Auto ship to Hawaii
Hawaii poses a unique set of challenges for shipping a car. The import procedure is the same as anywhere else in the United States, but the actual physical delivery of the vehicle requires additional work.
Hawaii, although considered a state, is made up of five separate islands that each have a different port of call. If you’re moving to one of these islands, you can’t just tell a shipping company that you need autoship to Hawaii. It is necessary to be more specific.
The main port of entry for imports is Honolulu on the island of Oahu. This port services the capital city and is the normal import point for most goods brought to Hawaii by ship. If you autoship to Hawaii and your vehicle is shipped to Honolulu, it may be transported to another island by ferry without paying another import duty or tax.
Other available ports are Hilo on the island of Hawaii, Kahului on Maui, Kawaihe on Hawaii, Nawiilwili on Kauai, Kaunakakai on Mologai, and Kaumalapau on Lanai. If you’re traveling to Hawaii for the first time, check with your shipping company to make sure they ship your car to the port closest to where you’ll be staying.
Taxes and fees for shipping cars to Hawaii differ depending on the point of origin. If you ship from another state and have already paid excise duties in that state, there will be no additional duties when you arrive in Hawaii. The exception to this is a vehicle purchase made less than ninety days prior to shipment. If your car is a new purchase, you will be required to pay Hawaii use tax unless you can show that it was purchased for use elsewhere and shipping the car to Hawaii is incidental.
If you are importing a car from another country into Hawaii, it will be subject to customs duty calculated by the United States Customs office. As with any international import, remove all personal items and anything that may be considered taxable or contraband from the vehicle prior to shipment. Your auto shipping company should be able to tell you what the import tax will be when you arrive in Hawaii.
Car dealers and military personnel are the only people who are not subject to a use tax in Hawaii, but may be subject to an import tax or duty depending on the number of vehicles being shipped. This is the area where it becomes crucial to have a reliable auto shipping company to handle your affairs. Find someone with experience and knowledge in the area of rates and services when you ship a vehicle. It’s going to be expensive no matter what you do, but a quality shipping company can help you avoid unnecessary costs and headaches.