Registering and titling a vehicle in Hawaii: new arrivals, purchases and renewals

How vehicle registration, titles, safety inspections and plates work in Hawaii, with Oahu procedures from the Honolulu Department of Customer Services for dealer and private purchases, vehicles shipped from the mainland, and renewals.

Guide · Hawaii · Vehicle registration · Titles · updated October 29, 2026

In Hawaii, vehicles are registered and titled by the county where they are driven, not by a state agency. On Oahu, the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Customer Services (CSD) runs all motor vehicle registration and titling through its Division of Motor Vehicles, at satellite city halls. CSD says it cannot register or renew a vehicle that is being driven in another county. If your vehicle is on Maui, Hawaii Island or Kauai, use that county's office; the Hawaii DMV visit guide lists them. The details below are Honolulu's.

The basics

CSD says every vehicle on Oahu must have three things:

• A valid Certificate of Registration, kept in the vehicle. It shows all taxes and fees are paid.
• A Certificate of Title, held by the lienholder or, once the vehicle is paid off, by the owner.
• A current State of Hawaii Safety Inspection Certificate.

Registrations are renewed every year. CSD says annual fees are based on the vehicle's weight and use, and you can calculate them with the Honolulu Motor Vehicle Inquiry tool. The parts it lists are:

• A $46 state registration fee
• A $20 county registration fee
• State and county weight taxes
• A $10 highway beautification fee
• A $0.50 emblem
• A $5 plate fee when plates are issued

Its own example is a 3,320-pound vehicle costing $367 a year to register on Oahu.

The main form is the Application for Registration, CS-L (MVR) 1. Most services at satellite city halls need an AlohaQ appointment, though renewals use an express lane.

Safety inspection and insurance

CSD says Hawaii law requires all motor vehicles, including motorcycles and mopeds, to have an annual safety inspection at an authorized inspection station. New cars get an initial two-year inspection, then annual ones. You display the inspection emblem on the back of the vehicle and keep the report with your registration.

CSD says proof of Hawaii motor vehicle insurance is required to get a vehicle inspection. The inspection sticker and certificate, in turn, are needed to drive on Hawaii roads and for all registration transactions.

Buying a vehicle

From an Oahu dealer

CSD says that when you buy a new vehicle on Oahu, the dealer will probably register and license it for you. If not, you:

• Fill in form CS-L (MVR) 1, signed by you and countersigned by a licensed Oahu dealer
• Submit a current Hawaii vehicle inspection certificate

Satellite city hall staff then work out the fees.

From a private seller

CSD strongly recommends that buyer and seller go to a satellite city hall together, with an AlohaQ appointment, so any problems with the documents are caught at once. Ownership transfer is not an express window transaction.

The buyer completes Section D on the back of the title. A new lienholder, if there is one, completes Section E. Then, within 30 days of the seller's date of transfer, the buyer brings:

• The title, properly endorsed by seller, buyer and any lienholder
• The last-issued Certificate of Registration
• A current Hawaii safety inspection certificate

The fee table lists the title transfer at $10, with a $50 penalty if you miss the 30 days. If the registration has expired or expires within 45 days, you also pay the annual renewal. You also owe any back taxes if the vehicle was not legally registered.

The seller completes Section A on the front of the title, including the odometer reading for 2011 and newer models. Any lienholder completes Section B. The seller then sends the Notice of Transfer, at the top of the title or on form CS-L (MVR) 53, to the county where the vehicle was last registered within 10 days. CSD says failing to do so can bring a fine of up to $100.

Bringing a vehicle to Oahu

CSD says that within 30 days of the vehicle arriving on Oahu, you must get either an out-of-state permit or a Hawaii registration. The steps:

1. Take the vehicle to a Hawaii safety inspection station. If it passes everything else, it will "fail" only for not having an Oahu registration. Any other defects must be fixed first.
2. Go to a satellite city hall, with an AlohaQ appointment, or to the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam office. Bring the "failed" inspection certificate, your current out-of-state registration, the title or your lienholder's address, and the shipping document (bill of lading) showing the VIN.
3. To keep your out-of-state plates, apply for an out-of-state permit on form CS-L (MVR) 27. To get Hawaii plates, complete form CS-L (MVR) 1, signed by the registered owners. Someone acting for an owner needs a power of attorney.
4. Return to the inspection station within 30 days of the original failed check to pass the inspection. If you registered in Hawaii, put the front and rear plates on first.

Non-resident active-duty military members submit a Non-Resident Certificate, form CS-L (MVR) 50, with each registration transaction. For your license after the move, see the Hawaii driver license and ID card guide.

Renewing your registration

CSD says registrations are due by the last working day of the expiration month. Renewals can be done up to 45 days early. Late payment brings a flat penalty of $16 for passenger vehicles or $40 for commercial vehicles. You are responsible for renewing even if no reminder arrives. There are four ways:

• DMV self-service kiosk, in some Safeway and Foodland stores, if your address is correct and no extra forms are needed. Kiosks take Visa, MasterCard or Discover only. They add a 2.5% card fee and a $4 remote transaction fee, and print your registration and emblem on the spot.
• Online, under the same conditions, by card with a 2.35% service fee. The online system cannot change your address. CSD mails the new registration and emblem within 15 working days.
• In person at any satellite city hall's express window. CSD accepts cash, checks drawn on U.S. funds, money orders, traveler's or cashier's checks, and cards with a 2.35% fee.
• By mail, with a check or money order payable to "City and County of Honolulu", sent to Division of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 30330, Honolulu, HI 96820-0330.

To change the address on your registration, file form CS-L (MVR) 82 within 30 days of moving.

License plates

CSD says Hawaii requires two plates. The one with the emblem space goes on the rear and the other on the front. Since January 1, 2025, state law requires new plates to spell "HAWAIʻI" with the ʻokina. Older plates without it remain valid. If you want to swap an old plate for the updated one, CSD charges $5.50 and no appointment is needed. Personalized and specialty plates are available for extra fees.

For Oahu offices, see the Hawaii DMV office list.