COVID-19 Travel Order Update 2/17/21
Effective August 1, 2020, all visitors and returning residents entering Massachusetts must follow new travel orders. The Commonwealth has made great progress to slow the spread of COVID-19 and gradually re-open the economy, and all visitors have a responsibility to help us keep transmission levels as low as possible.
All visitors entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, who do not meet an exemption, are required to:
- Complete the Massachusetts Travel Form prior to arrival
- Quarantine for 10 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts. If not obtained before entry to Massachusetts, a test may be obtained after arrival. However, all such arriving travelers must immediately begin the 10-day quarantine until a negative test result has been received. Failure to comply may result in a $500 fine per day.
Updated Information
Information from mass.gov/travelorder
- Lower-risk States (Updated February 12, 2021)
The current list of COVID-19 lower-risk states and territories includes Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and North Dakota.
Massachusetts residents are urged to limit any out-of-State travel only to States designated as COVID-19 lower-risk States.
In determining whether you are required to complete the Massachusetts Travel Form and whether you may be required to comply with the 10-day quarantine requirement, you will be treated as “arriving from” a place other than a COVID-19 lower-risk state if you were present in any State or jurisdiction not on the list of COVID-19 lower-risk states for more than a transitory period of time in the last 14 days.
Anyone arriving from an international destination must fill out the Massachusetts Travel Form and must quarantine for 10 days or meet the 72-hour testing rule.
Travel Exceptions
Certain Critical Life Activities: Grocery shopping, visits to pharmacies, attending appointments with licensed health care providers, including medical, dental, or mental health, visiting persons receiving treatment in hospitals or residing in congregate care facilities, attendance at day care or children’s camps, attending religious services, and funerals or memorial services, or attending to the care needs of a family member.
Required Appearances at Official Proceedings: Attendance at judicial hearings or other hearings or proceedings conducted by a government body or official that involve the determination of rights, obligations, or liabilities in which the person has an interest and where the government body or official has not made provision for remote attendance
Compliance with Child Custody and Visitation Arrangements: Children who travel into and out of Massachusetts because of transfers of custody or visitation between parents or guardians are exempt from the requirements of the order. Parents and guardians may rely on the transitory travel exemption, provided they comply with its limitations.
Persons Who Tested Positive within 90 Days of Arrival to Massachusetts and Successfully Completed Isolation: Individuals who are COVID-19-recovered, meaning individuals who tested positive more than 10 days but less than 90 days ago and who do not have symptoms, do not need to obtain a negative PCR test prior to traveling to, or quarantine upon arrival to, Massachusetts. COVID-19 recovered individuals arriving in Massachusetts must have documentation of the positive PCR test result, including the date it was taken, available if asked. This exception does not include COVID-19-recovered individuals who have symptoms of COVID-19, who must follow all testing and quarantine guidance outlined in the travel rules.
Additional Information
Visit mass.gov/travelorder for additional information and guidance.