Renewing Your Hawaii Driver’s License: A Complete Guide

by Zutobi · Updated Jan 06, 2022

You will be required to renew your Hawaii driver’s license 8 years from the date of issuance. If you are under 25, this period is shortened to 4 years.

While the state of Hawaii does not currently allow for online license renewals, you still have a few options for keeping your credential up to date within the state.

What Documents Do I Need For Hawaii License Renewal?

Regardless of how you choose to renew your driver’s license, you will need to provide the following documentation:

Proof of Identity
Proof of Birthdate
Proof of Social Security Number
Proof of Legal Presence
Completed Driver’s License Renewal Application

How to Renew Your Hawaii License

Renewal by Mail

If your license is not currently expired, you may renew by mail. You will only be able to renew your Hawaii license by mail two consecutive times before being required to do it in person.

Follow these 5 steps to renew by mail.

To begin, write a letter to your county’s driver licensing agency requesting permission to complete a Hawaii driver license renewal by mail. You will need to include the following information:

Your legal name
Your birthdate
Your Hawaii Driver License number
Your phone number and/or email address
Your mailing address
Your signature

Next, mail your letter to the driver license agency within your county.

Hawaii County	Department of Finance Vehicle Registration and Licensing Division Driver License Section 349 Kapiolani Street Hilo, HI 96720
Maui County	Division of Motor Vehicle and Licensing 70 E. Kaahumanu Avenue Maui Mall, Suite A-17 Kahului, HI 96732
Honolulu County	Department of Customer Services P.O. Box 30340 Honolulu, HI 96820
Kauai County	County of Kauai Department of Finance Driver License Division 4444 Rice Street, Suite A480 Lihue, HI 96766

Note: Residents of Kauai County must first contact the Kauai Driver’s License Division to ensure they are eligible for renewal by mail within the county.

You will receive a renewal packet to the address listed on the letter. Be sure to fill it out in its entirety, following all instructions and completing all forms in the packet.

A fee will be assessed depending on your age, your location, and length of . You will need to pay this by check or money order and include it in the packet.

County	Under 24	25 to 71	Over 72
Hawaii	$20	$40	$10
Maui	$20	$40	$10
Kauai	$16	$32	$8
Honolulu	$20	$40	$10

Mail your packet back to the driver license agency in your county.

Renewal In Person

You are also allowed to renew your driver’s license in person at any Hawaii DMV location. You may renew 6 months before the expiration of your license. A 90-day grace period is also applied after this expiration date.

If you choose to renew your license after 90 days, you will be charged a reactivation fee of $5 for every 30 days that have passed.

One year following this expiration date, you will be required to retake the written and road test before your license renewal will be processed. Need help studying? Check out our Hawaii practice tests!

To renew your license in person, follow these 2 steps:

Provide necessary documentation

Driver’s license
Proof of identity
Proof of legal presence
Proof of Social Security Number

Pay required fees.

County	Under 24	25 to 71	Over 72
Hawaii	$20	$40	$10
Maui	$20	$40	$10
Kauai	$16	$32	$8
Honolulu	$20	$40	$10

Military Renewal

If you’re on active military duty out of the country, your license will remain valid for 90 days after your return to the United States.

That’s It!

As you can see, completing a driver’s license renewal in Hawaii is quite simple. However, you will need to ensure you follow these steps precisely in order to make sure you avoid any complications at the DMV.

With multiple options for renewing your license, make sure to have it completed as early as possible to avoid paying late reactivation fees.