Question 1

When is the deadline to apply for a home exemption on Oʻahu, and how much is it?

Accepted Answer

Apply by September 30, 2026, the Real Property Assessment Division's site says; its calendar lists September 30 as the deadline for filing exemption claims and tax credit applications. Effective July 1, 2027, the division lists a $140,000 home exemption, and $180,000 for those 65 years and older, increasing from the current $120,000 and $160,000 amounts. If you have an existing home exemption and there is no change in the property title or use of the property, the division says you do not need to reapply. The same calendar lists November 1 as the deadline for reporting changes affecting exemptions.

Question 2

When are property taxes due on Oʻahu?

Accepted Answer

Twice a year. On the Real Property Assessment Division's calendar, first-half year bills are mailed July 20 and first-half year payments are due August 20; second-half year bills are mailed January 20 and second-half year payments are due February 20. The tax year begins July 1 and ends June 30, on the same calendar.

Question 3

When can I appeal my property assessment on Oʻahu?

Accepted Answer

The Real Property Assessment Division's calendar lists October 1 as the date of valuation, December 15 as the day assessment notices are mailed, and January 15 as the deadline for filing appeals. The certified assessment roll is sent to the City Council on February 1, on the same calendar. The division's site notes that December 15, 2026 is the delivery date for the next notices of assessment.

Question 4

When are Hawaiʻi's outdoor warning sirens tested?

Accepted Answer

On the first business day of each month. The sirens, along with the Emergency Alert System, are tested then in collaboration with the county emergency management and civil defense agencies and local radio, TV and cable broadcasters, the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency says. When a siren tone is heard other than a scheduled test, the agency says to tune into local radio, TV or cable stations for emergency information and instructions from official authorities; alerts may also come as a Wireless Emergency Alert. The sirens are all-hazard: the agency lists tsunamis, hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats and hazardous material incidents among the events they can be used for. The sirens are battery-powered and use a photovoltaic charging system, the agency says.

Question 5

What should I do during a brown water advisory?

Accepted Answer

Stay out of beaches or streams contaminated by storm (brown) water, the Department of Health's Clean Water Branch advises. Storm water can contain harmful micro-organisms and other pollutants from overflowing sewage systems, such as cesspools or septic tanks, and animal feces flowing into storm drains. After any storm, the branch reminds the public that runoff may contain sewage, harmful micro-organisms and chemicals from commercial and industrial sources. After a sewage or chemical spill, coastal waters are usually safe to enter after 48 hours because of tidal flushing, the branch says, but the public should wait for further instructions from the Department of Health on when the water is safe. Questions about standing water or brown water go to the Clean Water Branch on Oʻahu at (808) 586-4309 during normal business hours. On Oʻahu, sewage spills are reported to the City and County of Honolulu at (808) 768-7272.

Question 6

Who handles a noise complaint in Hawaiʻi?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the noise. The Department of Health's Noise Section regulates noise from construction, industrial and agricultural activities, and mechanical noise from stationary sources: pumps, air conditioners, generators, compressors, and ventilation or exhaust systems. Noises resulting directly from people, such as loud gatherings next door, verbal disputes, nuisance noises from animals, emergency sirens, and noise from vehicles not actively used for construction, industrial or agricultural work (garbage pick-up, for example), are not within the section's jurisdiction, it says. Its page links the Honolulu Police Department's policy on animal nuisance complaints. Construction that exceeds the maximum permissible sound levels needs a noise permit from the section, which asks for applications four weeks before the start date; work outside normal permitted hours needs a variance, applied for three to four months ahead. The section can be reached at (808) 586-4700.

Question 7

How much do TheBus and Skyline cost?

Accepted Answer

One fare structure covers TheBus and Skyline with a HOLO card. For adults, TheBus's fare page lists a 2-Hour Pass at $3.00, a 24-Hour Pass at $7.50, a daily cap of $7.50, a 3-Day Pass at $20.00, a 7-Day Pass at $45.00, a Month Pass (and monthly cap) at $90.00 and an Annual Pass at $990.00; these fares took effect July 1, 2026. Cash is accepted on TheBus only: $3.25 for an adult single ride, with no transfers; operators do not carry change. Youth fares (ages 6 to 17, and high school students up to 19): $1.75 cash, or a $1.50 2-Hour Pass on a HOLO card. Senior fares: $1.50 cash, or a $1.25 2-Hour Pass on a HOLO card. One child 5 years of age and under rides free with a fare-paying rider when not occupying a seat. An adult HOLO card costs $2.00. The card is sold at vending machines at Skyline stations, at Satellite City Halls (except the Ala Moana Center location), at HOLO retail locations and at the Transit Pass Office at the Kalihi Transit Center.

Question 8

How do I testify at a Honolulu City Council committee meeting?

Accepted Answer

In person, by phone, by videoconference or in writing. Oral testimony, remote and in person, is permitted on all items when each item is taken up; each speaker is limited to a one-minute presentation and may not have anyone else read their statement, the committee agendas print. To testify remotely, call the number with the ID and passcode each agenda prints, or register at the Honolulu Records Collection website for videoconference access. Testifiers are encouraged to register or submit testimony at least 24 hours before the meeting. In the Council Chamber, register in person by the time the agenda sets (1:00 p.m. for the Committee on Public Safety and Economy's Sept. 24, 2026 meeting); people who have not registered may speak after the registered speakers. Written testimony can be uploaded at the Honolulu Records Collection website or mailed to the Office of the City Clerk, Attention: Information Section, 530 South King Street, Room 100, Honolulu, HI 96813. Written testimony, including the testifier's address, email address and phone number, is made public on that website. Testimony may be given in English or in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi; for testimony in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, additional time is allowed for the testifier to give an English translation.

Question 9

How do I testify at an Oʻahu neighborhood board meeting?

Accepted Answer

All written testimony must be received in the Neighborhood Commission Office 48 hours before the meeting; within 48 hours of the meeting, written or oral testimony may be submitted directly to the board at the meeting, the office's agendas print. Written testimony should note the board and the agenda items it concerns. It can be sent to the Neighborhood Commission Office, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160, Honolulu, HI 96817, or through the form on the office's board testimony page. Issues not listed on the agenda may be raised during public-generated issues, but the board can take no action on them because of the Sunshine Law, as the Hawaiʻi Kai board's agenda puts it. Each board's agenda sets its own time limits (two minutes per speaker for public-generated issues in Hawaiʻi Kai).

Question 10

How do I fill a vacant seat on an Oʻahu neighborhood board?

Accepted Answer

Boards fill vacant seats at their meetings, and each board's agenda lists its vacancies. For the Hawaiʻi Kai board's Sept. 29, 2026 meeting, which listed three at-large seats with appointment through June 30, 2027, the Neighborhood Commission Office printed that candidates must be 18 or older and reside in the district (bring official ID). Residents interested in filling a vacant seat must bring current proof of residency to the board meeting, or contact the board's neighborhood assistant to verify residency in advance, the same agenda says. On that 15-member board, appointment takes a majority of at least eight votes; more than one round of voting may occur, and successful candidates take the oath of office upon appointment. The McCully-Mōʻiliʻili board's Sept. 28, 2026 agenda listed a vacant at-large seat with the same proof-of-residency requirement.

Question 11

How does bulky item pickup work on Oʻahu?

Accepted Answer

By appointment only, in every part of Oʻahu. Appointments are made on the city's opala.org website; residents without internet access can call the Refuse Division at 768-3200 and select option 0, the Department of Environmental Services' brochure says. Single-family homes may schedule up to five bulky items per collection appointment and two metal appliances per separate appliance appointment. Each unit in a multi-unit residential building has the same limits, or a building's association may schedule up to 20 bulky items and eight metal appliances per appointment for the whole building. Place items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the day of the appointment, but no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the evening before, without blocking sidewalks, driveways or roadways. It is illegal to place bulky items at the curb outside of collection appointment dates, and violations may lead to civil fines; crews pick up only the items included in the appointment. The brochure was printed in May 2020 and notes that the numbers may be adjusted as data and input are received; it points to opala.org for refuse, reuse and recycling information.

Question 12

How and when do I renew my vehicle registration on Oʻahu?

Accepted Answer

Every year. The deadline is the last working day of the expiration month of the current registration, the Department of Customer Services says; if the expiration date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the penalty is not charged until after the next working day. There are four ways to renew: a DMV self-service kiosk in certain Safeway and Foodland stores, online, in person at a satellite city hall (an express-lane transaction), or by mail. The kiosk and online renewal work only when your address on file is correct and no supplemental forms, such as a safety inspection certificate, are required. Renewals can be done 45 days before the registration expires. A late renewal carries an annual flat penalty of $16.00 for the passenger rate and $40.00 for the commercial rate. Owners are responsible for renewing before the expiration date whether or not a courtesy reminder arrives in the mail, the department says.

Question 13

Does my car need a safety inspection in Hawaiʻi?

Accepted Answer

Yes, every year. Hawaiʻi law requires all motor vehicles, including motorcycles and mopeds, to undergo an annual safety inspection, the Department of Customer Services says; inspections are done at authorized stations listed by the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation. Proof of Hawaiʻi motor vehicle insurance is required to get an inspection, and the inspection sticker and certificate are needed to drive on Hawaiʻi roads and for every vehicle registration transaction, the department says.

Question 14

I shipped my car to Oʻahu. How long do I have to register it?

Accepted Answer

Thirty days. Within 30 days of the vehicle's arrival on Oʻahu, it must get either an out-of-state permit or a Hawaiʻi registration, the Department of Customer Services says. First take it to an official Hawaiʻi safety inspection station; a car that passes every other item will fail for lacking a valid Honolulu registration. Then bring the vehicle documents, the shipping documents (bill of lading) with the vehicle identification number and the failed inspection certificate to a satellite city hall, where an AlohaQ appointment is required, or to the vehicle registration office at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. After the permit or registration is issued, return to the inspection station within 30 days of the original failed inspection to get the safety inspection emblem and certificate. Hawaiʻi requires two license plates, front and rear.

Question 15

Do veterans get a break on vehicle registration fees on Oʻahu?

Accepted Answer

Beginning July 1, 2026, veterans of the U.S. armed forces 65 and older who were not dishonorably discharged may receive an exemption from the $20 City and County of Honolulu motor vehicle registration fee for one vehicle each year, the Department of Customer Services says. Separately, Hawaiʻi residents on active duty and members of the National Guard and Reserve assigned to units in Hawaiʻi are exempt from motor vehicle weight taxes for one vehicle registered in their name, with a Hawaiʻi Resident Certificate (Form CS-L (MVR) 50A) for each transaction.

Question 16

How do I renew my driver's license on Oʻahu, and can I fly with the temporary card?

Accepted Answer

Make an AlohaQ appointment, complete the driver's license application form, and bring originals or certified copies of one proof of legal presence, legal name and date of birth, and two proofs of Hawaiʻi principal residence address; the renewal includes an eye screening, fingerprinting, fees and a photograph, the Department of Customer Services says. The temporary card or document issued when you get or renew a Hawaiʻi driver's license or state ID is not accepted for federal purposes or when traveling; only the permanent plastic card is accepted as a Real ID credential by the Transportation Security Administration. If you plan to travel within six weeks of getting or renewing a Real ID, carry additional identification such as a passport or military ID, the department says. Current Real ID holders are encouraged to bring all required Real ID documents to the appointment to avoid delays.

Question 17

How long is a driver's license good for once I'm over 72 in Hawaiʻi?

Accepted Answer

Residents 72 to 79 without conditions that could impair their driving ability may renew their driver's license for four years; residents 80 and older may renew for two years, the Department of Customer Services says. Drivers 72 and older with conditions that could impair their driving may be asked to submit a medical report (form DOT-H2058). Renewal takes an AlohaQ appointment at a driver licensing center.

Question 18

How do I get the newly redesigned Hawaiʻi driver's license?

Accepted Answer

Honolulu residents can order a duplicate of the newly redesigned driver's license card through the Department of Customer Services' online duplicate portal. The new card is printed with the same name, address and photo as your current card, the online duplicate costs $7, and the card is mailed to the address on file within five weeks, the department says.

Question 19

How much emergency water and food should a Hawaiʻi household keep?

Accepted Answer

Two weeks' worth. Because Hawaiʻi relies on shipping for most of its food and supplies, people here need two weeks of emergency supplies in case a disaster like a hurricane or tsunami damages ports and supply chains, the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency says. The agency recommends one gallon of water per person per day, for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene: 14 gallons per person for two weeks. Water stored in reusable containers should be changed every six months. The main elements of emergency supplies, it says, are water, food, medicine, power and information; it suggests low-cost foods with lots of protein and calories, and adding a little to the pantry each week.

Question 20

When is hurricane season in Hawaiʻi?

Accepted Answer

June through November, with peak season historically in August and September, the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency says. Storms form off the west coast of Mexico and Central America and head west toward the islands. Even hurricanes that stay hundreds of miles offshore can have devastating impacts on the islands, the agency says; the hazards include storm surge, flooding from extreme rain, destructive winds, tornadoes, dangerous rip currents and rough surf.

Answers from the record

Driving on Oʻahu

Getting around Oʻahu

Having a say on Oʻahu

Property tax on Oʻahu

Safety and health

Trash and recycling on Oʻahu