A Hawaii vehicle registration is a document that Hawaii residents are required to obtain for their vehicle. This document connects the residents of Hawaii to the vehicles they own and meets the state of Hawaii’s requirements for making a personal vehicle street legal.
Step-by-Step Hawaii Vehicle Registration Guide
HI residents must register their vehicle in the county where they reside. The process will differ according to the county in which residents reside. Residents of Hawaii need to get a safety inspection, submit the vehicle title and a registration application, and pay the appropriate fees that are specific to their county.
Residents of Hawaii who plan to move from one county to another county in Hawaii, or buy a vehicle in Hawaii, must register the vehicle with the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
Hawaii is different from other states because the state of Hawaii is comprised of islands and divided up by counties. Hawaii residents must register their vehicle in the county in which they live.
*As of 2017, a new law was passed that requires all HI moped owners to annually register their mopeds and conduct safety inspections.
New Residents of Hawaii
Individuals who are new residents of Hawaii or are staying in the Aloha State for an extended period of time, need to either register their vehicle with their current Hawaii county of residence or apply for an out-of-state permit.
HI Car Registration for New Residents
New Hawaii residents have 30 days of establishing residency to register their vehicle with the Hawaii Department of Motor Vehicles (HDMV). Before a vehicle can be registered in Hawaii, residents must have a safety inspection certificate for their vehicle from any authorized safety check station.
HI residents can visit their closest motor vehicle registration office and present:
- A completed Application for Registration of Motor Vehicle.
- All owners listed on the title must sign the application.
- The most recent out-of-state certificate of vehicle registration.
- The out-of-state title.
- A shipping receipt or bill of lading documenting the date of the vehicle’s arrival.
- Aloha State residents who don’t have a shipping receipt or a bill of landing can submit a Vehicle Arrival Certification (Form CS-L (MVR).
- A Hawaii certificate of safety inspection.
- Proof of the vehicle’s weight by the manufacturer.
- Residents of Hawaii that do not have manufacturer’s documentation, they can have their vehicle weighed on a certified scale.
- A Motor Vehicle Use Tax Certification (Form G-27).
- The Motor Vehicle Use Tax Certification determines if HI residents are required to pay use tax on their vehicle, and additional documentation may be required.
- For more information regarding the Motor Vehicle Use Tax Certification, residents of Hawaii can call the Taxpayer Service Branch at:
- (800) 222-3229.
- Hearing impaired: (800) 887-8974.
- Payment for all registration fees is determined by the registration office.
- Out-of-state Hawaii permit
Individuals who are visiting Hawaii but won’t be staying long enough to register their vehicle, can apply for an out-of-state permit. The first step is to obtain a vehicle safety inspection at the nearest approved safety check station.
Within 30 days of arrival, individuals who are visiting Hawaii for a while can submit the following documentation at their local Hawaii motor vehicle office:
- Provide a current registration card in the name of the vehicle’s owner
- Present the vehicle’s inspection certificate.
- Complete an Out-of-State Vehicle Permit (Form CS-L (MVR) 27).
- Submit the shipping receipt or bill of lading documenting the date of arrival.
- Pay the permit fee of $5.
Once the out-of-state permit is obtained, the vehicle’s out-of-state license plates will be valid for 12 months or until they expire, whichever occurs first.
Registering a Vehicle in Hawaii
While each county in Hawaii has its own registration process, the differences are minimal.
Individuals who have purchased a vehicle or moved to a different county in Hawaii, must register their vehicle with the motor vehicle registration office of the county in which they reside. Individuals in Hawaii must have an active Hawaii auto insurance policy when they are registering their vehicle.
The vehicle registration process in Hawaii differs slightly based on different factors, such as if they have:
- Purchased a new/used vehicle from a HI dealership.
- Purchased a vehicle from a private individual.
- Moved from one Hawaii county to another.
Vehicles Purchased from a Dealership
When a vehicle is purchased at a Hawaii dealership, the car dealer takes care of all the paperwork to get the vehicle titled and licensed. They will also collect the necessary vehicle registration fees.
Vehicles from a Private Party
Residents of Hawaii must register their vehicle within 30 days of buying the vehicle. Hawaii residents can visit the motor vehicle registration office and submit the following:
- The vehicle’s title that’ssigned over to an individual by the previous owner.
- All previous and new owners must sign the title, including any and all lienholders.
- The current Hawaii vehicle registration from the previous owner.
- Registrations that are expired, or will expire within 45 days of the transaction, will be charged for the appropriate registration renewal fees.
- A completed Application for Registration of Motor Vehicles
- All new owners listed on the title must sign the application.
- A current safety inspection certificate
- Payment for the vehicle registration transfer fee of $5
A $50 late fee will be charged if the transfer of ownership and registration are not completed within 30 days. Delinquent taxes will also be charged for any years in which the vehicle was not registered. Discuss this with the seller of the vehicle to determine who is responsible for payment of these delinquent taxes, if applicable.
Changing Counties in Hawaii
Hawaii vehicles must be registered in the county where they are driven, rather than one general, statewide registration like standard state vehicle registrations. Individuals who move from one county to another in Hawaii, must register their car or truck in their new county of residence.
HI residents can visit their DMV office in their new county and submit:
- A completed Application for Registration of Motor Vehicles
- All owners listed on the title must sign the application.
- The vehicle’s title
- The car’s registration certificate from the previous county of registration.
- Lienholder information, if required.
- Payment for the vehicle registration fees, which determined by the registration office
(Vehicle registration fees in Hawaii are based upon the resident’s county of residence, vehicle weight, plus taxes and other county/state fees.
HI residents will need to contact their motor vehicle registration office to find out exactly how much they owe.
Check below to see the standard Hawaii vehicle registration fees for Hawaii county:
- State fee: $45
- County fee: $12.
- Transfer fee: $5.
- State weight tax:
- 0 to 4,000 lbs.: 1.75 cents per lbs.
- 4,001 to 7,000 lbs.: 2 cents per lbs.
- 7,001 to 10,000 lbs.: 2.25 cents per lbs.
- Over 10,001 lbs.: $300 flat rate.
- County weight tax:
- Passenger vehicles & trucks up to 6,500 lbs.: 1.25 cents per lb. (minimum of $12).
- All vehicles over 6,500 lbs.: 2.5 cents per lbs.
- Beautification fee: $1.
- Electric, plug-in hybrid, alternative fuel, or hybrid vehicles fee: $15.
- Sticker renewal/replacement: $0.50.
- Plate replacement: $5.
- Duplicate registration: $5
Hawaii Vehicle Inspections
The state of Hawaii requires that all vehicles have a safety inspection performed safety inspection before being registered, and it must be inspected annually thereafter.
Take your vehicle to an approved vehicle service station and repair shop. You must provide:
- A current vehicle registration.
- Proof of Hawaii car insurance.
The inspection technicians will determine if the vehicle is safe enough to be registered in Hawaii. If the vehicle passes the inspection, HI residents will be given an inspection certificate, and the results will be sent to the Hawaii DMV. It can take up to 48 hours for the DMV’s system to reflect updated inspection expirations.
Emissions inspections are not required; however, it is every Hawaiian resident’s responsibility to do their part in keeping the land and air free of emissions and pollution.
Motorcycle Registration in Hawaii
Before residents of Hawaii can ride a motorcycle in Hawaii, they need to register it with HI DMV. Hawaii doesn’t have a statewide department for motor vehicles, so Hawaii residents are required to register their motorcycle within their individual county of residence.
The steps required to complete motorcycle registration can vary depending on the resident’s HI county of residence.
New Residents of Hawaii
After establishing Hawaii residency, residents must register their motorcycle with their county of residence.
Although the steps required to register a motorcycle may vary slightly from county to county,the overall processis generally the same. Before heading into the vehicle registration office, residents of Hawaii need to complete a safety inspection.
Next, HI residents need to visit their local vehicle registration office and submit the following:
- A completed Application for Registration of Motor Vehicles
- The out-of-state title AND vehicle registration.
- A bill of lading OR shipping receipt, which shows the date your motorcycle arrived in Hawaii County.
- A safety inspection certificate.
- Proof of the motorcycle’s official manufacturer’s weight.
- HI residents who don’t have any documentation will need to get their motorcycle weighed at a certified scale.
- A completed Motor Vehicle Use Tax Certification (Form G-27) to determine the tax residents may need to pay.
- Proof of a valid Hawaii motorcycle insurance policy
- Payment for the registration fee of $45 PLUS any additional fees and taxes required by the HI resident’s county of residence.
Registering a Motorcycle in HI
The process for registering a motorcycle can vary depending on if the motorcycle was:
- Purchased it from a dealership.
- Bought it from a private seller.
- Changed from one Hawaii county of residence to another Hawaii county of residence
Motorcycles Purchased from a Dealership
When Hawaii residents purchase a new motorcycle from a Hawaii County dealership, the dealership agent will usually handle the registration process.
Residents of Hawaii need to ensure they check with the dealership before they leave to see if any additional steps are required on their end to register their motorcycle. In some cases, the dealer may provide a temporary Hawaii vehicle registration while the official motorcycle plates and tags arrive in the mail.
Motorcycles Bought from Private Sellers
When residents of Hawaii purchase a motorcycle from a private seller in Hawaii, they need to handle the registration process on their own.
Because Hawaii has no statewide DMV agency, motorcycle registration is handled by county governments and may differ depending on the resident’s county of residence.
To register a motorcycle that is purchased from a private seller in Hawaii County, residents need to have a title signed by both the resident and the seller. They need to submit the following items to their local vehicle registration office:
- The motorcycle’s current registration.
- A current HI safety inspection certificate
- Proof of an active Hawaii motorcycle insurance policy
- A valid Hawaii motorcycle license
- The registration fee of $45 AND any applicable fees and taxes required by the resident’s county of residence.
Registration Process for HI Residents When Changing Counties
Residents who decide to move to a different county in Hawaii, are required to register their motorcycle again in the individual’s new county of residence.
Although the exact steps may vary according to which county an individual is registering their motorcycle, individuals generally need to visit their local vehicle registration office with the following in hand:
- The current title AND registration for the motorcycle.
- If the motorcycle has a lienholder, HI residents need to bring this information with them.
- Payment for the applicable registration fees, as determined by the county employee assisting with the registration process.
HI residents can call the vehicle registration office in the county they’ll be moving to for confirmation of the documents that are required to transfer your motorcycle’s registration.
Motorcycle Registration Fees & Taxes
Aside from the state of Hawaii’s registration fee of $45, the exact amount of fees and taxes residents of Hawaii are required to pay when registering their motorcycle will vary according to their county of residence.
Registering a Boat in Hawaii
The Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) is responsible for handling the registration and titling of all vessels in Hawaii.
What Boats Require Registration in Hawaii?
All commercial and recreational vessels in Hawaii must be registered, with a few exceptions.
The following types of vessels DO NOT require registration:
- Recreational vessels that are manually propelled.
- Vessels documented with the U.S. Coast Guard.
- Lifeboats used strictly for that purpose.
- Recreational vessels 8 feet long or less that are propelled solely by sail.
- Vessels owned by the U.S. government.
- Boats from out-of-state operating in HI waters for 60 days or fewer.
- Certain public vessels.
Hawaii residents who want more information regarding registering their vessel can call the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation’s vessel registration number: (808) 587-1970.
Boat Registration Process
To obtain your Hawaii boat registration certificate, boat decal, and certificate of number in Hawaii, you will need to visit any Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) office, and provide the following items:
- A completed Application for Vessel Registration and Certificate of Number (Form 96819)
- Any of the following proof of ownershipdocuments:
- A certificate of sale/origin.
- A Bill of Sale
- If applicable, an endorsed boat title that includes the vessel’s out-of-state titling and registration information.
- An affidavit stating you’re the owner of the boat.
- A valid Hawaii driver’s license or identification card
- Payment for the necessary applicable registration fees
(HI residents will receive a registration certificate, boat decal, and certificate of number, which is valid for 1 year.)
Hawaii Boat Registration Fees
The HI Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation’s boat registration fees are as follows:
- Initial registration fees, based on the length of your vessel:
- Shorter than 20 ft: $13.
- 20 ft and longer: $30.
- Renewal fees, determined by the length of your boat:
- Shorter than 20 ft: $10.
- 20 ft and longer: $15.
- Amphibious vehicle:
- Initial registration fee: $15.
- Renewal fee: $10.
- Registration transfer fee: $5.
- Duplicate/replacement registration fee: $10.
- Modified registration fee: $5.
- Late registration penalties: 10% of the initial registration or renewal fee (whichever’s applicable) for every 1 month (or fraction thereof) of tardiness in addition to the fees above.
HI Boater Qualifications
Due to a new law passed in 2012, after November 10, 2014, all HI boaters are required to show proof that they have completed a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and state-approved course.
After completing the course HI residents will be given a certificate they are required to have with them when operating a boat.
ADDITIONALLY, any HI resident under 16 years old must have their own certificate and can only operate a boat while under the supervision of someone over 21 years old who also has a certificate.
Accepted Forms of Payment
The accepted forms of payment for a Hawaii DMV depend on the county in Hawaii residents visit. Standard accepted forms of payment include:
- Cash
- Debit card/Credit card
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Discover