City stressing requirement for out-of-state vehicle permits on Oʻahu

News Release from City and County of Honolulu, May 23, 2023

HONOLULU – The Department of Customer Services is reminding motorists with out-of-state license plates that a permit is required to operate the vehicle in the City and County of Honolulu.

Oʻahu motorists who bring a vehicle to Hawaiʻi from another state have 30 days from date of arrival to either register it in the City and County of Honolulu, or obtain a permit that allows the out-of-state registration and license plate to remain valid until they expire.

The reminder is taking on urgency as the department has witnessed a 30 percent decrease over the past four years in the number of out-of-state permits issued in the City and County of Honolulu, falling to 2,545 in 2022 from 3,655 in 2019.

The decrease also means that fewer vehicles are getting a Hawaiʻi safety inspection, which is a requirement for obtaining an out-of-state permit on Oʻahu.

“The reminder is part of a larger effort to help ensure that vehicles with out-of-state license plates are safe to operate on the city’s public roadways,” said Department of Customer Services Director Kim Hashiro.

The fee for an out-of-state permit is $5, and can be obtained at any satellite city hall. An appointment for this service is needed and can be booked by visiting www.alohaq.org.

To view a short video that explains the out-of-state permit, visit https://bit.ly/45lFkbz

—PAU—