Yes, most US passenger ferries allow dogs, usually on a leash and usually for free. What changes from line to line is where your dog can go once on board and how you have to contain it. The biggest difference is often between boats on the same line: on the Block Island Ferry, a leashed dog is fine on the traditional boat, but it must stay on the outside decks of the high-speed boats unless it's in a carrier.
Catalina is the strictest we found. Catalina Express requires a pet ticket, a signed waiver, and a muzzle or airline-style carrier for the whole trip. So a dog that rode happily to Nantucket on a leash might not be able to board a boat to Avalon without some preparation.
We read each operator's own pet rules in November 2026 and compared them here. There's no single national rule for pets on ferries, so each operator's terms are what count. We've also said where a rule came from a local tourism bureau rather than the ferry itself, and where we couldn't find one.
Ferry dog rules at a glance
| Ferry | Leash OK? | Where dogs can go | Fee or extra steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steamship Authority (Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard) | Yes, or container | Not in food service areas, seats or tables | Free |
| Block Island, traditional boat | Yes, or carrier | Not on cabin seats, benches or tables | No pet fare on the 2026 fare list |
| Block Island, high-speed boats | Outside decks only | In the cabin only in a carrier | No pet fare on the 2026 fare list |
| Cape May-Lewes | Yes, or carrier | Exterior decks; salon seating in bad weather and winter | No documents needed |
| Cross Sound, auto ferries | Yes | May be limited to certain areas | None listed |
| Cross Sound, high-speed | No | Approved pet carrier the whole trip | None listed |
| Mackinac Island (Arnold Transit) | Yes | Well-behaved dogs on leash | Free, per the tourism bureau |
| Catalina Express | Plus muzzle or carrier | On deck near you, not the Commodore Lounge | Pet ticket and waiver, 1 per passenger |
| NYC Ferry | Yes, short leash | Not on seats | Other pets need an enclosed carrier |
| Washington State Ferries | Yes | Most passenger areas, not food areas | Changed July 1, 2026 |
Steamship Authority: Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket
The Steamship Authority has one of the simplest rules. Pets ride free, and they must be with the passenger responsible for them. Every pet has to be on a leash or in a container and under your control at all times. They can't go in any food service area or onto any passenger seat or table. You also have to clean up after your pet. Service animals are exempt from the food area rule.
Nothing in the FAQ sets a size limit or a separate fare. If you have a large dog, the practical issue is finding a spot away from the snack bar on a busy summer crossing.
Block Island Ferry
Block Island is where it pays to check which boat you're booked on. On the Point Judith traditional ferry, pets must stay on a leash or in a carrier, and dogs can't sit on the seats or benches in the cabins. On the Point Judith and Newport high-speed ferries, pets are only allowed in the cabin in a pet carrier. A dog that isn't in a carrier has to stay leashed on the outside decks.
That matters on a cold or rough day, because a large dog on a high-speed boat will be outside for the whole trip. The operator's published 2026 fare list has no separate pet fare, though you should confirm that through its FAQ or at the ticket window.
Once you arrive, the island is friendly to dogs. The ferry company says every beach on the island allows dogs year-round on a leash, and most restaurants with patios allow dogs outside. It also warns that most of the larger hotels don't take pets, so book your room first.
Cape May-Lewes Ferry
The Cape May-Lewes Ferry has the most detailed page of any line here. Pets can stay in your vehicle or join you on the open decks during the 85-minute crossing between New Jersey and Delaware. Pets must be leashed, under control and off seats and tables. They can't go into indoor lounges, food preparation areas or snack bars, although the page does make one useful exception: in bad weather and in winter, pets are allowed in the seating areas of the salon, but not the food service areas.
Walk-on passengers can bring a pet on a leash or in a secure carrier and use the same gangway as other foot passengers. Small pets can travel in carriers or strollers. There's no paperwork to show.
The ferry also gives a warning most lines don't: decks, and especially the vehicle deck, can get hot enough to hurt your dog's paws in summer. Test the surface with your hand. If you stay in your car, the line says the car deck is well ventilated, but think hard about temperature. Our guide to how hot is too hot for a dog in a car applies just as much on a parked ferry deck.
Cross Sound Ferry: New London to Orient Point
Cross Sound Ferry again splits by boat. On the auto ferries, pets can ride on a leash but may be limited to certain areas. On the high-speed ferries, all pets must stay in an approved pet carrier for the whole trip. The page doesn't say what counts as approved, so ask before you buy a carrier for this crossing. If your dog is too big for one, the auto ferry is your only choice.
Mackinac Island ferries
Dogs are welcome on the boats to Mackinac Island. Arnold Transit says you can bring your dog on the ferry as long as it's leashed and well behaved. The Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau says dogs ride free on the ferry boats serving the island, and that they can sit in your lap or travel in a crate. That is the bureau's description rather than a published ferry tariff, so confirm for a large dog.
The island has a city leash ordinance, and you have to clean up after your dog. Arnold Transit says most businesses don't allow dogs inside, while the tourism bureau says many stores will if you ask. You should expect to check each time. Pets on leashes can visit most of the historic sites in the state park, including Fort Mackinac, but not the art museum. Only a few places to stay accept pets, so the bureau suggests calling 906-847-3783 before you book.
Catalina Express
This is the one to read carefully. Catalina Express requires a pet ticket and a signed pet waiver for each departure before boarding. All animals must be leashed and secured in a full-face, commercially made muzzle and/or an airline-style carrier, both in the boarding line and for the whole trip. Only one animal per passenger is allowed. Animals stay close to you on deck, off the seats and out of the aisles, and they can't go into the Commodore Lounge.
If your dog has never worn a muzzle, start getting it used to one a few weeks ahead with treats and short sessions. Turning up on the day and trying to fit one at the dock is likely to go badly. Our guide to transporting an anxious dog has tips for building comfort with new gear.
NYC Ferry and the Staten Island Ferry
NYC Ferry's updated policy allows dogs on a short leash, generally within about 2 feet of you, and not on seats. Other pets need a fully enclosed carrier. Older NYC Ferry pages still mention a carrier or muzzle for dogs, so don't be thrown if you find them. We compare the city's other systems in our guide to bringing a dog on the NYC subway.
The Staten Island Ferry is a popular question, but we could not find a current official statement of its pet rule. Ask the operator before you plan around it.
Pacific Northwest and Alaska
We have separate guides for the longer routes because their rules are more involved. Washington State Ferries opened most passenger areas to leashed dogs on July 1, 2026, excluding food areas and part of the cabin, as our Washington State Ferries dog policy guide explains, along with BC Ferries and the Coho. In Alaska, pets stay on the car deck and passengers get limited visits, so read our Alaska ferry pet policy guide before you book a long sailing.
Staying in the car or going up on deck
If you're driving on, you may have a choice. On the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, many people leave their pets in the vehicle for the crossing, and the Alaska ferries require it for much of the voyage. The appeal is obvious: your dog stays in a familiar space, away from crowds and noise. A nervous dog is often calmer there than on a busy deck.
The risk is heat, and being out of reach. A vehicle deck in summer can be hot and stuffy even with good airflow, and on many boats you can't return to your car during the crossing. If it's warm, don't leave your dog in the car. Go up on deck instead, or pick a crossing early in the morning or late in the day. If you do leave your dog in the car on a cool day, crack the windows, leave water, and remember that alarms and engines nearby can be frightening.
Walking on with a dog
Foot passengers have a few extra things to think about. You'll wait in a line on a dock, often beside luggage carts, bikes and other dogs, and then walk up a ramp that may be metal, steep or moving. Many dogs balk at open grating. Carry a small dog through that part if you can. For a larger dog, give it plenty of time, and don't rush it from behind in the crowd.
Check how you'll get around at the other end too, since not every island bus or taxi takes dogs. If you have a small dog and the boat calls for a carrier, choose one with a firm base that fits at your feet, and let your dog spend time in it at home first. Our guide to the best dog backpack carriers compares some options that leave your hands free for the ramp and your bags.
Choosing between a fast boat and a slow one
Where a line runs both, the slower boat is usually the better choice for a dog over carrier size. Block Island's traditional ferry lets a leashed dog ride inside, apart from the seats and tables, while its high-speed boats leave that dog on the outside decks. Cross Sound's auto ferries take a leashed dog, while its high-speed ferries take none outside a carrier. You'll trade some time for a much easier crossing, and on a rough or cold day that's a good trade.
Service animals on ferries
Service animals are generally allowed where other passengers can go. The Cape May-Lewes Ferry says so directly and asks for no paperwork or fee, and the Steamship Authority exempts them from its food area rule. Catalina Express follows the ADA definition, under which a dog whose only job is comfort or emotional support doesn't count as a service animal, so expect its pet rules to apply to that dog. See our guide to service dog public access rights.
How to make the crossing easier
Take your dog for a good walk and a toilet break before you get in line, because most boats have nowhere suitable on board. Bring waste bags, since nearly every line says you are responsible for cleaning up. Carry water and a bowl if the crossing is over an hour. A shorter leash than usual helps in a crowded boarding line, and a retractable leash is a poor choice here.
Some dogs get seasick. If yours gets carsick, feed it lightly beforehand and talk to your vet before the trip. Our guide to dog motion sickness explains the options. It also helps to arrive a little early and let your dog watch and sniff before boarding, because the noise of the ramp and engines is often the hardest part.
On deck, stay close to the middle of the boat and away from the rail, particularly with a small dog. If your dog will spend time near open water or you're heading for a boat trip on the island, a dog life jacket is cheap insurance. It won't suit every dog, but it gives you a handle for lifting as well as extra buoyancy.
Before you go
Check which boat you're on, not just which line. Then check three things: whether your dog can ride on a leash or needs a carrier, whether indoor space is allowed if the weather turns, and what the rule is at your destination. A ferry that takes your dog doesn't mean the hotel, restaurant or beach at the other end will. Our road trip with a dog guide can help if the ferry is one leg of a longer drive.