Renewals for Expiring Driver’s Licenses, State IDs to be Waived

The Hawai‘i Department Transportation Highways Division announced it would invoke a 90-day waiver for all expiring driver’s licenses and State ID cards in the coming weeks in an effort to reduce face-to-face interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

HDOT’s Highway Division is also implementing changes to its vehicle licensing and safety check programs to comply with social distancing.

Those driver’s licenses and State IDs expiring between March 23 and May 15 will be considered valid by the state for an additional 90 days. The 90-day waiver for driver’s licenses also applies to Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holders.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is accepting expired driver’s licenses or State IDs that expired on or after March 1 for use at TSA checkpoints. See https://www.tsa.gov/coronavirus for more information. On March 23, President Donald Trump announced that the Oct. 1, 2020 REAL ID deadline would be extended. The new deadline has yet to be announced.

In coordination with the county driver’s licensing centers, HDOT has suspended all in-person driver’s license transactions and in-vehicle testing. There are limited non-in-person driver’s license services available such as online ordering of duplicates currently offered by the City and County of Honolulu for eligible residents, and mail-in duplicates and renewals offered by all counties. Visit the county’s website or contact the county that issued your driver’s license or State ID for instructions on using their mail-in services.

Additionally, HDOT is allowing extension of the Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC) and hazardous materials endorsement expiration for motor carriers through the period of the Governor’s emergency proclamation which began March 4 and was extended to May 15.

The annual safety check requirement is suspended, and no safety checks will be done through the month of April. If your safety check is expired, it will remain valid through May 31. Also, you may renew your vehicle registration online or with your expired safety check certificate during this grace period.

Vehicle registrations may still be done online or by mail even though your safety check may have expired. Not all counties allow online renewals after your registration submission deadline. Please check your county’s website or contact your county office for further information.

For more information, visit: https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/departments/finance/vehicle-registration-licensing