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Tips on Auto Registration of new car (Tesla) in Hawaii - Things to do

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Akikiki

A'-Lo-HA ! y'all
Nov 26, 2012
6,790
5,268
Kaneohe, HI
Moderator Note: This thread has evolved with the registration process in Hawaii and this post (#1) has been revised to consolidate the latest information into a single post. The original version of the registration process can be found at the bottom of post #2 (wiki) for thread integrity.
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HI Vehicle Registration Process

Last update: 12/28/15 (minor)


A. The Hawaii Tesla auto registration process has evolved since the first Tesla were delivered on Oahu.
Post #2 of this thread documented the process up and until about Fall of '14. State of Hawaii, Dept of Taxation's Excise Tax and City & County registration is handled by Tesla Motors now. (Thank you Tesla!)

B. The Tesla Service Center performs safety inspections and using a contractor source applies for the vehicle registration and picks up the license plate. By state law auto dealers are permitted to perform a vehicle safety inspection and apply a sticker that is good for two years vice the standard one year. Good news: When you pick up your new Tesla your safety inspection is good for two years.

C. Safety Inspection Sticker location.
Several new owners do not like the traditional method of affixing the stickers to the bumpers. There are options available other than applying the sticker to the rear bumper. The new owner has the option of bringing their own sticker mounting plate/bracket.

(1) The Service Center uses a metal safety inspection sticker bracket mounted to the right of the license plate, so that they do not need to apply the sticker to the colored bumper. The Service Center supplied sticker bracket has an insulating material on the car body side of the bracket to prevent rubbing on the truck lid.

(2) An alternative sticker mounting method is a clear plastic plate with a sticker extension out the side to allow room for the sticker available at Min Plastic. ​The clear plastic plate is the same size as the license plate so it extends across the width and length of the license plate. This length protects the car from scratches. The clear sticker mounting plate is available at Min Plastics, 921 Kaamahu Place, Honolulu (808) 847-1511. (Min Plastics is located on the street behind Institute for Human Services, near the corner of Dillingham and King Street.) The cost is about $22. The design has been updated to accommodate the new one piece HI safety inspection sticker that mounts horizontally.

D. Owners are still responsible for paying the state excise tax 4.5% on Oahu for the individual automobile purchase. However, owners no longer need to make the trip down to the Dept of Taxation (DoTax) office on Punchbowl Street. New owners pay Tesla and Tesla pays the state for the owner. Thank you again Tesla.

E. Vanity plate versus EV plate. Vanity plates are cool. However to qualify for EV perks from the C&C and State your Tesla must display the EV plate. It's worth it, but it's your choice. We recommend the EV plate. Owners with regular or vanity plates have reported they too usually receive the EV tag benefits but there's no guarantee 100% of the time.
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CURRENT Hawaii Vehicle Registration Process

Last update: 12/28/15

The Hawaii Tesla auto registration process has evolved since the first Tesla were delivered on Oahu.
This post documents the process up and until about Fall of '14 (the old way). State of Hawaii, Dept of Taxation's Excise Tax and City & County registration is handled by Tesla Motors now. (Thank you Tesla!)

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OLD Hawaii Vehicle Registration Process

Last update: 8/30/13

OK everyone. This checklist was first created by JKam in mid Dec '12 (#102) then revised by ddruz in mid April '13. (Thanks guys.) The checklist is the result of feedback from more recent owners. By request, as others provide input, we will try to keep this top part current. Your personal experience may vary, but we are trying to capture what the majority of people are doing. Barry & Luke are passing out a similar copy this checklist that was made from this list below.

Pointers worth mentioning early.
A. If you are purchasing and the title will have co-owners, make sure your Bill of Sale and Certificate of Origin each show both names.
B. When you go to DMV, your DMV Registration form CS-L (MVR) 1 (Rev. 6/09) is going to require both co-owner's signature. Get the form, prepare it and get both signatures before you go in for your registration and tag. (DMV will make you bring it back otherwise.)
C. Update: 8/30. Some Safety Inspection Stations do not like the printed Insurance Card. Save yourself the trouble, get your final Insurance Card with the with the water mark. We recommend that once you have your VIN, contact your Insurance company and select and "effective date" for starting your insurance fpr the MS. And they will then, send you the water marked Insurance Card. This way you will have if before you actually take delivery and you avoid a wait for the new Insurance Card.
D. Wait until you have all the papers below, else you will not complete each process and will not be able to move to the next step.
E. How do you want your License plate mounted? How do you want your Safety Inspection Stickers mounted? See the "Hawaii Safety Check Sticker Placement" thread for ideas.
F. Vanity plate versus EV plate. Vanity plates are cool. However to qualify for EV perks from the C&C and State your MS must display the EV plate. It's worth it, but it's your choice. We recommend the EV plate.

1. Get from Tesla:
a. Bill of Sale signed and notarized by Tesla rep and Tesla's name must appear as "Tesla Motors Inc. (Else, DMV will require a new Bill of Sale).
b. Bill of Lading with date car landed in Hawaii (preferably an original (yellow), sometimes you can get by with a copy (white)).
c. Certificate of Origin (aka Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin)
d. Application for Registration (This is Tesla's CA version. And they snip the bottom and call it the Temporary Registration)
e. Temporary registration - Post in rear window so you can drive the car until the following is completed
f. Tesla Configuration page (Shows detailed configuration of car and your shipping charge. DoTax and DMV do not like the shipping charge to be called the Tesla Personal Delivery. Be prepared to explain.) (We are not updating this line until we have tested the documentation wording change.)

Update 8/29/13: We've been explaining to Tesla the problems we experience when Tesla uses the expression "Personal Delivery" on the Configuration page and the Motor Vehicle Purchase Agreement Vehicle Configuration page. The Hawaii DS replied that Tesla has just changed their practice and will begin using the expression "Destination and regulatory documentation fee" and are showing the shipping charge/fee.

Update 10/1/13: Tesla is now including a letter with their letterhead that clearly states that the owner has paid the $ 1,170 shipping fee/charge already with this arrival of the vehicle. The SC is also including several documents to show the container delivery date, the VIN of your vehicle in the container and the Bill of Lading showing the delivery of the container. When I provided these along with all the other items listed above in 1. A.-F., it satisfied DMV. They had me prepare another copy of the postcard size form called the Hawaii Application for Registration - CS-L (MVR) 1 (Rev. 6/09). After a big old check for about $400 I got the license plate and registration was completed.
(The new documents that Tesla is providing for Hawaii owners is making the process less stressful).

2. Go to a Safety Inspection station. Get a Temporary Safety Inspection.
(The Hawaii Tesla Owners Thread covers where a couple of us went and it didn't take long.)
Take with you:
a. Your car.
b. Your checkbook or cash to pay for the Safety Inspection.
c. Bill of Sale to match VIN against car.
d. Insurance Card (watermark version preferred).

3. Download from the Internet at http://www.state.hi.us/tax/a1_b2_1geuse.htm
Fill out as much as you can - front and back. Separate the cost of the car and the destination charge on different lines.
a. State of Hawaii Form G26 (Unless you have a General Excise Tax License)
(General Excise Tax license holder use form G45 form. There's a block for importing a car for personal use.)
b. State of Hawaii Form G27.

4. Pay your Hawaii Excise (Use) Tax:
Go to HI State Department of Taxation (DoTax) at 830 Punchbowl.
Ewa side near Federal Building (There's a couple of EV parking spaces there too)
If you can, go early. The "windows" and time stamp machine open at 07:45 a.m. (Get there early and get done fast.)
Arrive before 07:45, be one of the first to get your "customer ticket" - it's your place in line.
When you get there, select an "A" customer ticket from the customer time stamp machine.
Experience has proven that this takes about an hour if you are not early.
You are going there to pay your Excise (sales) tax ($3,xxx+) and get the Tax Clearance form for the DMV.

Take with you:
a. State form: Form G26 - filled out (Delivery charge from Tesla's Configuration page goes on the back of this form.)
b. State form: Form G27 - filled out
c. Bill of Lading showing date landed (preferably an original, sometimes you can get by with a copy)
d. Bill of Sale, notarized and signed by someone at Tesla
e. Certificate of Origin
f. Tesla Configuration page (Shows your delivery charge, be sure you have this at DoTax)
g. Your checkbook ($3,000+).

5. Go to DMV, any location: Get your Registration and License Plates.
Thanks for Mayor Caldwell, Web cams have been added to the DMV's so we can see the activity before we commit to going to one.
This link is also on the www.honolulu.gov page.
http://www3.honolulu.gov/csddlline/

Take with you:
a. Temporary safety inspection.
b. Receipt for Payment of Tax (no form number) Form G-26 Tax Clearance form from DoTax.
c. Bill of Lading showing date landed.
d. Bill of Sale, signed and notarized by TM (Co-owners both need to be on this).
e. Certificate of Origin (Co-owners both need to be on this).
f. Your checkbook ( about $400).
g. Application for Registration Tesla provided (CA version only shows your temporary registration).
h. Hawaii Application for Registration - CS-L (MVR) 1 (Rev. 6/09) postcard size, HI version get it at DMV, fill out both sides. (You are going to need the Hawaii application. DMV will not accept the CA version.) (Co-owners both need to be on this too.)

6. Put your license plates on your car, front and back.
Some owners tie-wrap the tag on the front while they are deciding a permanent method.

7. Go to your Safety Inspection station again. Finalize the Safety Inspection, by getting your permanent copies.
Take with you:
a. Registration.
b. Your car.

8. Giddy Up & Go. Aaahh, time for a nice long ride.

If you and your spouse will be co-owners, nearly all of your original paperwork from TM must reflect both names. Hawaii DoTax and DMV are strict. To avoid multiple trips to DMV/Satellite City Hall:

A. Also on Bill of Sale, make sure Tesla's name appears as "Tesla Motors Inc." If incorrect, DS will have to overnight you corrected BoS before you can complete registration and receive plates.

B. If you have a co-registrant on your Model S, make sure both names appear on the notarized Bill of Sale.

C. If registering as co-owners, you are going to need both signatures on the DMV registration form too. Try to take the "Application for Registration - CS-L (MVR)" to the DMV already signed by both co-owners, to save yourself a trip. Most of the time they will let you bring it back signed.

This process is getting smoother as Safety Inspectors get over the shock the MS is EV, and DoTax and DMV come to realize not all cars come through a dealership.

Please, post your experience on this thread so we can improve the communications for those coming after us.

Safety Inspection Sticker location.
Several new owners do not like the traditional method of affixing the stickers to the bumpers. There are options available other than applying the sticker to the rear bumper. Some Safety Inspectors may not be aware that there are alternatives. With a little research members here found the applicable rules regarding sticker locations. We've copied it below so you can see the exact wording. One might consider Google it, printing it and taking it when going to get the safety inspection to prove its accurate. (It's 42 pages in length. Might want to print the first couple of pages and then section 2-24(b) and save paper.)

Update 8/29/14: If you do not wish to have the safety inspection sticker stuck to the paint on your car, you can pick up a metal bracket at auto parts stores that attaches behind the license plate. Then the inspector installs (sticks) the sticker to the plate. Usual cost of this metal bracket is about $16-$18

Another option is a clear plastic plate with a sticker extension out the side to allow room for the sticker. The clear plastic plate is the same size as the license plate so it extends across the width of the car. This length protects the car from scratches caused by the metal plate. The clear sticker mounting plate is available at Min Plastics 921 Kaamahu Pl, Honolulu (808) 847-1511. The cost is about $22. The design has been updated to accomodate the new one piece HI safety inspection sticker that mounts horizontally.

Google search string: Hawaii Administrative Rules § 19-133.2-24(b)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Amendment and Compilation of Chapter 19-133.2
Hawaii Administrative Rules May 11, 2011
§19-l33.2~24 Issuance of certificates of inspection and affixing of inspection stickers.
(b) After the certificate of inspection is signed, a two-part inspection sticker shall be affixed by the inspector upon the right, most nearly vertical portion of the rear bumper of the vehicle or on another appropriate place, such as, a special bracket installed horizontally under the right portion or center of the rear bumper or a bracket attached to the rear license plate oriented either vertically or horizontally where the sticker can be clearly viewed by a person who is fifty feet behind the vehicle. The rear window or license plate is not an appropriate place. If the bracket on the license plate is attached to the top or bottom, it must be oriented so the stickers are displayed horizontally with the month sticker on the left side of the year sticker. If the bracket is attached to a side of the plate, the bracket must display the stickers vertically with the month sticker affixed in an upright position above the year sticker, which also must be affixed upright.

DMV Good Experiences - Where did you go. Rate your experience 1 to 10

Rating DMV Location Rating Date
7 --------Kaneohe -------------------4/13
6 --------Fort Street Mall-----------8/13
8 --------Wahiawa-------------------6/13 (8 a.m., when they first open
4 or 5---Ala Moana Satellite------1/13-- 2 trips and DoTax - 3 trips. (One of the first Tesla Registration Pioneers)
9 --------Kapolei ---------------------10/1 (11 a.m.) Waited about 10 minutes. They have 3 digit numbers for EV tags. Small number of clerks. They've done a few Teslas. They understand the paperwork. Nice ride out there. Enjoyed the trip.



 
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Akikiki: Thanks for synthesizing the data that was gathered by jkam, dsmith, & ddruz. Thanks to the information put forth by our pioneers, I was able to pay my tax and get registered this morning so quickly, I didn't need to take any time off from work. I remembered in an earlier post, you suggested that one go early to the tax office. I would add that although the windows & time stamp ticket machine open at 7:45 am, go a little earlier than that. I did & was done by 8:00 am. You could also clarify that 4.f is necessary to show the destination charge, as the tax office staff is looking for the shipping charge, which should be entered on the G-26 form worksheet in the back side. The DMV I went to was amazingly quick, handing me my registration, title, & plates with the registration sticker in no time. Maybe I got lucky, but again, go early. Try to avoid the DMV at Kapalama--they do driving tests there and that place is just slammed.
 
What do you tie-wrap the front plate to when you get your final safety inspection? Has anyone had issues with the inspector giving them a hard time on what is obviously a temporary method?

Where have people gone to get their temp/final safety inspection done? I'd like to go to a location that is friendly to us.

Thanks!
 
gmtom1, We will need to locate the previous comments on TMC in other forums to give you exact pictures of the tie-wrap method. I think eventually we will be able to link from here to those. But if you search a bit, I think you can find some. There are two basic methods people have used. Tie-wrap the front black plastic plate that TM give you for the nosecone installation. Some of us turned it upside down and others left it right side up. Most put some sticky tape on the back or sticky-single sided window weatherstrip to give it a pillowed effect and prevent it rubbing on the paint. They tie-wrapped the plate to the lower grill just tight enought to snug without hurting the grill. Others used J-bolts or 3" long flat headed toliet lid bolts with nuts to first mount the plate, the simply use the TM provided Torx20 head screws to screw the tag on the plate.

I used Show-N-Hide to mount mine under the front plastic guard of the car. There's some pictures and installation ideas back in the May timeframe part of the Hawaii Tesla Owners thread.

No so far, no one has reported that an inspector gets down on the ground on the front of the car and does a really detailed investigation of our mounting techniques. My guy came out side grinning at seeing the Model S back and simply stuck the sticker on the lower mounted plate.

Mine was the second that Hawaiian Tire and Auto Service has done. They quickly saw it didn't require a lot of attention since it didn't have an engine or exhaust. But they only do appointments and would not sneak me in. I liked them. I recommend them. Behind Cutter Ford in Aiea, near the water (so to speak) 98-025 Hekaha Street Building 2 Unit 9. Building 2 is marked 98-025, Unit 9 is about half way down on the left. 808-487-6616. The boss is Peni Tailo. I went by without an appointment on a Saturday morning. They had an opening an hour later, so I came back. 10 minutes tops.
 
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Thanks for the recommendation on Hawaiian Tire & Auto - any particular person you recall working with there? I'm creating a list of "people I need to call/visit once my MS gets here"....

I'm strongly considering copying you and installing the flip-up front plate method.
 
Thanks for the recommendation on Hawaiian Tire & Auto - any particular person you recall working with there? I'm creating a list of "people I need to call/visit once my MS gets here"....

I'm strongly considering copying you and installing the flip-up front plate method.

gmtom, do it. Thanks to Akikiki I did, it works great! Even if I don't intend to hide the plate, as Akikiki said, it is easier to wash when you fold it down. Perfect placement, you just have to be more cautious about scraping the front on parking berms.
 
Going to pay my taxes tomorrow but have a Bill of Lading question. I didn't get a yellow copy from the service center. My document is white and says "combined transport Bill of Lading".

Is this the right document?
 
nanimac, I don't know if that's going to work. Mine was white. An e-copy and they gave me trouble about it. I explained mine had been here a while but not driven, and we tried to get an original from Matson but it had been too long. Where are you going? Ala Moana Sat City? I recommend it. Barry said that the SC had made a connection with a lady there and she was starting to understand how TM does these things. So it was getting easier there. All you can do is try. But since you don't have yellow, I would go to Ala Moana and use it.
I hope this helps.

P.S. Is 1.21 working on the Gray P85? I've heard nothing since I sent him a Private Message.