Key takeaway: Hawaiʻi charges registration by weight, and the county part ranges from about 1.75¢ a pound on Hawaiʻi Island to 7¢ on Oʻahu. For a typical 3,320-pound car, Oʻahu registration comes to about $365 a year (Star-Advertiser Kokua Line). Full-coverage insurance averages $1,975 a year, below the U.S. average (NerdWallet). Numbers checked October 30, 2026.
Registration and weight tax
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| State registration fee | $46/yr |
| State weight tax (cars up to 4,000 lb) | 1.75¢ per lb |
| Highway beautification fee | $10 |
| Honolulu county registration fee | $20/yr |
| Safety inspection | $25.75 |
| Electric vehicle surcharge | $50/yr |
Sources: Honolulu Customer Services; HB 2022 (quoting state law); Hawaiʻi DOT; Kokua Line.
| County | County weight tax, passenger car |
|---|---|
| Honolulu (Oʻahu) | 7¢ per lb |
| Maui | 3.5¢ per lb ($15 minimum) |
| Kauaʻi | 2¢ per lb |
| Hawaiʻi Island | 1.75¢ per lb |
Sources: Kokua Line; Maui County; Grassroot Institute; Aloha State Daily.
On a 3,320-pound car, Honolulu’s weight tax alone is about $232, and the state adds about $58 (Kokua Line). The Honolulu City Council advanced a bill in August 2026 to cut the city rate to 5.5¢ starting July 2027 (Star-Advertiser).
Insurance
NerdWallet’s October 2026 analysis puts average full coverage in Hawaiʻi at $1,975 a year and minimum coverage at $603, both below national averages (NerdWallet). We haven’t found figures by island.
Bringing a car from the mainland
See shipping your car to Hawaiʻi. Gas is on our gas prices by island page.
Sources
- Honolulu Customer Services: registration fees
- Star-Advertiser Kokua Line: registration fees
- Star-Advertiser: weight tax cut advances
- Maui County: weight tax notice
- Grassroot Institute: Honolulu weight tax
- Aloha State Daily: Honolulu weight tax
- HB 2022 (2026)
- Hawaiʻi DOT: safety inspection fee
- NerdWallet: car insurance in Hawaiʻi