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.