HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-05-29 Vehicle Registration & Licensing Offices Reopening June 1 -- press release
Harry Kim
Deanna S. Sako
Mayor
Director
Steven A. Hunt
Deputy Director
County of Hawai‘i
Finance Department
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2103 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720
(808) 961-8234 Fax (808) 961-8569
May 29, 2020
NEWS RELEASE
Division of Vehicle Registration & Licensing Announces First phase of Reopening
The County of Hawai‘i Department of Finance announced Friday the first phase of
reopening of its Division of Vehicle Registration & Licensing (VRL) offices for limited in-
person services, beginning Monday, June 1, 2020.
All VRL offices, with the exception of the Nā‘ālehu and Waimea offices, will be open for
limited services from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Nā‘ālehu office will
be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays by appointment only. Regretfully, the Waimea
office will not be able to open at this time.
Operations will be modified to ensure the safety of both customers and employees.
Face coverings must be worn, and customers must adhere to the recommended 6-foot
social distancing. Only those customers receiving services will be allowed inside the
lobby, and minors or those needing additional assistance may have a parent/guardian
or caregiver accompany them, if needed.
Appointments for both vehicle registration and driver’s license transactions may now be
scheduled online at https://vehicleregistrationlicensing.as.me; walk-ins are welcome but
will be subject to daily limits, based on the availability of staffing and the estimated
transaction processing time.
In anticipation of higher demand upon the initial reopening, the Vehicle Registration &
Licensing offices will be limiting transactions to the following:
Driver’s License Transactions
Renewals of driver’s licenses and State IDs that are either expired or will be
expiring in the months of March, April, May or June 2020
Initial driver’s licenses (out-of-state transfers), permits (written tests) and state
identification
Replacement of lost driver’s license, permit or state identification
Motor Vehicle Transactions
Ownership transfers
Initial registrations
Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider
Duplicate titles and registrations
Replacement license plates and emblems
Due to ongoing health concerns, no road tests are being scheduled at this time.
Additionally, no appointments for vehicle registration renewals will be offered so
that we may concentrate on those vehicles that need to be registered and are currently
operating without a valid registration or license plates. Vehicle Registration Renewals
may be completed through mail-in, online, drop box, or automated kiosk alternatives.
Auto dealers and fleet registrations will only be able to use the drop-off and pick-up
services. Customers with driver’s licenses that aren’t expiring within the next 30 days
may use the online appointment scheduler to book appointments; however, please don’t
make appointments for future dates that are less than a month before your current
driver’s license will expire.
We recognize that getting a “Gold Star” compliant driver’s license or state ID is
important to many of you; however, please be aware that Department of Homeland
Security has extended the deadline until October 1, 2021.
Vehicle Registration Renewals
(1) Mail in renewals can be sent to County of Hawai‘i, Motor Vehicle
Registration, 101 Pauahi St., #5, Hilo, HI 96720
(2) Online applications can be found on our county website at:
https://mvr.ehawaii.gov/renewals/lookup.html?county=hawaii
(3) Kiosks are located at the Safeway stores in Hilo and Kona as well as the
Foodland store in Waimea.
(4) In-wall drop off slot at the Hilo MVR office. (Please do not drop off or mail in
renewal applications with “cash”)
Safety Inspections
Regardless of when your safety inspection certificate/sticker expires, it will
remain valid through August 31, 2020. This will allow you to renew your
vehicle using any of the 4 listed methods above. Your vehicle must still be
properly registered with the county Motor Vehicle Registration office to legally
operate on public roadways.
All safety check certificates/stickers that expire in 2020 will be granted a 3-
month extension before it expires. For example, if your safety check
certificate/sticker expires at the end of September 2020, you will have an
additional 3-months (or until December 31, 2020) to get a new safety check
Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider
inspection perform on your vehicle. Upon passing the vehicle inspection, you
will be issued a certificate of inspection and sticker that will be valid for 12
months from the date the vehicle is inspected.
Driver’s License or State ID’s renewals (issued after May 1, 2014)
Mail in renewal applications to 349 Kapi‘olani St., Hilo, HI 96720. Duplicate
license requests for lost licenses will also be accepted by mail. Please see our
website at www.hawaiicounty.gov/departments/finance/vehicle-registration-
licensing for application details and forms.
We appreciate your patience and look forward to expanded services in the hopefully,
not too distant future.
Hawai`i County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider