Hawaii driver license and ID card: first license, renewal, replacement and REAL ID

How to get a first Hawaii license or teen learner's permit, transfer an out-of-state license, renew or replace your card, and what a REAL ID or Hawaii state ID requires, with Oahu details from the Honolulu Department of Customer Services.

Guide · Hawaii · REAL ID · Driver licenses · Renewals · ID cards · updated October 29, 2026

Hawaii driver licenses and state ID cards follow statewide rules from the Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT), but they are issued by the county you live in. On Oahu, that is the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Customer Services (CSD). The procedures and fees below are Honolulu's. If you live on Maui, Hawaii Island or Kauai, check your county's office. The Hawaii DMV visit guide lists them, along with the document list and how AlohaQ appointments work.

Your first Hawaii license

On Oahu, getting a first license starts with the learner's (instruction) permit. You can take it in one of two ways:

  • Take the written test online. Then book an AlohaQ appointment at a Driver Licensing Center to finish the permit.
  • Book an in-person written test through AlohaQ. In-person tests are offered only on certain days at each center.

At the appointment you also:

  • Take an eye test
  • Bring the completed State of Hawaii Driver's License Application
  • Bring a certified birth certificate, your Social Security number and two proofs of your Hawaii address

The fee table lists the written test at $2 ($12 online) and the permit at $5. CSD says the plastic permit is mailed after all checks are done.

Next comes the road test, which must be booked in advance; walk-in standby is not offered. CSD lists $8, non-refundable. You need:

  • A licensed driver aged 21 or older with you
  • Your current Hawaii instruction permit
  • The vehicle's current registration, Hawaii insurance card and safety inspection certificate, all originals

The vehicle must pass the examiner's safety pre-check. That includes at least a quarter tank of fuel, no license plate covers and legal window tint. CSD counts arriving five or more minutes late as a no-show, and a no-show means you cannot book again for 60 days. The fee table lists an 8-year license for ages 25 through 71 at $40, and a 4-year license for ages 17 through 24 at $20.

Teens: graduated licensing

Hawaii's three-stage program for drivers under 18 works like this:

  • Learner's permit, from 15 years and 6 months. You need a birth certificate and a parental consent affidavit. The affidavit is either notarized or signed in person at the center by the parent or parents with custody (or by the custodial guardian). Check CSD's learner's permit instructions for who must sign. You also pass a vision test and a 30-question written exam. You must drive with a licensed driver aged 21 or older seated next to you. Between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., that person must be your parent or guardian.
  • Provisional license, from 16. You must have held the permit for at least 180 days and completed a state-certified driver education course, with both the classroom and behind-the-wheel certificates. Then you pass the road test. You may not carry more than one passenger under 18 unless a licensed parent or guardian is with you, except household members. You may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. without a licensed parent or guardian, except for work or a school-authorized activity, and you need a signed statement with you. The license expires on your 19th birthday, and the fee table lists it at $5 per year.
  • Full license, from 17, after holding the provisional license for six months with no pending violations. You also pass the eye test.

CSD says a first violation of the provisional license rules brings a three-month suspension.

Moving to Hawaii with another state's license

CSD says valid licenses from U.S. states, U.S. territories and Canada can be transferred. You book an AlohaQ appointment at a Driver Licensing Center and fill in the application. Bring your valid license and original documents proving identity, legal presence, date of birth and two Hawaii addresses. You must be 18 or older.

After a vision test you are issued a comparable Hawaii license, and you surrender your old one. The road test may be waived. CSD says an expired or lost out-of-state license cannot be transferred, and you then take both the written and road tests. The sources we read do not state a deadline for new residents.

Renewing your license

CSD says you can renew up to six months before expiration and keep your birthday as the expiration date. There is a 90-day grace period after expiration with no penalty. After that, the fee table lists a $5 reactivation fee for every 30 days. CSD's FAQ says that once a license has been expired for more than a year, you start over with the written and road tests.

On Oahu, you renew in person with an AlohaQ appointment:

  • At a Driver Licensing Center, or at a select satellite city hall if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Bring the application, one proof of legal presence, name and date of birth, and two proofs of address
  • Take an eye test, give fingerprints and have a new photo taken

CSD encourages current REAL ID holders to bring all their documents anyway, to avoid delays. Drivers aged 72 through 79 without impairing conditions may renew for four years. Drivers 80 and older renew for two years.

If you are out of state, CSD's FAQ says you may renew by mail under certain conditions, such as not having temporary lawful status. A REAL ID license cannot be mailed out of state. If your mailing address is not in Hawaii, the license is converted to a Limited Purpose Driver's License.

Replacing a lost license

You can order an exact duplicate online for $7, or by mail for $6 with a certified check or money order. You can also apply in person at a Driver Licensing Center. HDOT says U.S. citizens and permanent residents do not need to show documents again for a duplicate unless their information has changed.

REAL ID

HDOT says Hawaii's REAL ID program met federal standards in 2013. CSD began issuing star-marked cards on January 16, 2018. You choose on the application whether you want the card to be REAL ID, and there is no extra fee for the star. You may hold only one REAL ID card, either a license or a state ID.

CSD says the temporary paper card is not accepted for travel, and the permanent card can take 4–5 weeks to arrive. Hawaii also issues a Limited Purpose Driver's License, which does not require proof of legal presence or a Social Security number. It is not REAL ID compliant. See How can I tell if my driver's license is REAL ID compliant? and REAL ID explained.

Hawaii state ID cards

CSD says a state ID is voluntary and usually for people without a driver license. It costs $40 and is valid for 8 years, expiring on your birthday. People with limited-term legal presence pay $5 per year instead. All documents must be originals or certified copies. A parent or guardian must apply for a child under 14. You get a temporary paper ID, and the card arrives by mail in 4–5 weeks.

For vehicles, see the Hawaii vehicle registration and title guide, and for offices the Hawaii DMV office list.

Sources · checked October 29, 2026

We wrote this summary ourselves from the official pages above on the date shown. Agencies change rules without notice: the official page always wins. DMVorganization.org is independent and not a government agency.

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