There are no Puerto Rico COVID restrictions for travelers in 2026. The island’s COVID-related state of emergency ended on May 11, 2023, when Governor Pedro Pierluisi signed Executive Order OE-2023-012, and every entry requirement, mask mandate, capacity limit, and alcohol curfew tied to that emergency expired with it. You will not be screened, tested, or asked for proof of vaccination at any airport or cruise port.
Arriving in Puerto Rico in 2026
Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so American citizens and permanent residents travel there the same way they travel between states. No passport. No Travel Declaration Form. No vaccination card or test result to produce at the gate.
The CDC’s traveler page for Puerto Rico recommends staying current on COVID-19 vaccines but lists no mandatory entry requirements tied to the virus.1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Puerto Rico (U.S.) – Traveler View The federal pre-departure testing order that once required air passengers flying into the United States to show a negative COVID-19 result was rescinded by the CDC on June 10, 2022. Starting June 12, 2022, no traveler needed a negative test or documentation of recovery to board a flight to the U.S., including flights to Puerto Rico, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status.2Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Archived Orders
Travel insurance is not legally required to visit the island. Most U.S. health insurance plans are accepted, though it is worth confirming your specific plan’s coverage before you leave.
What’s No Longer in Force
If you are reading older guides or forum posts, the rules they describe have all been lifted. Here is what you can ignore.
The Travel Declaration Form and QR Code
During the pandemic, every traveler arriving in Puerto Rico, including U.S. citizens on domestic flights, had to complete a Travel Declaration Form through the travelsafe.pr.gov portal before arrival. The form collected flight details, contact information, and either a digital vaccination card or recent lab results, then generated a QR code that had to be shown to health officials at the airport or cruise terminal. Travelers who showed up without a valid QR code faced a $300 fine.3Government of Puerto Rico Department of Health. New Requirements for Cruise Ships in Home Port Modality Due to Omicron Variant
The travelsafe.pr.gov portal is no longer active. There is no replacement form.
Testing and Vaccination Entry Rules
At various points during the pandemic, air travelers had to show either proof of full vaccination or a negative Nucleic Acid Amplification Test or antigen test taken 48 to 72 hours before arrival, with documentation showing the traveler’s name, test date, and laboratory credentials. Unvaccinated travelers from international destinations faced the strictest rules, including mandatory quarantine periods of up to seven days regardless of test results.3Government of Puerto Rico Department of Health. New Requirements for Cruise Ships in Home Port Modality Due to Omicron Variant The vaccination entry rule for travelers ended when the COVID state of emergency expired in May 2023.
Masks, Capacity Limits, and Vaccine Checks at Businesses
Puerto Rico lifted its general indoor mask mandate in March 2022. The same month, businesses stopped checking proof of vaccination or recent negative tests at the door, and the capacity caps that had limited restaurants, bars, theaters, and event venues to 50% or 75% of fire code maximums were removed.
Alcohol Curfew (Ley Seca)
Several executive orders had included “ley seca” provisions, a dry law prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol during late-night hours, typically from midnight to 5:00 a.m. The government eliminated the alcohol curfew in early February 2022 through Executive Order 2022-007, which also removed limitations on business operating hours.
Could Restrictions Return?
The legal machinery that produced the COVID rules is still in place. Article 6.10 of Act 20-2017 empowers the Governor to declare a state of emergency and to create, modify, or repeal regulations and orders for the duration of that emergency, and Act 81 of 1912 puts the Secretary of Health in charge of responding to epidemic disease.4vLex Puerto Rico. Executive Order of the Governor of Puerto Rico for the Creation and Strengthening of a System for the Effective Monitoring and the Disclosure of the Prevalence of COVID-19 Orders issued under a declared emergency carry the force of law and bind residents, businesses, and visitors equally.
That framework was activated again in January 2026, when Governor Jennifer González-Colón issued Executive Order 2026-005 declaring a public health emergency over influenza. The flu order does not impose COVID-style testing or vaccination requirements on travelers, but it is a reminder that the Governor can reinstate entry rules, masking, or capacity limits under a future declaration. Before any trip, it is worth checking the Puerto Rico Department of Health site and your airline for current notices rather than assuming the status quo will hold.