Hawaii license plate transfers work differently from most states. Plates are tied to county vehicle registrations, not to individual owners, so when you sell a vehicle, you surrender the plates rather than take them to your next car. Each of Hawaii’s four counties runs its own motor vehicle office with slightly different forms and fees.
Does Hawaii allow you to transfer a license plate to a new vehicle?
Standard plates in Hawaii are not transferred to a replacement vehicle. When you sell, you remove the plates and surrender them to your county DMV. The buyer obtains entirely new plates upon registering the vehicle. Personalized plates in Honolulu County are the exception: holders can transfer, store, or retire personalized plates through a specific county process.
How do you transfer a license plate in Hawaii?
The process splits into seller obligations and buyer registration steps.
- Seller: Remove the license plates from the vehicle before completing the sale.
- Seller: Mail a Notice of Transfer to your county motor vehicle office within 10 days of the sale. The form number varies by county: CS-L (MVR) 53 in Honolulu, DMVL565-2-09 in Maui. Contact Hawaii County or Kauai County for their specific form.
- Seller: Surrender the plates to your county DMV to close out your liability.
- Seller: Give the buyer the endorsed title, current registration certificate, and a current safety inspection certificate.
- Buyer: Visit the county motor vehicle office within 30 days to register the vehicle and obtain new plates.
- Buyer: Pay the transfer fee ($5 in Honolulu and Hawaii County, $20 in Maui County) plus applicable registration and weight-tax fees.
What documents do you need to transfer a plate in Hawaii?
Bring these documents to complete the seller and buyer sides of the transfer.
- Seller: Endorsed certificate of title with selling price, date, and odometer reading
- Seller: Completed Notice of Transfer form mailed within 10 days of the sale
- Buyer: Endorsed certificate of title received from seller
- Buyer: Current certificate of registration from seller
- Buyer: Current or temporary Hawaii safety inspection certificate
- Buyer: Valid Hawaii driver’s license or state ID
- Buyer: Proof of current Hawaii liability insurance
- Buyer: Payment for transfer fee and new registration fees
How much does it cost to transfer a license plate in Hawaii?
Transfer and registration fees vary by county.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Transfer fee (Honolulu County) | $5.00 |
| Transfer fee (Maui County) | $20.00 |
| Transfer fee (Hawaii County) | $5.00 |
| Late transfer fee after 30 days (60 days if lienholder not in Hawaii) | $50.00 additional |
| State registration fee | $46.00 per year |
| County registration fee | $20.00 per year |
| New plate issuance fee | $5.50 |
| Annual weight tax (state and county combined) | Approximately $2.25 to $8.25 per 100 lbs depending on county |
Can you transfer a personalized or specialty plate in Hawaii?
Personalized plate holders in Honolulu County can transfer plates to a new vehicle they own, store the plates at a satellite city hall while shopping for a replacement vehicle, or relinquish the rights to the plate entirely. The process must be coordinated with the county DMV before the sale is finalized. Contact the Honolulu Division of Motor Vehicles for current procedures.
What happens to the old registration when you transfer a plate in Hawaii?
When the seller surrenders the plates and files the Notice of Transfer, the old registration is cancelled at the county level. The buyer’s new registration creates a fresh record. Filing the Notice of Transfer within 10 days protects the seller from liability for citations or accidents involving the vehicle after the sale date.
Can you transfer a license plate to someone else in Hawaii?
Standard plates in Hawaii are not transferable between owners or even between vehicles belonging to the same person. Each new vehicle registration generates new plates. Honolulu County personalized plates can be moved to a new vehicle the same owner purchases through the county’s specific procedure.
Do Hawaii plates stay with the vehicle or the owner when you sell a car?
When you sell a vehicle in Hawaii, the plates stay with the vehicle in one sense (they are issued to that vehicle registration) but sellers must physically remove and surrender them. The buyer registers the vehicle and receives entirely new plates. Hawaii’s four-county system means each county has slightly different procedures.
Is there a deadline to complete a plate transfer in Hawaii?
Buyers must register within 30 days of the sale date, or within 60 days if the lienholder does not have an office in Hawaii. A $50 late fee applies after those windows. Sellers must file the Notice of Transfer within 10 days of the sale.
What should you do if you do not want to transfer the plate?
If you sell your vehicle and do not purchase a replacement, surrender your plates to your county DMV and file the Notice of Transfer within 10 days. Registration fees are generally not refunded.