Illinois has not imposed any statewide restrictions on travel. However, travelers visiting Chicago from 22 states and Puerto Rico are required to quarantine for at least two weeks. As of October 1, affected states include Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Visitors to Kansas will need to self-isolate for two weeks if they've traveled to Aruba on or after September 24; attended an out-of-state mass gathering event of 500 people or more lacking social distancing or masks; been on a cruise on or after March or have received notification from public health officials that they came in close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19.

Kentucky is asking visitors coming from states with an infection rate of 15 percent or higher to quarantine for at least 14 days. Impacted states include Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Click here to view the latest positivity rate for every state as numbers are constantly changing.

Travelers arriving in Maine from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Vermont are exempted from quarantine and COVID-19 testing. Everyone else must either self-quarantine for 14 days, or sign a Certificate of Compliance indicating that they tested negative for the coronavirus within the previous 72 hours.

Unless visiting from lower-risk states, which include Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Vermont and Washington, travelers to Massachusetts must complete the state's travel form and quarantine for at least 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result taken up to 72-hours prior to arrival.

Visitors to New Hampshire coming from nearby New England states-Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island-do not need to quarantine this October. However, those visiting from non-New England states for an extended period of time are being asked to self-isolate for a minimum of two weeks.

People traveling to New Jersey from states with increasing rates of COVID-19 are advised to self-quarantine for 14 days. Impacted states are defined as those with either an average daily number of new cases higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day period or with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a seven-day period. As of September 29, the list includes 32 states and the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and Guam. Visitors from impacted areas are also asked to complete a voluntary online survey.

New Mexico is requiring visitors from states deemed high-risk based on COVID-positivity rates to self-quarantine for 14 days from the date of their entry or for the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter. Currently, the list of low-risk areas exempted from the mandatory quarantine includes Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Vermont, Washington and Washington D.C.

Visitors to New York from the following states and territories must quarantine for at least 14 days and complete a Health Department traveler form upon arrival as of September 29: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Ohio is advising travelers from states reporting positive COVID-19 testing rates of 15 percent or higher based on a seven-day rolling average of positivity rates to self-quarantine for 14 days. As of September 30, high-risk states include South Dakota, Idaho, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Mississippi.

Pennsylvania recommends visitors from areas with high amounts of COVID-19 cases quarantine for at least 14 days upon their arrival. As of September 25, those states include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.

Rhode Island is requiring travelers from states with a positivity rate of COVID-19 greater than 5 percent to quarantine for 14 days after arrival or provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of entry. Impacted states and territories currently include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Travelers from any county with less than 400 active cases of COVID-19 per one million residents are eligible for quarantine-free leisure travel in Vermont. Currently, these non-quarantine counties are located in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The nation's capital is requiring visitors to quarantine for 14 days if they've participated in non-essential travel to or from states currently deemed high risk, which as of September 21 include Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.