Hawaii State Identification Card: Apply, Renew, or Replace

To get a Hawaii state ID card, book an appointment at a county driver licensing center, bring original documents proving your identity, legal presence, and Hawaii residency, and pay the $40 fee. The card is valid for eight years and arrives by mail in about six to eight weeks. You will leave your appointment with a temporary paper ID, but that paper cannot be used to board a flight or enter a federal building.

Since May 7, 2025, only a REAL ID compliant card (marked with a star) or an acceptable alternative like a passport works at TSA checkpoints, federal buildings, and military installations.¹ The documents required for the compliant version and a standard card are essentially the same, so most people apply for the star card.²

Who Can Apply

U.S. citizens and people with legal authorization to live in the United States can apply.² For applicants under 14, a parent or legal guardian submits the application. Every first-time applicant must appear in person. If you are bedridden or have a medical condition that makes a visit impractical, contact your county’s driver licensing office to arrange an alternative.³

Documents to Bring

Every document must be a valid, unexpired original or a certified copy. Notarized copies and faxes are refused.⁴ Showing up with a document that gets rejected is the single most common reason people end up making a second trip.

Proof of Legal Name, Date of Birth, and Legal Presence

One document usually covers all three. Common options include a state or local government certified U.S. birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport or passport card, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Permanent Resident Card issued since 1997, or an Employment Authorization Document issued since 2004. The Hawaii Department of Transportation publishes the full list of accepted documents.⁴

Documents Linking Any Name Changes

If the name you use now differs from the name on your birth certificate, bring the paperwork that traces each change. A marriage certificate is the typical example. If you have had more than one name change, bring the full chain: birth certificate to first married name to second married name, each link supported by its own original document.²

Two Proofs of Hawaii Residency

Bring two documents that show you live in Hawaii, and make sure they come from different sources. A recent utility bill, a bank or credit union statement from the last two months, and a current vehicle registration all qualify.⁴ Two statements from the same bank will not count.

Social Security Number (Optional)

Since June 2021, presenting Social Security Number documentation is optional. If you choose to include it, your original Social Security card, a W-2 from the previous year, an SSA-1099, or a non-SSA 1099 all work.³

Cost and Payment

The eight-year card is $40 for a new card or a renewal. For non-immigrants, the card expires with the authorized legal stay, and the fee is $5 per year or fraction of a year.⁵ A duplicate costs $6.³

Cash, personal checks, money orders, cashier’s checks, debit and credit cards, and Apple Pay or Google Pay are all accepted. Card and digital wallet payments carry a 2.35% processing fee.⁶

Where to Apply and How to Book

First-time applicants must visit a full-service driver licensing center. Honolulu’s satellite city halls handle renewals and duplicates only; they will not process an initial application.³ Each county runs its own licensing locations. On Oahu, the Kapalama Driver Licensing Center is one of the full-service options.⁷

Book an appointment before you go. In Honolulu County, the system is AlohaQ at alohaq.honolulu.gov: pick a location, choose the state ID service, and select a date and time.⁸ Walk-ins may be possible, but waits can run hours. Other counties use their own scheduling systems.

At the appointment, staff review your documents, take your photo, capture your signature, and collect payment. If your paperwork is in order, the visit is quick.

After the Appointment

You will leave with a temporary paper ID. It documents that you applied, but it is not accepted for boarding flights or entering federal facilities.⁹ If you have federal travel plans, apply well ahead of the trip.

Your permanent card is mailed to the address on file, typically within six to eight weeks. The REAL ID compliant card cannot be forwarded by the post office, so confirm the mailing address at your appointment. If eight weeks pass with no card, contact the driver licensing center that processed your application.³

Renewing Your Card

Renewal is done in person at a county driver licensing center in most cases, and the fee is $40 for another eight years.²⁵ In Honolulu, the Downtown, Hawaii Kai, Pearlridge, and Windward City satellite city halls also handle renewals.³

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident who already submitted REAL ID documents for a previous card, you generally do not need to bring all of them again unless something has changed. If your name or address has changed, bring the supporting paperwork for that specific change.²

Two groups can skip the standard in-person renewal:

U.S. citizens and permanent residents aged 80 and older who previously submitted REAL ID documents can renew by mail.²
Homebound applicants with a physical or intellectual disability that makes an office visit a serious burden, or with a letter from a primary care provider certifying a severe disability, can arrange to renew at a non-DMV location by contacting the county office.²

Applicants with temporary legal presence must always renew in person and present current proof of their continued legal status.²

Replacing a Lost or Stolen Card

A duplicate is $6, obtained in person at a driver licensing center or, in limited cases, by mail. The mail option applies only if your card is still valid, was issued by your county, your name and date of birth are unchanged, and your legal status is not temporary.³

For a mail-in duplicate from Honolulu County, send a signed letter to the Driver’s Licensing Section, PO Box 30340, Honolulu, HI 96820-0340. Include your full name as it appears on the card, the last four digits of your Social Security Number or your state ID number, your date of birth, a phone number or email, the reason for the duplicate, and a $6 check or money order payable to “City and County of Honolulu.”³ Other counties handle duplicates differently, so contact the county that issued your card.

Changing the Name on Your Card

Any change to the name printed on your state ID requires an in-person visit with original supporting documents. Bring the connecting paperwork for every step from the name on your birth certificate to your current legal name.² If you married and took a spouse’s name, bring the marriage certificate. If you later divorced and changed your name again, bring the divorce decree or court order too. Each link needs its own original or certified document.

1
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
2
Department of Transportation. Hawaii State Identification Card
3
Department of Customer Services. State ID
4
Department of Transportation. Acceptable Documents for a REAL ID Compliant STAR Hawaii Drivers License, Instruction Permit, Provisional Drivers License or Hawaii State Identification Card
5
Hawaii County, HI Vehicle Registration and Licensing. Hawaii State Identification Cards
6
Hawaii County, HI Vehicle Registration and Licensing. License Fees
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Department of Customer Services. CSD Services and Locations
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Department of Customer Services. How-To AlohaQ
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Department of Customer Services. Drivers License Procedures