Hawaii Car Sales Tax Calculator (2026)

• Hawaii has a General Excise Tax rather than a sales tax; the business pays it and may pass it on to the buyer.
• All four counties listed by the Department of Taxation add a 0.5% surcharge, and the maximum pass-on rate with the surcharge is 4.712%.

General Excise Tax (GET)

4%

Local tax

0.5%

Trade-in

Full credit: reduces the taxable price

Manufacturer rebate

Taxed: tax is figured before the rebateIn effect since Mar 22, 1982

Figured with Hawaii's rules for a buyer in Honolulu, at its 0.5% local rate.

• Used car, no trade-in$810

  $18,000 price. Taxed on $18,000.

• New car with a trade-in$1,125

  $35,000 price, $10,000 trade-in. Taxed on $25,000. The trade-in saves $450.

• New car with a trade-in and a rebate$1,350

  $45,000 price, $15,000 trade-in, $2,000 rebate. Taxed on $30,000. The trade-in saves $675. The rebate does not lower the tax.

These examples treat the agreed price as the taxable price. Where a state uses a book value instead, the tax can differ.

The calculator covers a car bought from a dealer. These rules apply to other ways of buying or bringing a car to Hawaii.

Buying from a private seller

Hawaii's general excise tax is on businesses, and income from a casual sale by someone not in the business of selling cars is excluded from it, so a used car bought from a private individual owes no general excise or use tax. The county ownership transfer fee still applies. (files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)

A car received as a gift

No Hawaii use tax is due on a car received solely as a gift. A car bought at a bargain price, even from a friend or relative, does not count as a gift. (files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)

Moving to Hawaii with your car

A car a new resident brings to Hawaii owes no use tax if it was acquired outside Hawaii while the owner was not a resident, for use outside Hawaii, and was actually and substantially used there. A car acquired less than three months before it was shipped is presumed bought for use in Hawaii and does not qualify. (files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)

Buying outside Hawaii

A car bought from an unlicensed out-of-state seller and shipped to Hawaii owes 4.5% use tax on its landed value, which includes the price and shipping but not sales tax paid elsewhere. Sales tax paid to the other state is credited against the Hawaii use tax, up to the amount of that use tax. (files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)

Active-duty military

In Honolulu, Hawaii residents on active duty and Guard and Reserve members assigned to Hawaii units are exempt from motor vehicle weight taxes for one vehicle registered in their name, using Form CS-L(MVR)50A. Non-resident active-duty members file a Non-Resident Certificate, Form CS-L(MVR)50, with each registration, renewal or transfer. (honolulu.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)

Deadline to pay

In Honolulu, the new owner must transfer the title and registration at a satellite city hall within 30 days of the seller's date of transfer on the certificate of title. A car bought from an Oahu dealer is usually registered by the dealer. (honolulu.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)

Paying late

In Honolulu, the $10 ownership transfer fee rises by a $50 penalty if the transfer is not completed within 30 days of the seller's date of transfer. Use tax paid late on an imported car adds 5% of the tax per month for late filing (up to 25%) and interest of 2/3 of 1% per month. (honolulu.gov, checked Nov 10, 2026)

Hawaii is tied for 13th lowest of all 50 states and the District of Columbia for tax on a $30,000 car, at its lowest local rate. See all states.

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