Overview
This calculator runs the three scenarios buyers actually hit: a dealer sale (GET passed on at the grossed-up 4.712% rate so the dealer doesn't eat the tax on the tax), a private-party sale (typically zero, if you document it), and an out-of-state purchase you're shipping in (use tax at 4.5% of the landed value - the price plus freight and insurance to get it here).
01 - Official fees
Hawaii car sales tax fees at a glance
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GET, dealer sale (visible pass-on) | 4.712% | of the purchase price |
| GET, private-party / casual sale | 0% | not a business transaction |
| Use tax, out-of-state purchase shipped in | 4.5% | of landed value (price + freight + insurance) |
| Gift (genuine, no consideration) | 0% | Form G-27A affidavit required |
| Credit for tax paid elsewhere | Dollar-for-dollar | against Hawaii use tax owed |
Figures verified June 2026 against official sources (listed below). Always confirm the final amount with your county motor vehicle registration office (Honolulu, Maui, Hawaiʻi, or Kauaʻi) - counties can add small local fees.
03 - Same state, other costs
More Hawaii vehicle costs
04 - Common questions
Hawaii car sales tax FAQ
What's the actual Hawaii car sales tax rate?
There isn't a standalone sales tax. Dealers charge a General Excise Tax pass-on of 4.712% (their 4.5% GET liability grossed up, since the amount they collect from you is itself part of their taxable gross income). Private-party sales generally owe none of it.
Is it true I pay nothing buying from a private seller?
In the large majority of cases, yes. GET taxes business gross income; a one-off private sale isn't business activity, so no GET or use tax applies regardless of price. You still file Form G-27 at the county office to document why - skip it and the clerk may assess tax on the vehicle's fair market value by default.
I'm having a car shipped to Hawaii from the mainland - what do I owe?
Use tax at 4.5% of the landed value: your purchase price plus the cost of shipping, insurance, and handling to get the car to a Hawaii port. If you already paid sales or use tax to the state you bought it in, that amount credits against what you owe here.
Why is the dealer rate 4.712% and not just 4.5%?
GET is a tax on the dealer's gross income, and the money they collect from you to cover that tax is itself part of their gross income - so a flat 4.5% pass-on would undercollect. The Department of Taxation publishes 4.712% as the maximum grossed-up rate businesses may charge to fully recover a 4.5% GET liability.
Does gifting a car avoid tax the same way a private sale does?
Yes, and in Hawaii it isn't limited to family the way it is in many states - any genuine no-payment transfer qualifies, documented on Form G-27A. The moment any money, trade, or assumed loan balance changes hands, though, it's a sale (taxed like one if a dealer was involved, untaxed if it was still just two individuals).
Are there any vehicle purchases that are always exempt?
Government purchases, qualifying nonprofit organizations using a vehicle for their exempt purpose, and inherited vehicles are generally exempt from GET/use tax, in addition to the private-sale and gift exemptions above. Dealer sales to consumers are the main category that's actually taxed.
Do I need to file anything if I bought from a dealer?
No - the dealer collects and remits GET as part of the sale; you don't file separately. The paperwork burden (Form G-27) falls on private-party buyers and importers precisely because there's no dealer to collect and report it for you.
05 - Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.