Overview
The paperwork does the work here. Both parties complete Form G-27A, an affidavit certifying no payment was made, no debt was assumed, and no future payment is expected - attached to Form G-27 at registration. Skip it and the county clerk may default to taxing the vehicle's fair market value, treating your 'gift' as an unreported sale. What you can't avoid is registration itself: the recipient still owes the state and county base fees and weight tax to put the car in their name.
01 - Official fees
Hawaii gift a car fees at a glance
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GET / use tax on genuine gift | $0.00 | |
| Ownership transfer fee | $5–$20 | by county |
| State registration fee | $46.00 | |
| State weight tax | 1.75¢–2.25¢/lb | |
| County weight tax | 1.25¢–7.0¢/lb | county-dependent, $12 minimum |
| Non-gift 'sale' for $1 (dealer-adjacent) | 4.712% of FMV | if the clerk doesn't accept it as a true gift |
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.
02 - Step by step
How to gift a car in Hawaii
- 1
Confirm there's no lien on the vehicle, or get the lender's lien release first - an assumed loan balance counts as payment and disqualifies the gift.
- 2
Giver signs the title over to the recipient, marking it a gift rather than filling in a sale price.
- 3
Both parties complete and sign Form G-27A, then attach it to Form G-27.
- 4
Recipient brings the title, G-27/G-27A, proof of insurance, and a current safety inspection to the county vehicle registration office within 30 days.
- 5
Pay the ownership transfer fee plus registration and weight tax - no GET is due if the paperwork is in order.
03 - Same state, other costs
More Hawaii vehicle costs
04 - Common questions
Hawaii gift a car FAQ
Do I have to be related to the recipient for a car gift to be tax-free in Hawaii?
No - this is the biggest difference from states like Texas or California. Hawaii's exemption is transaction-based (was money exchanged, yes or no), not relationship-based, so gifting to a friend, cousin, or unmarried partner works exactly the same as gifting to a spouse or child.
What voids the gift exemption?
Any consideration - cash, trade, or an assumed loan balance. If the recipient takes over an existing car loan, the lender treats that as payment, and the county will treat the transfer as a sale rather than a gift, even if no cash physically changed hands.
What does Form G-27A actually require?
Both giver and recipient certify, under penalty of the tax code, that no payment was made or promised and no debt was assumed. It attaches to Form G-27 (Motor Vehicle Use Tax Certification), which every vehicle registration files to document its tax status one way or another.
What if I don't file the G-27A - does anyone actually check?
The county registration clerk reviews it at the counter. Without it, the safest assumption is that the clerk assesses tax based on the vehicle's fair market value rather than accepting a $0 sale price at face value - so it's worth the five minutes to fill it out correctly.
Does the recipient still pay full registration on a gifted car?
Yes - the $46 state fee, $7 beautification fee, $20 county fee, and both state and county weight tax apply exactly as they would for any other new registration. The gift exemption only removes the GET/use-tax line, not registration.
Can I gift a car to someone on a different island?
Yes, but registration happens where the recipient lives, under that county's weight-tax rate - a car gifted from a Big Island parent to an Oʻahu child registers (and pays weight tax) under Honolulu's rules, not Hawaiʻi County's.
05 - Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.