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The bottom line: Hawaii has no state DMV. All title transfers happen at the county level, plates stay with the car when you sell it, and you must file a Notice of Transfer within 10 days of the sale.
As the seller, you sign over the title, hand the buyer the current registration, and file your Notice of Transfer. The buyer handles registration, taxes, and their own fees after that. To see what your car is worth before you list it, compare offers from multiple services with Sell Car Advisor first.
Key Takeaways
- Title notarization: Hawaii doesn’t require it. Sign in blue or black ink, exactly as your name appears on the title.
- Missing title: A replacement costs $10.00. Download Form CS-L (MVR) 10 and submit it to your county motor vehicle office.
- Buyer deadline: The buyer has 30 days to register the car. After 30 days, they owe a $50 late penalty on top of regular fees.
- License plates: In Hawaii, plates stay with the car. Leave them on the vehicle and cancel your registration after the sale is complete.
- Notice of Transfer: Hawaii requires you to file within 10 days of the sale. Missing this deadline can leave you on the hook for tickets and accidents.
- Bill of sale: Not required by state law for most sales, but recommended for your protection. Hawaii County provides an optional official form.
- No emissions testing: Hawaii is one of the few states with no emissions requirement before selling.
- Safety inspection: Your car must have a current, valid safety inspection certificate. The buyer can’t complete registration without one.
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Step-by-Step Process for Hawaii
Step 1: Prepare Your Hawaii Paperwork
Documents you’ll need:
- Vehicle title – Must be in your name and clear of liens
- Valid Hawaii driver’s license – Names must match exactly
- Current certificate of registration – The buyer needs this to complete their registration
- Current safety inspection certificate – Must be valid at the time of sale. If yours is expired, getting a fresh one makes the car much more attractive to buyers who don’t want the extra hassle
- Lien release documentation – If you still owe money on the car
If your title is missing:
You’ll need to get a replacement first. Download Form CS-L (MVR) 10 and submit it to your county motor vehicle office with your ID and $10.00. Processing typically takes 2 to 3 weeks.
If you still owe money on the car:
Your lender holds the lien and must release it before the title can transfer. Contact them to start the lien release process. If you owe more than the car’s worth, you’ll need to pay the difference.
Learn more: How to Sell a Financed Car?
Name matching requirement:
Check your title carefully. The name on your driver’s license must match the name on the title exactly. If you got married or changed your name, bring documentation showing the name change.
Step 2: Prepare Your Car
Clean your car inside and out, gather maintenance records, and run a VIN check to get the best price and build buyer confidence.
Learn more:
Step 3: Price Your Car
Learn more: Best Free Car Valuation Tools
Step 4: Advertise Your Car
Facebook Marketplace works best in Hawaii, especially in Honolulu, Hilo, and Kailua where buyer activity is highest. Cars.com and Autotrader are good for reaching buyers statewide and from neighboring islands.
Hawaii’s island market means a smaller buyer pool, so setting a competitive price gets your car sold faster. Peddle or Wheelzy will buy your old or damaged car directly, and Carvana will give you competitive offers if you have a newer car.
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Learn more:
Step 5: Meet with Buyers Safely
Always meet at public places like bank parking lots during daylight hours.
Learn more:
Step 6: Handle Payment and Negotiate
Cash for cars under $5,000, cashier’s check (verify at bank), or meet at the buyer’s bank for a wire transfer. For added security when selling privately, KeySavvy handles safe payment and title transfer together.
Learn more:
Step 7: Complete the Hawaii Title Transfer
Hawaii has no state DMV. All title transfers go through the county motor vehicle office where the vehicle was last registered. That means Honolulu County, Hawaii County, Maui County, or Kauai County, depending on where your car is registered.
How to complete your title:
- Find the assignment section on the title (usually on the reverse side)
- Fill in the buyer’s full legal name and current address
- Enter the odometer reading, date of sale, and sale price
- All owners listed on the title must sign
- Both buyer and seller sign in the appropriate sections
Important rules:
Never use correction fluid or cross out mistakes. A single error makes the title invalid, and you’ll need to apply for a duplicate. Use blue or black ink only.
Joint ownership:
If the title shows “AND” between two owners, both must sign. If it shows “OR,” either owner can sign alone to complete the transfer.
Buyer’s deadline:
The buyer has 30 days to complete the title transfer at their county office. After 30 days, they owe a $50 late penalty on top of the standard transfer fee.
What to give the buyer:
- The signed certificate of title
- Current certificate of registration
Keep copies of everything before you hand over the originals.
Step 8: Sign Bill of Sale (Recommended)
A bill of sale isn’t required by state law in Hawaii. In Honolulu County, a notarized bill of sale is required only when you’re selling a vehicle not titled in your name. It’s still smart protection for every sale.
It doesn’t need to be notarized for standard private sales. Hawaii County offers an optional official form at Form CS-L (MVR) 40, or you can use our free bill of sale generator for any county.
Learn more: What is Bill of Sale for a Car? (Seller Guide + Templates)
Step 9: Handle Hawaii License Plates and Registration
In Hawaii, license plates stay with the car when you sell it. Remove your personal items, but leave the plates on the vehicle.
The buyer uses those plates temporarily until they register the car in their name. Contact your county motor vehicle office to cancel your registration so you stop being billed for it.
Personalized plates are the exception. If you have personalized (vanity) plates, those stay with you. Remove them before the sale and contact your county office to transfer or surrender them.
Learn more: How to Remove License Plates Safely?
Step 10: Submit the Notice of Transfer
Download and submit the Notice of Transfer CS-L(MVR)53 to the County Finance Director’s office after you sell the car. You must do this within 10 days of the sale date.
This creates a paper trail showing you’re no longer responsible for the vehicle. Until you file, any parking tickets, traffic violations, or civil liability tied to the car may still come back to you.
Each county has its own version of the Notice of Transfer. If you’re not in Honolulu County, contact your county motor vehicle office directly to get the right form for your area.
Learn more: What is a Car Release of Liability Form? (Each State Forms)
Step 11: Cancel Insurance
Cancel your insurance only after the title transfer is complete and you’ve filed your Notice of Transfer.
Learn more: When to Cancel Car Insurance After Selling a Car?
Hawaii DMV Resources
State Resources:
- Hawaii Department of Transportation – Motor Vehicle Registration
- Find Your County Motor Vehicle Office
County Contacts:
- Honolulu County (Oahu): Satellite City Halls, AlohaQ appointment system required
- Hawaii County (Big Island): Vehicle Registration & Licensing offices, (808) 961-8351
- Maui County: Motor Vehicle & Licensing Division
- Kauai County: Finance Department, (808) 241-4256
Hawaii Fees and Costs
| What You Pay? | Cost | When? |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate title (if needed) | $10.00 | Before sale |
| Lien payoff (if applicable) | Loan balance | Before sale |
| Notice of Transfer | $0 | Within 10 days of sale |
| Everything else | $0 | Buyer pays |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the buyer have to transfer the title after we complete the sale?
The buyer has 30 days from the date of sale to complete the title transfer at their county motor vehicle office.
If the 30th day falls on a weekend or holiday, they have until the next business day.
After 30 days, they owe a $50 late penalty on top of regular transfer fees.
Do I need to get the title notarized when I sign it over in Hawaii?
No, Hawaii doesn’t require title notarization statewide. 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. Signing clearly in blue or black ink is all that’s needed.
When is a bill of sale required in Hawaii?
A bill of sale isn’t required by state law for most private sales.
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 but not legally required. It protects you if a dispute comes up after the sale.
Can I sell my car if I still owe money on it in Hawaii?
Yes, but you need to coordinate lien release with your lender first. Your lender must endorse the title or provide a separate lien release document before the title can transfer to the buyer.
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.
My car was inherited. What additional Hawaii forms do I need?
The process depends on the estate size. For small estates under $100,000, a Small Estate Affidavit may be enough to transfer the title without going through probate.
For larger estates, you’ll need Letters Testamentary issued by 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.
Both my spouse and I are on the Hawaii title. Do we both need to sign?
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.
What if I make a mistake on the Hawaii title?
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 using Form CS-L (MVR) 10 and pay the $10.00 fee before you can complete the sale.
The buyer is from out of state. Does Hawaii require anything special?
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.
Do Hawaii license plates transfer to the buyer?
Yes, Hawaii plates stay with the car. Don’t remove them before the buyer drives away. They need those plates to legally drive and register the vehicle.
The one exception is personalized plates. Those stay with you as the owner. Remove them before the sale and contact your county office to transfer or surrender them.
Do I need to file a Notice of Transfer after selling my car in Hawaii?
Yes. Hawaii requires you to submit a Notice of Transfer to the County Finance Director’s office within 10 days of the sale. In Honolulu County, the form is CS-L(MVR)53. Each county has its own version.
Until you file, you remain legally tied to any violations or accidents involving the car. The penalty for not filing can be up to $100.
Article Update History
This guide was last updated using the latest Hawaii county motor vehicle requirements, including current duplicate title fees, Notice of Transfer deadlines, and bill of sale rules confirmed directly from official county sources.
Originally posted and shared with our readers.