Free Hawai`i

FAKE STATE CALLS LICENSE PLATE FAKE

March 9, 2014 - Maui Now.com

By Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa

Q: I have a question about the “Kingdom of Hawai‘i” license plates I see on various kinds of vehicles and in different colors. Are these plates legal? If not, why are the vehicles allowed to be driven on county and state roads? I’ve lived here for 40 years and have always wondered: If the owners of those vehicles aren’t required to have a State of Hawai‘i registration and license plate, why does everyone else have to?


A: Thank you for asking, as I’m sure many other drivers have wondered about this too. Hawai‘i state law mandates that every owner of a motor vehicle operated upon public highways must pay the annual taxes and fees at the time of registration in the county where the vehicle is to be operated (HRS §286-41(a), 249-2). The law also requires that all vehicles for which a tax has been paid be issued two license plates. The current design of the specialty and numbered plates contain the word “Hawaii” along the upper portion of the plate, the words “Aloha State” along the lower portion of the plate, and a drawing of a rainbow diagonally across the plate (HRS §249-9). Owners are required to securely fasten the license plates on the vehicle, one on the front and the other on the rear, at a location provided by the manufacturer (HRS §249-7). According to the Maui Police Department, enforcement has been steady, with citations issued for license plates that do not conform to the laws specified above. A total of 1,229 citations have been issued for license plate violations since December 1, 2012, which would include the Kingdom of Hawai‘i plates you have seen on the road.