Selling or junking a car in Hawaii

How do I sign over a car title in Hawaii?

The registered owner(s) date, print and sign Section A on the front of the Certificate of Title and enter the odometer reading. If there are joint owners, all of them sign. If a lien is shown, the lienholder signs Section B on the back (Honolulu also accepts a lien satisfaction letter). The buyer fills in Section D, and any new lienholder Section E. Honolulu says notarizing the seller's signature is optional; it can help avoid a rejection when a signature looks different from the one on file, or when the transfer is recorded in another county. The seller gives the buyer the endorsed title, the last Certificate of Registration and the Safety Inspection Certificate. The buyer has 30 days to transfer (HRS 286-52). In Honolulu the fee is $10, plus a $50 penalty if late.

Can I sell or junk a car without a title in Hawaii?

Hawaii has no title exemption for older vehicles. A sale requires the endorsed Certificate of Title, and junking a vehicle requires a signed statement of fact plus the signed title (HRS 286-51.5). If the title is lost, get a duplicate first (see duplicate_title). Kauai lets a non-owner dispose of a vehicle by signing the county's Indemnity Agreement and supplying photos, then taking it to Resource Recovery Solutions or having it towed.

How do I get a duplicate title in Hawaii?

Honolulu: form CS-L(MVR)10, 'Application for Duplicate Motor Vehicle Certificate of Title' (rev. 04/2026). The fee is $10.00. It covers titles that are lost, stolen, mutilated or defaced. The lienholder of record signs, or all registered owners sign if there is no lien. A defaced or mutilated title must be handed in with the form. Issuing the duplicate voids the original. Other counties use their own forms.

Do I need to file a release of liability in Hawaii?

Yes. A seller who is not a dealer must file a Notice of Transfer within 10 days with the county where the vehicle was last registered (HRS 286-52). Honolulu's form is CS-L(MVR)53; it lists the plate, make, VIN, transfer date, and both parties' names and addresses. The fine for not filing is up to $100. Filing the notice and handing over the signed title relieves the seller of liability that arises only from being the registered owner, from the date the buyer takes possession. An incomplete or illegible notice does not release liability.

What do I do with the plates after selling a car in Hawaii?

When junking, all counties require the plates to be handed in with the title. In Honolulu, personalized plates come off when the car is sold: either give them up (return the rear plate; the front may be kept) or surrender them for storage to use on a later vehicle. The sold vehicle then gets new plates.

What happens to the title when a car is junked or salvaged in Hawaii?

HRS 286-51.5 lets an owner junk a vehicle that cannot be driven safely or has no value except as parts or scrap, whether or not the registration is current. The owner files a signed statement of fact and the signed title. A junked vehicle can never be titled or registered again. Honolulu: turn in the 'Statement of Facts Relating to Junking of Vehicle', the plates and the title papers by AlohaQ appointment at a satellite city hall. The city tows and disposes of the vehicle for free if it is free of trash, reachable by a tow truck, and has at least two inflated tires. Junking does not cancel liens, citations or criminal charges. Hawaii County: Application for JUNK Status (VRL-MVR506) signed by all owners, the endorsed title with the odometer reading, and both plates; no fee. Maui: Statement of Fact for Junking a Non-Repairable Vehicle. Kauai: Statement of Facts Relating to Junking of Vehicles, the endorsed title with the odometer reading, the last registration and the plates. If you may want to register the vehicle again, use 'storage' status instead.

What can I do about an abandoned vehicle on my property in Hawaii?

Under HRS 290-11, the property owner (not the county) is responsible for removing a vehicle left on private property. A tow is allowed only if a sign is posted saying vehicles will be towed at the owner's expense and naming the storage facility. If no sign is posted, Kauai says police must post the vehicle as abandoned before it is removed. The tow company must notify the legal and registered owners by certified or registered mail within 15 days. If the vehicle is not claimed within 30 days of mailing, it may be sold after one newspaper ad or disposed of as junk.

Official sources

1. Honolulu CSD - Vehicle Ownership Transfer
2. Honolulu - Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title CS-L(MVR)10
3. Honolulu CSD - Junk a Vehicle
4. Honolulu CSD - Transfer Personal Plates
5. HRS 286-52 (transfer of ownership / notice)
6. HRS 286-51.5 (junking)
7. HRS 290-11 (vehicles left on private property)
8. Kauai - Permanently Junking a Vehicle
9. Kauai - Abandoned Vehicles
10. Maui County - Permanently Junking a Vehicle
11. Hawaii County VRL - Permanently Junking a Vehicle
12. Honolulu - Notice of Transfer form CS-L(MVR)53 (02/2026)
13. Honolulu CSD - City urging residents to use free junk vehicle tow service
14. Hawaii County VRL-MVR506 Application for JUNK Status

This guide summarizes public rules and is not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with County motor vehicle offices under HRS Chapter 286: City & County of Honolulu Dept. of Customer Services (Division of Motor Vehicles); County of Hawaii Vehicle Registration & Licensing; Maui County Motor Vehicle & Licensing; County of Kauai Division of Motor Vehicles & Licensing before you sell.