HONOLULU (KHON2) — Over 40 thousand vehicles around Oahu are driving with expired tags, according to the City and County of Honolulu.
With nearly 900 thousand registered vehicles on the island, city officials urge drivers to keep an eye out for when their car registration expires to avoid fines.
Reports said 73 percent of the 40 thousand unregistered Oahu vehicles had not been registered in at least five years.
“If your vehicle is not registered, it means you are driving illegally and could be penalized,” said Kim Hashiro, the city’s Department of Customer Services Director.
Vehicle owners are sent a renewal notice 45 days before their vehicle expires from the Motor Vehicle Registration Branch. Owners can then choose from four ways to renew their vehicle.
According to the City, the fastest way to renew is through a DMV Now self-service kiosk at select Safeway and Foodland locations.
Vehicle owners can also renew their tags online, at a satellite city hall, or through mail.
Those who fail to renew their registration on time face a $16 late penalty for passenger vehicles and a $40 late penalty for commercial vehicles.
Drivers with expired tags also risk being pulled over and facing additional penalties.
If your registration is more than a year overdue, the City said taxes and fees from previous years must be paid as well. Any appeals must be made through the First Circuit District Court of Oahu.
In addition, drivers are reminded to ensure their vehicle has a current Hawaii safety inspection before registration.
For more information, visit the Department of Customer Services’ website.