How to get a Hawaii Driver's License
Find out how to get a new HI driver's license, replace your out-of-state license and requirements for international drivers with this Hawaii DOT guide.
Hawaii DOT Driver's License Rules
Under HI DOT guidelines, you must be at least 16 years of age to apply for a Hawaii Provisional Drivers License.
All applicants need to be familiar with the Hawaii Driver's Manual. Think you know the material? Take our DMV Practice test now and test your driving knowledge.
First Time Drivers
If this is your first driver's license or your out-of-state driver's license has been expired for more than six months, you will need to apply for a Hawaii learner's permit which requires a written exam on traffic signs, motor vehicle laws and safe driving techniques.
Once you receive a valid learners permit, you will then need to pass a road skills test in addition to vision and hearing tests to receive a HI provisional driver's license.
Applicants under 18 must have held a learners permit for at least 180 days and complete a State certified driver's education course and possess the classroom and behind the wheel certificates before applying for a driver's license.
New HI Residents
Any person 18 years of age or older holding a valid driver's license issued in any other state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, a province of the Dominion of Canada, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is exempt from obtaining a Hawaii driver's license. Persons under the age of 18 years must satisfy instruction permit requirements for minors.
An applicant holding a valid out-of-state driver's license and desiring to obtain a Hawaii driver's license must complete all of the requirements for a learners permit; however, a road test may be waived at the discretion of the examiner of drivers for persons eighteen years of age and older.
International Drivers
Hawaii honors a valid foreign driver's license with an international driving permit for a period of one year. Once your foreign license expires, you must apply for a Hawaii learners permit and pass all of the required tests including the written exam, vision screening and road skills test.
Paperwork
Before you head to the Hawaii DOT Office, make sure you have all of the following required documents to get your driver's license:
- Birth Certificate
- US Passport
- Social Security Card
- Proof of Residence
- Immigration documents
On the Road
Once your licensing requirements have been met, your license will be valid for 6 years. Remember... the safe operation of a vehicle requires practiced skill, knowledge, and a respectful understanding of the limitations imposed by the other drivers and the environment.
