HRS §414-435
What a business license allows and limits
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗A certificate of authority lets a foreign corporation do business in Hawaii, but the state can take it away. The corporation has the same rights and duties as a local corporation, but no more. Hawaii cannot use this law to control the corporation's internal operations.
businesses
The statute, as written — Effect of certificate of authority
A copy, taken August 20, 2026. The version published by the Legislature is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
(a) A certificate of authority authorizes the foreign corporation to which it is issued to transact business in this State subject to the right of this State to revoke the certificate as provided in this chapter. (b) A foreign corporation with a valid certificate of authority has the same but no greater rights and has the same but no greater privileges as, and except as otherwise provided by this chapter is subject to the same duties, restrictions, penalties, and liabilities now or later imposed on, a domestic corporation of like character. (c) This chapter does not authorize this State to regulate the organization or internal affairs of a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this State.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.