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HRS §249-31

Annual vehicle registration fees and where the money goes

Most vehicles in Hawaii must pay a $46 yearly registration fee, plus a $50 surcharge for electric or alternative fuel vehicles. Counties collect the fees with registration and send them to the state. The state also splits part of each fee into special funds for roads, emergency medical services, and accessible parking.

everyone

The statute, as written — State registration fee

(a) [Subsection effective until June 30, 2025. For subsection effective July 1, 2025, see below.] All vehicles and motor vehicles in the State as defined in section 249-1, including antique motor vehicles, except as otherwise provided in sections 249-4, 249-6, and 249-31.5, shall be subject to a $46 annual vehicle registration fee; provided that electric vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles shall pay an annual vehicle registration surcharge fee of $50, which shall be assessed and collected beginning with the first registration renewal for every electric vehicle and alternative fuel vehicle and shall be deposited into the state highway fund established under section 248-8. The fee shall be paid each year together with all other taxes and fees levied by this chapter on a staggered basis as established by each county as authorized by section 286-51, and the state registration for that county shall likewise be staggered so that the state registration fee is due and payable at the same time and shall be collected together with the county fee. The state registration fee shall be deemed delinquent if not paid with the county registration fee. The respective counties shall collect this fee together with the vehicle registration tax collected for the county and shall transfer the moneys collected under this section to the State. (a) [Subsection effective July 1, 2025. For subsection effective until June 30, 2025, see above.] All vehicles and motor vehicles in the State as defined in section 249-1, including antique motor vehicles, except as otherwise provided in sections 249-4, 249-6, and 249 ‑ 31.5, shall be subject to a $46 annual vehicle registration fee ; provided that alternative fuel vehicles shall pay an annual vehicle registration surcharge of $50, which shall be assessed and collected beginning with the first registration renewal for every alternative fuel vehicle and shall be deposited into the state highway fund established under section 248-8. The surcharge shall be paid each year together with all other taxes and fees levied by this chapter on a staggered basis as established by each county as authorized by section 286-51, and the state registration for that county shall likewise be staggered so that the state registration fee is due and payable at the same time and shall be collected together with the county fee. The state registration fee shall be deemed delinquent if not paid with the county registration fee. The respective counties shall collect this fee together with the vehicle registration tax collected for the county and shall transfer the moneys collected under this section to the State. For the purposes of this subsection, "alternative fuel vehicle" means a vehicle powered by a non-petroleum-based fuel, but excludes an electric vehicle as defined in section 249-36(g). (b) In addition to the annual vehicle registration surcharge fee, for each annual motor vehicle registration fee, the director shall deposit $40 into the state highway fund, $5 into the emergency medical services special fund, and $1 into the accessible parking special account.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§249-1 Definitions for vehicle-related county taxes

§249-36 Mileage-based fee for electric vehicles starting in 2025

§249-4 Tax exemptions for new vehicles and official vehicles

§286-51 Renewing your vehicle registration and paying fees

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.