I own a home in Hawaii
Home exemption, property taxes, deeds, assessments, and county services.
HAWAII GUIDE
Life in Hawaii comes
with its own rules.
Know what comes next.
From the home exemption and leasehold property to statewide deed recording, hurricane season, and starting a business, CountyOffices gives you clear Hawaii-specific guidance for the things that matter.
Reviewed against official Hawaii government sources • Updated as laws and requirements change
What brings you here today?
I own a home in Hawaii
Hawaii's property tax rates are among the lowest in the country as a percentage of value, but home prices are high enough that actual bills can still add up - the home exemption is your main lever for lowering that bill. Every county offers a home exemption for owner-occupants who make the property their permanent residence, reducing your taxable assessed value; the exact amount and eligibility rules (including bigger exemptions for homeowners 60, 65, or 70+) vary by county, so check with your specific county's Real Property Tax office rather than assuming a flat statewide number. You have to apply - it's not automatic - and deadlines are typically well before the start of the tax year. Deeds on your property are recorded not with a county office but with the state's single Bureau of Conveyances, one of only two statewide recording systems in the country; check whether your property is in the "Regular System" or the Torrens-based "Land Court" system, since the two work differently for future transactions.
Sources: Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, Bureau of Conveyances, county Real Property Tax offices
I'm buying or selling property
Closings, title searches, leasehold vs. fee simple, and recording.
I'm buying or selling property
The single most important question when buying property in Hawaii isn't the county - it's whether the land is fee simple (you own the land itself) or leasehold (you own the structure but lease the underlying land, often for decades, with the lease eventually expiring or requiring renegotiation). Leasehold condos and homes are common in parts of Hawaii and can be significantly cheaper upfront, but they come with real long-term considerations about lease terms, renegotiation, and financing that fee simple property doesn't have - read any lease documents carefully before committing. Closings go through escrow, and deeds are recorded with the state's single Bureau of Conveyances rather than a county office; confirm whether the property is in the Regular System or Land Court (Torrens), since Land Court transfers require registration with an assistant registrar rather than simple recording. A title search through the Bureau of Conveyances confirms there are no competing liens before closing.
Sources: Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances, Hawaii Land Court
I'm preparing for storm season
Hurricane, tsunami, and lava zone maps, insurance documents, and alerts.
I'm preparing for storm season
Hawaii's hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, but storm preparedness here also means knowing your tsunami evacuation zone (a distinct designation from flood or hurricane risk, mapped by county Civil Defense) and, if you're on Hawaii Island, your lava flow hazard zone, since active volcanism is a genuine ongoing risk in parts of that county. Each county's Civil Defense or Emergency Management agency maintains its own evacuation zone maps and alert systems, so check with your specific county rather than assuming statewide uniformity. Before a storm threatens, keep your homeowner's or condo insurance current and document your property's condition, since claims move faster with clear before-and-after evidence. After a storm, county Real Property Tax offices can adjust assessments for damaged property, and the Bureau of Conveyances holds the property records you'll need for insurance and any FEMA claims if a federal disaster is declared.
Sources: FEMA, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, county Civil Defense offices
Someone passed away
Probate, wills, estates, small estate options, and filing steps.
Someone passed away
Probate in Hawaii runs through the Circuit Court for the judicial circuit covering the deceased's residence, not a separate county probate office - Hawaii's court system is organized statewide by circuit rather than by county. Hawaii offers a simplified process for small estates under a statutory value threshold, letting heirs collect assets without a full probate proceeding, and Hawaii's Uniform Probate Code framework also allows informal probate for straightforward, uncontested estates, avoiding a full court hearing in many cases. If the estate includes real property, remember that Hawaii records deeds through the single statewide Bureau of Conveyances, not a county office, so any transfer as part of settling the estate goes through that same office regardless of which county the property is in. If the deceased was leasehold rather than fee simple on a property, check the lease terms carefully, since leasehold interests can have their own rules about transfer to heirs.
Sources: Hawaii State Judiciary, Hawaii Revised Statutes Title 30A (Probate)
I'm getting married or divorced
Marriage licenses, divorce filing, name changes, and official records.
I'm getting married or divorced
Marriage licenses in Hawaii are issued by the state Dept. of Health's marriage licensing division, not by county offices - a genuine exception to how the rest of Hawaii's local government works, since counties handle nearly everything else. Both parties apply together, and Hawaii has no waiting period, so you can marry the same day the license is issued; the license is generally valid for a limited window afterward, so time your application to your ceremony date. Divorce is filed in Family Court, part of the Circuit Court for the judicial circuit where you or your spouse lives; Hawaii requires residency of at least 6 months (or being physically present with intent to remain, or being stationed in Hawaii on military duty) before filing. Hawaii is a no-fault state, and courts divide marital property under an equitable distribution standard. Marriage records, once filed, are held by the state Dept. of Health, not a county or circuit office.
Sources: Hawaii Dept. of Health, Hawaii State Judiciary, Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 572
I rent my home to visitors
County short-term rental permits, registration, taxes, and neighborhood rules.
I rent my home to visitors
Short-term rental rules in Hawaii are set at the county level, and they've gotten notably stricter in recent years - several counties, including Honolulu, Maui, and Kauai, have tightened or outright phased out short-term rental permitting in many residential zones, especially in the wake of housing-shortage concerns after the 2023 Maui wildfires. Before you list a property, check with your specific county's planning department to see whether the property is in a zone that still allows short-term rentals, whether it needs a nonconforming-use certificate or a specific permit, and what the current rules require - this is an area where the rules have changed significantly and continue to evolve, so don't rely on what a neighbor or a listing platform tells you. Rental income is subject to Hawaii's General Excise Tax (currently 4% statewide plus a county surcharge in most counties) and the separate Transient Accommodations Tax, both of which require registration with the state Dept. of Taxation regardless of which county the property is in.
Sources: Hawaii Dept. of Taxation, county Planning Departments
I need an official record
Birth, death, marriage, court, property, land court, and business records.
I need an official record
Birth, death, and marriage records in Hawaii all come from the state Dept. of Health's Office of Health Status Monitoring - there's no county-level vital records office anywhere in the state. Property records - deeds, mortgages, liens - are recorded through the single statewide Bureau of Conveyances rather than any county office, one of only two states in the country with a fully statewide recording system; check whether a specific property is in the Regular System or Land Court (Torrens), since the two are searched differently. Court records for civil, criminal, family, and probate matters are held by the Circuit Court for the relevant judicial circuit, searchable in part through the Hawaii State Judiciary's online case search. Business entity records are filed with the Hawaii Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division, statewide. County-level records are more limited than in most states - mainly property tax and real property assessment records, held by each county's Real Property Tax office.
Sources: Hawaii Dept. of Health, Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances, Hawaii State Judiciary, Hawaii Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
I'm starting or running a business
Licenses, permits, EIN, excise tax, and county requirements.
I'm starting or running a business
Registering a business in Hawaii starts with the Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division, where you file to form an LLC or corporation - this is a state-level filing, not a county one. Every business operating in Hawaii also needs a General Excise Tax (GET) license from the Dept. of Taxation; unlike a sales tax, GET is a tax on the business's own gross income, currently 4% statewide plus a county surcharge (up to about 0.5%, varying by county) that most businesses pass along to customers as part of the price. You'll need an EIN from the IRS if you're not a sole proprietor with no employees. County-level requirements - a local business license, zoning approval, building permits - vary by county and, on Oahu, are handled by the City and County of Honolulu, which functions as both city and county government for the entire island. If you're planning any kind of visitor-facing rental business, check your specific county's current short-term rental rules separately, since those have tightened significantly in recent years.
Sources: Hawaii Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Hawaii Dept. of Taxation, IRS
How-To Guides for Hawaii
Hawaii Statewide Probate Guide
Read guide →How do I access court records?
Read guide →How do I appeal my property tax assessment?
Read guide →How do I find an inmate or search a jail roster?
Read guide →How do I find and access senior services?
Read guide →How do I get a business license?
Read guide →How do I get a copy of a birth certificate?
Read guide →How do I get a copy of a death certificate?
Read guide →How do I get a marriage license?
Read guide →How do I pay my property taxes?
Read guide →How do I register to vote or check my registration?
Read guide →How to Research Your Family History in Hawaii
Read guide →Open Records
Read guide →Hawaii works differently. Here's what to know.
Counties Do It All
Hawaii has no separate city or town governments; your county runs nearly every local service.
Counties Do It All
Hawaii has no separate city or town governments layered underneath its counties - a genuine structural difference from the rest of the country, where a county typically sits above a patchwork of separately incorporated cities and towns each with their own government. In Hawaii, the county is the only layer of local government, running police and fire, parks, roads, zoning, building permits, and real property tax assessment across its entire territory, whether that's a dense urban area or a remote rural district. This means there's no separate "city government" to appeal to if you disagree with your county - the county is the whole picture for local services. It also means services and rules genuinely can look different from one Hawaii county to the next, since each of the five counties runs things its own way with no municipal layer smoothing out local variation the way it might in a state with hundreds of individual towns.
Sources: Hawaii Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, individual county governments
One Office Records All Deeds
The state Bureau of Conveyances records every deed in Hawaii, the only statewide system in the nation.
One Office Records All Deeds
In most states, each county runs its own recorder's office, so property records are scattered across dozens or hundreds of separate local offices. Hawaii does it differently: every deed, mortgage, and lien in the state - regardless of which of the five counties the property sits in - is recorded through a single statewide office, the Bureau of Conveyances, part of the Dept. of Land and Natural Resources. Hawaii is one of only two states in the country with this fully centralized, statewide recording system. The Bureau actually runs two parallel systems: the "Regular System," a traditional record-and-search recording system, and "Land Court," a Torrens-style registration system created in 1903 where the state itself certifies title, offering stronger title guarantees but a more involved registration process. A given property can be in one system or, in some cases, transitioning between the two, so it's worth confirming which system a property is in before you search for or record anything related to it.
Sources: Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances, Hawaii Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
Low Taxes, Home Exemption
Hawaii's property tax rates are among the nation's lowest, with county home exemptions for residents.
Low Taxes, Home Exemption
Hawaii consistently has some of the lowest effective property tax rates in the country as a percentage of assessed value - a genuine surprise given how expensive Hawaii real estate is overall. Part of what keeps bills manageable for residents is the home exemption, offered by every county for owner-occupants who make a property their permanent residence: it reduces the assessed value your tax is calculated on, with larger exemptions typically available for homeowners 60, 65, or 70 and older, depending on the county's specific tiers. Exemption amounts and age thresholds vary meaningfully from one county to the next, since each of Hawaii's five counties sets its own real property tax rates and exemption schedule independently - there's no single statewide property tax rate or exemption amount. You have to apply for the home exemption; it's never automatic, and deadlines fall well before the tax year begins, so check your specific county's Real Property Tax office for current amounts and deadlines.
Sources: county Real Property Tax offices, Hawaii Dept. of Taxation
Fee Simple vs. Leasehold
Some Hawaii homes sit on leased land, which changes what you actually own.
Fee Simple vs. Leasehold
A meaningful share of Hawaii property, especially condos and older subdivisions, isn't sold as fee simple ownership - you buy the structure, but the underlying land is leased, often on a lease running for decades, from a separate landowner (sometimes a large landholding estate or trust). This "leasehold" structure can make a property notably cheaper to buy upfront than an equivalent fee simple property, but it comes with real long-term considerations: lease rent can be renegotiated at set intervals and sometimes rises sharply, the lease eventually ends unless renewed or extended, and financing a leasehold property can be more restrictive than financing fee simple, since some lenders limit loans based on how many years remain on the lease. Before buying leasehold property, read the actual lease documents (not just a summary) to understand the remaining term, renegotiation schedule, and what happens at lease expiration. Fee simple, by contrast, means you own the land outright, the same as most property ownership on the U.S. mainland.
Sources: Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances, Hawaii real estate industry publications
Excise Tax, Not Sales Tax
Businesses pay a general excise tax that's usually passed along on your receipt.
Excise Tax, Not Sales Tax
Hawaii doesn't have a traditional sales tax - instead, it levies a General Excise Tax (GET), a tax on a business's gross income rather than a tax on the buyer's purchase. The distinction matters: GET technically applies to nearly every business transaction (including services, rent, and wholesale activity, which sales tax in most states doesn't touch), and while businesses aren't required to pass it on to customers, nearly all of them do, which is why it functions like a sales tax at checkout in practice. The statewide base rate is 4%, and most counties add a surcharge on top - commonly around 0.25% to 0.5% depending on the county - bringing the total most people actually see closer to 4.25% to 4.75% depending on where the transaction happens. Because GET is calculated on the business's total receipts including the passed-on tax itself, the rate businesses are legally allowed to display on a receipt is slightly higher than the base rate (up to about 4.7% in a 4.5%-rate county) - a quirk of the math that occasionally confuses shoppers checking their receipt against the "known" rate.
Sources: Hawaii Dept. of Taxation
Honolulu Covers All of Oahu
The City and County of Honolulu is one government for the entire island.
Honolulu Covers All of Oahu
The City and County of Honolulu isn't just the city of Honolulu - it's a single consolidated government covering the entire island of Oahu, city and county functions merged into one, the way a handful of other places nationally (like San Francisco) also operate. That means everyone living anywhere on Oahu, from urban Honolulu to rural North Shore communities, falls under the same county government, the same Real Property Tax office, the same Department of Planning and Permitting, and the same Mayor and City Council. There's no separate incorporated town government anywhere on Oahu to appeal to instead - the City and County of Honolulu is the only local government layer for the whole island. This consolidated structure is actually the norm for all of Hawaii's counties, not unique to Honolulu, but "City and County of Honolulu" is the only one that keeps "City" in its official name, a naming holdover from before Hawaii statehood.
Sources: City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Office of Planning and Sustainable Development
The questions Hawaii residents actually ask
Hawaii county records are distributed across county and state portals. The Bureau of Conveyances at dlnr.hawaii.gov/boc provides statewide online property record searching covering all four counties. The Hawaii State Judiciary's eCourt Kokua portal provides statewide court case information. Each county's Real Property Tax Division maintains an online property tax search. The Hawaii Department of Health provides vital records ordering online. The DCCA Business Registration Division provides free online business entity searching. For Hawaii county records not available online, Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act at Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F provides a ten-business-day response framework.
Hawaii birth and death certificates are maintained by the Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Status Monitoring in Honolulu. Certified copies can be ordered online through VitalChek, by mail, or in person at the Honolulu office. Hawaii's vital records extend back to the Hawaiian Kingdom era beginning in the 1840s, making them among the oldest government-maintained vital records in the Pacific. Birth records are restricted to the individual named, immediate family members, and legal representatives. Researchers seeking pre-1900 vital records should contact the Hawaii State Archives, which holds kingdom-era registration records.
Hawaii county records for real property are held at the state level, not the county level. The Bureau of Conveyances within the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources records all property instruments statewide and provides online searching at dlnr.hawaii.gov/boc. Researchers must also determine whether a property is in the Regular System or the Land Court (Torrens) System, as these maintain separate indexes. Property tax assessment records are held at the county level by each county's Real Property Tax Division, making them the primary Hawaii county records held locally for property research.
The Hawaii State Judiciary's eCourt Kokua portal at courts.state.hi.us provides public access to case information for Circuit Court, District Court, and Family Court cases across all four circuits statewide. Case details include party names, charges, hearing dates, and dispositions. Actual case documents require contacting the Clerk of Court at the relevant circuit courthouse. The First Circuit (Oahu) courthouse is in Honolulu, the Second Circuit (Maui) is in Wailuku, the Third Circuit (Hawaii County) is in Hilo, and the Fifth Circuit (Kauai) is in Lihue. Fees for certified copies of court documents are set by court rule.
The Hawaii State Archives in Honolulu is the primary repository for historical Hawaii county records and their predecessors, holding Hawaiian Kingdom government records, territorial administration files, early vital records, and land records. The Bishop Museum Archives holds additional collections on Hawaiian history and indigenous culture. The Family History Library in Salt Lake City holds microfilmed Hawaii vital records and court records. Researchers tracing plantation-era ancestry should also consult the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association records and ethnic community records maintained by groups such as the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii and the Hawaii Chinese History Center.
Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act at Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F provides public access to government records held by state agencies and county governments. Submit a written request to the records access officer at the relevant agency or county office. The agency must respond within ten business days, either providing access, citing a specific exemption, or requesting a reasonable extension. No reason for the request is required. Fees are limited to actual costs of reproduction. Disputes over denied Hawaii county records can be appealed to the Office of Information Practices, which issues advisory opinions, or pursued in circuit court.
Unlike most Hawaii county records functions that are handled at the state level, property tax is administered at the county level. Each of Hawaii's four counties has its own Real Property Tax Division that assesses property values, sets tax rates, and collects taxes. Hawaii's property tax rates vary by county and by property classification, with different rates applying to owner-occupied residential, non-owner-occupied residential, commercial, agricultural, and other property types. Tax records, assessment notices, and payment history are held by each county's Real Property Tax Division and are publicly accessible through county websites and in-person requests.
The Great Mahele of 1848 was a fundamental reorganization of Hawaiian land ownership that converted traditional communal land tenure into fee simple title recognized under Western law. All modern Hawaii property chains of title trace back to land awards made under the Great Mahele or to subsequent government grants. Researchers establishing historical chains of title in Hawaii county records must understand the Land Commission Awards that documented original fee simple grants to Hawaiian ali'i (chiefs), commoners (kuleana awards), and the Hawaiian government. Records of these awards are held by the Hawaii State Archives and the Bureau of Conveyances and are searchable through several published indexes and databases.
Marriage records in Hawaii are maintained centrally by the Hawaii Department of Health in Honolulu. There are no county-level marriage records offices. Certified copies of marriage certificates can be ordered through the Department of Health's VitalChek portal, by mail, or in person at the Honolulu office. Historical marriage records from the Hawaiian Kingdom era beginning in the 1840s are held by the Hawaii State Archives. FamilySearch provides indexed Hawaii marriage records from multiple periods. Researchers tracing early Hawaii marriages among plantation-era immigrant communities may also find records in ethnic community archives and church registers.
Hawaii criminal history records are maintained by the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center within the Attorney General's office. The public can request a criminal background check through the Data Center for a fee. Individual case-level criminal records within Hawaii county records are accessible through the Hawaii State Judiciary's eCourt Kokua portal, which shows Circuit and District Court case information statewide. Certified criminal history information requires a formal Data Center request. Some Hawaii records may be expunged under Hawaii's expungement statutes upon application to the Circuit Court in the relevant circuit.
The Bureau of Conveyances provides online searching of Hawaii property records through its website, with basic document index searching available free and document image retrieval carrying per-page fees. Each county's Real Property Tax Division provides free online property tax and assessment searching through county websites. The Hawaii State Judiciary's eCourt Kokua portal provides free access to court case information. The Hawaii State Archives provides free in-person access to historical Hawaii county records and their predecessors, with copying fees for reproduction. FamilySearch provides free online access to digitized Hawaii vital records and some land records collections.
Fees for Hawaii county records vary by record type and agency. Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act limits copying fees to actual reproduction costs. The Hawaii Department of Health charges fixed fees for certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates. Bureau of Conveyances fees for certified copies of recorded documents are set by state statute. Circuit Court fees for copies of case documents are set by court rule. County Real Property Tax Division fees for certified assessment records vary by county. Contacting the relevant office before submitting a request is the best way to confirm current fee schedules and available remote delivery options.
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Important Deadlines in Hawaii
Hawaii's home exemption deadline varies genuinely by county: Honolulu (Oahu) requires filing by September 30 preceding the tax year, while Maui uses December 31 - confirm your specific county's date rather than assuming one applies statewide, since Hawaii's counties each run their own Real Property Assessment Division on independent schedules.
Important Deadlines in Hawaii
Hawaii's home exemption deadline varies genuinely by county: Honolulu (Oahu) requires filing by September 30 preceding the tax year, while Maui uses December 31 - confirm your specific county's date rather than assuming one applies statewide, since Hawaii's counties each run their own Real Property Assessment Division on independent schedules. Once approved, the exemption doesn't need annual refiling as long as your circumstances don't change, though you must report any change (moving, renting the home, a death) within 30 days or face disqualification and a real financial penalty. On Oahu specifically, the full annual calendar runs: October 1 valuation date, Notice of Assessment mailed by December 15, appeals due by January 15, and tax bills split into two installments due August 20 and February 20. Because Hawaii's property tax rates are already among the nation's lowest, missing the home exemption is a genuinely bigger relative loss here than in higher-tax states - the exemption meaningfully shapes which of Hawaii's tax rate classes (owner-occupant versus non-owner-occupant) applies to your property. If you're claiming a Hansen's Disease, disability, blindness, or deafness exemption, these typically share the same filing deadline as the home exemption in your county.
Sources: Hawaii county Real Property Assessment Divisions (Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai)
Assessment Appeals in Hawaii
If you disagree with your property's assessed value, Hawaii's appeal windows run county by county, so confirm your specific timeline rather than assuming a single statewide date.
Assessment Appeals in Hawaii
If you disagree with your property's assessed value, Hawaii's appeal windows run county by county, so confirm your specific timeline rather than assuming a single statewide date. On Oahu, the City and County of Honolulu mails its Notice of Assessment by December 15, and you have until January 15 to file an appeal with the Board of Review - a genuinely tight month-long window. Honolulu recognizes four specific grounds for appeal: the assessment exceeds market value by more than 10%, a lack of uniformity compared to similar properties due to a methodology error, a qualifying exemption was denied, or a broader legal or constitutional illegality in how the assessment was conducted. Bring real supporting evidence - comparable sales, an independent appraisal, or documentation of a factual error in your property's classification or characteristics. Hand-delivered appeals must be received by the deadline's close of business; mailed appeals should be postmarked accordingly, so don't rely on mail timing alone. If the Board of Review's decision doesn't resolve things in your favor, further appeal to the state Tax Appeal Court remains available. Because Hawaii counties run independent assessment systems, a property spanning county lines (rare, but possible on some larger parcels) could face genuinely separate valuation and appeal processes.
Read the full property tax appeal guide →
Sources: Hawaii county Real Property Assessment Divisions and Boards of Review, Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Chapter 8
Public Records Access in Hawaii
Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA) presumes that records held by state and local government agencies are open to public inspection, and like most states' open-records laws, you generally don't need to explain your reason for a request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records.
Public Records Access in Hawaii
Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA) presumes that records held by state and local government agencies are open to public inspection, and like most states' open-records laws, you generally don't need to explain your reason for a request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records. Agencies must respond within a reasonable time and cite a specific statutory exemption if a request is denied - common exemptions include certain law enforcement investigative records, personnel and medical information, and other categories the legislature has carved out. Hawaii is genuinely distinctive in how it records real estate: rather than each county maintaining its own recording office, all deeds statewide are recorded through a single state agency, the Bureau of Conveyances - the only fully statewide deed recording system in the nation, meaning property records for any Hawaii county are all searchable through this one central office. Court records for civil, criminal, and probate matters come from the Hawaii State Judiciary, organized by circuit rather than strictly by county. Business entity records are filed with the Hawaii Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Business Registration Division, searchable statewide. Property valuation and appeal records go through your county's Real Property Assessment Division, since property tax administration (unlike deed recording) is genuinely a county function here. If a UIPA request is denied, you can appeal to the Hawaii Office of Information Practices.
Read the full open records guide →
Sources: Hawaii Office of Information Practices, Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F (UIPA), Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances
Hurricane & Disaster Help in Hawaii
Hawaii's hurricane season runs officially June 1 through November 30, though the islands also face genuinely distinctive year-round hazards most mainland states don't: tsunami risk (with real, tested evacuation zones in every coastal community) and, specific to Hawaii Island, active volcanic and lava flow hazards near Kilauea and other volcanic areas.
Hurricane & Disaster Help in Hawaii
Hawaii's hurricane season runs officially June 1 through November 30, though the islands also face genuinely distinctive year-round hazards most mainland states don't: tsunami risk (with real, tested evacuation zones in every coastal community) and, specific to Hawaii Island, active volcanic and lava flow hazards near Kilauea and other volcanic areas. Know your specific evacuation zone before hurricane season, and separately know your tsunami evacuation zone, since these are genuinely different hazard maps with different triggers - a tsunami warning can come with very little notice, sometimes just minutes, so understanding your zone in advance matters more here than almost anywhere else. Hawaii Island residents near active volcanic zones should also understand lava hazard zone maps specific to their area. Each county's Civil Defense or Emergency Management Agency coordinates local response and maintains current hazard information. After a hurricane, tsunami, or lava event causes damage, your county Real Property Assessment Division can adjust your property's valuation, and if a federal disaster is declared, FEMA assistance becomes available for individuals and county governments. Insurance claims should be filed promptly with documentation (photos, a written inventory), and given Hawaii's remote location, expect genuine logistical delays in receiving repair materials and contractors compared to mainland recovery timelines.
Sources: Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, county Civil Defense/Emergency Management Agencies, FEMA, U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory
New to Hawaii?
As a new Hawaii resident, check with your county's Department of Motor Vehicles-equivalent office for the current specific window to transfer your out-of-state driver's license and register your vehicle - since Hawaii has no separate city or town governments, your county runs essentially every local service, so this is genuinely your one-stop office for both.
New to Hawaii?
As a new Hawaii resident, check with your county's Department of Motor Vehicles-equivalent office for the current specific window to transfer your out-of-state driver's license and register your vehicle - since Hawaii has no separate city or town governments, your county runs essentially every local service, so this is genuinely your one-stop office for both. If you've purchased a home, file for the home exemption to reduce your taxable value and access the more favorable owner-occupant tax rate class - the deadline varies by county (September 30 on Oahu, December 31 on Maui), so confirm your specific county's Real Property Assessment Division deadline. Understand whether your property is fee simple or leasehold before you buy, since some Hawaii homes - particularly older condos and certain neighborhoods - sit on leased land, meaning you own the structure but not the ground beneath it, a genuinely significant distinction affecting resale value, financing, and long-term costs as lease terms approach expiration. Register to vote through your county Clerk's office. Business owners should understand Hawaii charges a General Excise Tax rather than a traditional sales tax - a distinction with real legal and practical differences, though it's typically passed to customers similarly to a sales tax. Remember all deeds statewide record through the single Bureau of Conveyances, not a county office.
Sources: Hawaii county Motor Vehicle offices, county Real Property Assessment Divisions, Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances, Hawaii Dept. of Taxation
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Sources and References
- Hawaii Uniform Information Practices Act, Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F
- Hawaii State Archives: archives.hawaii.gov
- Hawaii Department of Health, Vital Records: health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords
- Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances: dlnr.hawaii.gov/boc
- Hawaii State Judiciary: courts.state.hi.us
- Hawaii DCCA, Business Registration: cca.hawaii.gov/breg
- Hawaii Office of Elections: elections.hawaii.gov
- Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center: ag.hawaii.gov/hcjdc
5COUNTIES COVEREDAcross Hawaii
1.4M+RESIDENTS REPRESENTEDHawaii population covered
1,000+TOPICS & GUIDESAnswers for real life
VerifiedSOURCED TO OFFICIAL RESOURCESEvery guide links to primary government sources