How to Sell a Car in Hawaii Privately? (State Guide)

No. There is no statutory exception; Hawaii Revised Statutes section 286-52 requires the certificate of title for all standard vehicle transfers.

The rule applies regardless of the vehicle’s age, condition, or salvage status. To sell legally, apply for a duplicate title first. The form and fee depend on which county your car is registered in (see Step 1 for the county table).

The buyer’s deadline to complete the title transfer is 30 calendar days, or 60 days if the lienholder has no office in Hawaii.

If the final day falls on a weekend or holiday, they have until the next business day.
Missing this deadline means $50 late transfer fee plus delinquent taxes for prior unregistered years.

Title notarization is not required in Hawaii. The title assignment never needs a notary stamp for a standard private sale.

Hawaii County does recommend completing the assignment section in front of a notary as best practice, but it’s not a legal requirement. Use blue or black ink and sign exactly as your name appears on the title.

A bill of sale is recommended for most private sales, and notarization is not required.

The one exception is Honolulu County, where a notarized bill of sale (Form CS-L (MVR) 40) is required when the vehicle being sold is not titled in the seller’s name.

For all other standard sales, a bill of sale is strongly recommended. It protects you if a dispute comes up after the sale.

Yes, but you need to coordinate lien release with your lender first. To release the lien, the lender endorses the title in the lien release section or provides a separate lien release document.

Contact your lender for their specific process, as it varies by institution.

If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference out of pocket at closing.

The Hawaii inheritance threshold is $100,000 gross estate value; motor vehicles registered in the decedent's name may be transferred regardless of estate value.

Requirements: For estates under $100,000: Form 3C-E-312 plus death certificate. For larger estates: Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration from the probate court.

Bring the affidavit or court documents, along with the vehicle title and your ID, to your county motor vehicle office. Requirements can vary slightly by county, so call ahead to confirm what they need.

It depends on how the title reads. If it shows “AND” between your names, both of you must sign to complete the transfer. If it shows “OR,” either of you can sign alone.

Check the wording before the buyer shows up. Getting both signatures at once avoids delays at the county office.

Don’t try to fix it with white-out or cross-outs. Any correction makes the title invalid. You’ll need to apply for a duplicate before you can complete the sale.

The form and fee depend on which county your car is registered in. See the county forms table in Step 1 for details.

As the seller, your process is the same. Sign the title, provide the current registration, and file your Notice of Transfer within 10 days as usual.

The buyer will need to complete the Hawaii title transfer at the county office first, then use that documentation to register the vehicle in their home state.

Hawaii’s requirements apply regardless of where the buyer lives.

In Hawaii, leave your plates on the vehicle for the buyer; personalized plates stay with you and must be transferred or surrendered through your county.

Yes. Hawaii requires you to submit a Notice of Transfer to the County Finance Director’s office within 10 days. The form is Form CS-L(MVR)53 (Notice of Transfer).

Until you file, you remain legally tied to any violations or accidents involving the car. The penalty for not filing is a fine of up to $100.