Official fees
Hawaii motorcycle fee chart
State registration fee
$46.00
State highway beautification fee
$7.00
State emblem fee
$0.50
State weight tax (typical bike, ≤4,000 lbs bracket)
1.75¢/lb
County registration fee
$20.00
plus $0.50 county emblem
County weight tax
$12 minimum
most bikes don't exceed the floor
Safety inspection
$17.75
GET, dealer purchase
4.712%
of purchase price
Figures verified July 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.
- Base fees
- Same $46 state + $20 county as cars
- Weight tax
- Usually hits the $12 county minimum
- Safety inspection
- $17.75/yr (cheaper than cars)
- Typical total
- ≈ $95–$140/yr
- Purchase tax
- Same GET/use-tax rules as cars
Overview
The one place motorcycles come out ahead: the annual safety inspection is $17.75 instead of the $25.75 cars and trucks pay. Buying one triggers the same tax rules as a car - GET at the 4.712% visible rate for a dealer sale, generally nothing for a private-party purchase. Run your county and weight below.
Same state, other costs
More Hawaii vehicle costs
Common questions
Hawaii motorcycle fees FAQ
- How much does it cost to register a motorcycle in Hawaii per year?
- Roughly $95 in Hawaiʻi County up to about $140 on Oʻahu for a typical bike under 4,000 lbs registered weight, including the $17.75 safety inspection. Most of that gap is Honolulu's higher county weight-tax rate, though many bikes still land right at the $12 county minimum.
- Do motorcycles pay less weight tax than cars in Hawaii?
- The rate per pound is identical to a car in the same weight bracket - but because most motorcycles weigh far less than the typical passenger car, the calculated county weight tax usually falls below the $12 minimum, so you simply pay the floor amount instead.
- Is the safety inspection cheaper for motorcycles?
- Yes - $17.75 versus $25.75 for cars and trucks, effective July 1, 2025. It's still required annually before you can register or renew, same as any other vehicle.
- Do I pay GET buying a motorcycle from a dealer?
- Yes, the same 4.712% visible pass-on rate that applies to any dealer vehicle sale. A private-party motorcycle purchase generally owes no GET or use tax, following the same casual-sale exemption as cars - file Form G-27 at registration either way.
- Are mopeds and scooters registered the same way?
- Street-legal mopeds and scooters with an engine go through the same county registration and weight-tax process. Very low-power devices that meet Hawaii's bicycle/electric-bicycle definitions instead of the motor vehicle definition may not need vehicle registration at all - check with your county if you're unsure which category yours falls into.
- Can I register a motorcycle I'm shipping in from the mainland?
- Yes - same use-tax rule as a car: 4.5% of the landed value (price plus shipping/insurance) unless you already paid tax to another state, which credits against it. Registration then follows the normal county process based on the bike's weight.
Receipts
Official sources
Every number on this page comes from these documents - check them yourself.
