Hawaii Duplicate Title

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

If your Hawaii vehicle title has been lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed, the registered owner can apply for a duplicate certificate at the county motor vehicle office where the vehicle is registered. Each county issues its own duplicate using a county-specific application form, but all four counties — Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai — use the same statewide title format and follow the same lienholder rules.

Who can apply

Only the registered owner shown on the title (or their authorized agent with a notarized power of attorney) can apply for a duplicate. If the title shows a lienholder, the lienholder usually has to apply or sign off on the application — Hawaii titles with active liens stay with the lender, so a lost-title problem on a financed vehicle is typically resolved through the lender, not the county. Joint owners both have to sign the application unless the title is held with "or" between the names.

What you'll need

Bring the following to your county motor vehicle office:

Application for Duplicate Certificate of Title (county-issued form, varies in form number by county).
Government-issued photo ID — Hawaii driver's license, REAL ID, or U.S. passport.
Vehicle registration card or VIN documentation that matches the lost title.
Lienholder release, if any prior lien has been paid off but the title was never updated.
Payment of the duplicate title fee (typically $5-$15 by county; Honolulu currently charges $5).
Notarized power of attorney if a third party is filing on the owner's behalf.

Filing in person

Hawaii duplicate title applications are typically filed in person at the county counter. The owner signs the application in front of the county clerk; the clerk verifies the signature against the driver's license and the existing title record in the county database. Once approved, the duplicate title is mailed to the address on file in 2-6 weeks. The original title (if found later) is no longer valid once the duplicate is issued.

Mail-in applications

Some Hawaii counties accept mail-in applications for duplicate titles when the owner is off-island or off-state. The owner downloads the county form, completes it, has the signature notarized, and mails it to the county motor vehicle office with payment by check or money order. Processing time is the same 2-6 weeks but the county may take an extra 5-10 days to verify the notarization. Active military members stationed outside Hawaii are usually accommodated this way.

If a lien is on the title

Hawaii titles for financed vehicles are held by the lienholder, not the owner. If the lien has been satisfied but the title was never released, contact the lender first — most lenders mail the title to the owner within 30 days of payoff. If the lender failed to release the lien on file with the county, file the duplicate with a copy of the loan payoff statement and ask the county to update the record. If the lender no longer exists (a defunct credit union or sold-off auto loan), Hawaii allows a "lien release by affidavit" filing with proof of payoff and an attempt-to-locate the lienholder.

Fees by county

City and County of Honolulu — duplicate title fee currently $5.
Hawaii County (Big Island) — $10.
Maui County — $5-$10 depending on title status.
Kauai County — $5.

Fees adjust periodically; verify with your county before mailing. Most counties accept cash, debit, credit, and check; some satellite offices accept cash only.

Selling without the original title

You cannot complete a Hawaii title transfer without an original title in the seller's hand. If the title is lost, apply for a duplicate first, wait for it to arrive, and then sign it over to the buyer. Don't try to use a Bill of Sale alone — Hawaii counties will not process the transfer, and the buyer will end up unable to register the vehicle. Plan for the duplicate's processing time when scheduling the sale. See Hawaii vehicle registration for the buyer's side of the transaction.