How to Start an LLC in Hawaii (2026)
To form an LLC in Hawaii, you file Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1) with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Business Registration Division (BREG). The filing fee is $50, plus a mandatory $1 state archives fee, for $51 total.
Hawaii has no Secretary of State, so BREG handles LLC filings instead. Forming a domestic LLC here means picking a name and appointing a registered agent. Then you file the Articles of Organization with BREG and handle what comes after approval.
If you already formed your LLC somewhere else, you just need it authorized to do business in Hawaii. That's a foreign LLC registration, a different filing than the one below.
Quick Summary
- Search your LLC name before you file. Hawaii won't approve one that's too close to a name already on record.
- A member or manager can be your registered agent. Whoever you list needs a real Hawaii street address, and it becomes public record.
- File your annual report every year without fail. Skip it for two years running, and the state can terminate your LLC.
Hawaii LLC Requirements at a Glance
Here's what a Hawaii LLC filing looks like at a glance, pulled straight from BREG's own fee schedule and forms.
| LLC requirement | State-specific answer |
|---|---|
| Filing document | Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1) |
| Filing authority | Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Business Registration Division (BREG). Hawaii has no Secretary of State |
| State filing fee | $50.00 filing fee plus a mandatory $1.00 State Archives fee ($51.00 total). Not refundable |
| Online filing | Yes, Hawaii Business Express |
| Processing time | Not published as a fixed day range for standard review. Expedited review ($25) exists on the fee schedule but is currently suspended |
| Registered agent | Must continuously maintain a registered agent physically present in Hawaii. The LLC cannot be its own agent (HRS §428-107) |
| Annual report | $12.50 online or $15.00 by mail/in person, due by the last day of the registration quarter. $10.00 late fee per year delinquent |
| Publication required? | No. Hawaii's LLC Act (HRS Chapter 428) and BREG's own FAQ and registration pages describe no newspaper-publication step for forming an LLC |
| State business tax | General Excise Tax (GET): 4.0% on gross income plus a 0.5% county surcharge in most counties, administered by the Dept. of Taxation. No franchise tax |
| Last verified | September 3, 2026 |
How to Start an LLC in Hawaii: 6 Steps
Forming an LLC in Hawaii follows the pattern in our how to start an LLC guide. Six moves make up the process.
They start with naming your LLC and lining up an agent. Then comes filing the paperwork and setting up management. After that come the tax ID and the state's excise tax.
Step 1: Choose and check your LLC name
Your LLC's name has to stand out from every other business on file with BREG. Hawaii requires the words "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "LLC" or "L.L.C." somewhere in the name [1].
You can shorten Limited to Ltd. and Company to Co. Search Hawaii Business Express before you commit, since a name too close to one already registered gets turned down.
You can also look up an LLC in Hawaii to double-check a name isn't taken. If you're not ready to file yet, you can reserve the name for 120 days for $10.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
Every Hawaii LLC needs a registered agent lined up before it files. That agent must be physically present in the state, and allowed to accept legal paperwork on the company's behalf.
That can be you, another member, or a registered agent service in Hawaii. Using one keeps your home address off the public record. Your LLC itself can't act as its own agent.
Step 3: File the Articles of Organization with the DCCA
Once your name and agent are set, you file the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) with the DCCA Business Registration Division. File online through Hawaii Business Express, or send it by mail, email or fax.
Some founders hand this step to one of the best LLC formation services in Hawaii instead of filing it themselves.
Step 4: Create an operating agreement
Hawaii doesn't require an LLC to have a written operating agreement. Members can agree to one orally, or skip it entirely. If you never adopt one, Hawaii's LLC Act fills the gap. It governs how members, managers and the company deal with each other.
Step 5: Get an EIN
Opening a business bank account, hiring your first employee and registering for Hawaii's General Excise Tax all require having an EIN first. The IRS issues them at no cost through irs.gov, with approval right away once you submit the online application.
Step 6: Register for Hawaii's General Excise Tax
Hawaii doesn't have a traditional sales tax. Instead, nearly every LLC here registers for a General Excise Tax (GET) license through the Department of Taxation. It's a one-time $20 registration using Form BB-1.
You can register online through Hawaii Tax Online or Hawaii Business Express. You can also mail the form to the department's Honolulu P.O. box.
Filing the Articles of Organization in Hawaii: What to Expect
Here's exactly what happens between mailing or uploading your Articles of Organization and getting your approved LLC back from the state.
1. What the form asks for
The Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) is split into seven numbered articles. It wants your exact company name, the mailing address of your principal office, and your registered agent's name and Hawaii street address.
It also asks for the name and address of each organizer. You'll state whether the LLC runs for a set term or not. You'll also say if it's manager-managed or member-managed, with names and addresses either way, and whether members are liable for company debts.
2. Fee and payment methods
Filing costs $51 total. That's the $50 base fee plus Hawaii's $1 state archives fee, and neither is refundable if BREG rejects the filing.
You can pay by cash, certified or cashier's check, money order or credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, Diners Club or JCB). Make checks out to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and expect a $25 charge if yours bounces.
3. Processing times
BREG doesn't publish a standard turnaround for regular review, online or by mail. The paid expedited option is paused right now while BREG runs on its new computer system.
Pending filings are worked in the order they arrive. For a closer look at typical timelines across the state, see how long it takes to form an LLC in Hawaii.
| Filing method | Processing time |
|---|---|
| Online | Not published as a fixed figure |
| Not published. The agency only warns mail, email and fax filings "may be delayed" versus other channels | |
| In person | No fixed turnaround published. In-person filing at the BREG counter (335 Merchant Street, Room 201, Honolulu) is accepted |
| Expedited | Not offered right now. "At this time, expedited processing is not available" (normally $25 additional per the fee schedule when the service runs) |
| Current state estimate | Processed in the order received during the system transition. Paper filings keep being accepted, with no filing-fee changes |
4. Where to file by mail or in person
Mail your Articles of Organization to the Business Registration Division at P.O. Box 40, Honolulu, HI 96810. If you'd rather hand it over in person, BREG's counter is at 335 Merchant Street, Room 201. That's in the King Kalakaua Building, in downtown Honolulu.
5. Common reasons filings are rejected
BREG flags the same handful of problems again and again:
- An outdated or photocopied form, since altering the barcode forces a slower manual review.
- A document missing a signature, a date or a complete address.
- The wrong filing sequence when you submit more than one document at once.
- A fee amount that doesn't match what you're filing for.
- One check covering more than one filing, instead of a separate check for each document you submit.
6. What you receive when it is approved
Once BREG approves your filing, it emails you the approved copy if you gave them an email address when you filed. Whatever day BREG receives your paperwork becomes its official effective date, as long as everything on the form checks out.
What It Costs to Start an LLC in Hawaii
Here's every fee BREG can charge you on the way to a working Hawaii LLC. That ranges from the mandatory filing fee to the extras you can skip.
| Cost item | Amount |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $50.00 filing fee plus a mandatory $1.00 State Archives fee ($51.00 total). Not refundable |
| Name reservation | $10.00, reserved for 120 days |
| Registered agent | $0 when a member or manager serves as agent. A commercial agent's price is set by that agent, not published by DCCA |
| Certified copy | $10.00 plus $0.25 per page |
| Expedited filing | $25.00 additional, on top of the base filing fee. Currently suspended fleet-wide during the July 2026 portal transition |
| Annual report | $12.50 online or $15.00 by mail/in person, due by the last day of the registration quarter. $10.00 late fee per year delinquent |
| Other mandatory state fees | None beyond the $1.00 State Archives fee already folded into the filing fee above |
Only the state filing fee is mandatory. Reserving your name, hiring a commercial registered agent, ordering certified copies and paying for expedited review are all optional.
Skip them if your budget's tight. For the full breakdown, see how much it costs to start an LLC in Hawaii.
Hawaii-Specific Rules That Change the Process
1. No professional LLC option
Hawaii doesn't have a separate Professional LLC entity for licensed professionals the way some states do. If you're a doctor, lawyer or accountant, you register the same domestic LLC everyone else does. Your licensing board's rules apply on top of that.
2. Manager or member details become public
Whatever you put in Article 6 becomes part of the public record the moment BREG files it. That includes your managers' names or your members'. There's no way to keep it private, since Hawaii law makes every BREG filing open to public view.
3. No publication requirement
Hawaii doesn't make you publish a notice about your new LLC in a newspaper. Once BREG approves your Articles of Organization, you're done on that front, with nothing else to file or announce.
4. Missing your annual report has a real deadline
BREG can start terminating your LLC administratively under three conditions [2]. That happens if it goes two years without an annual report on file, without a fee paid or without a registered agent maintained.
You then get two years to apply for reinstatement. The application has to include every report you skipped and all the fees and penalties you owe. You'll also need a clearance from the Department of Taxation showing your taxes are square.
5. Foreign LLC registration uses a different form
If you formed your LLC somewhere else and want to do business in Hawaii too, you file a different form. It's the Application for Certificate of Authority (Form FLLC-1), filed with the same DCCA Business Registration Division.
What to Do After Your Hawaii LLC Is Approved
Getting your Articles of Organization approved is only the beginning. BREG and the Department of Taxation both expect more from an active LLC. Here's what comes next.
Banking. Bring the Articles of Organization BREG approved, along with your EIN, to open a business bank account in the LLC's name.
Sign up with the Department of Taxation before your first payment, and check whether you also need any county-level permits.
Set up a simple bookkeeping system early, since your GET returns and your annual report both depend on having your numbers straight.
Ongoing compliance. File your annual report every year by the deadline tied to your registration quarter, and keep your registered agent's information current with BREG.
Swapping out your agent later is a separate filing. See how to change a registered agent in Hawaii for the steps. Closing up shop is separate too. See how to dissolve an LLC in Hawaii instead of letting the state do it for you.
| Compliance item | Deadline, fee and department |
|---|---|
| Initial report | None required. Hawaii's LLC Act and BREG's own registration and FAQ pages describe no separate initial report distinct from the recurring annual report |
| Annual or biennial report | $12.50 online / $15.00 by mail or in person, due by the last day of the calendar quarter containing the registration date. Filed with DCCA/BREG |
| State tax registration | GET license (Form BB-1), $20.00 one-time fee, filed with the Dept. of Taxation online or by mail to P.O. Box 1425, Honolulu, HI 96806-1425 |
| Renewal deadline | Not applicable. Hawaii has no general state business license requiring its own renewal |
| Late fee | $10.00 per year delinquent. Administrative termination can start after two years without an annual report on file (HRS §428-809) |
| Responsible state department | DCCA Business Registration Division (formation filings, annual report) and Dept. of Taxation (GET registration) |
FAQs
How Long Does Hawaii LLC Approval Take?
How long Hawaii LLC approval takes depends on BREG's workload, since the agency doesn't post a fixed timeline for regular filings, whether you mail them in or submit online. Filing fees haven't changed during the current transition, and the paid expedited option stays paused for now.
Is an Annual Report Required for a Hawaii LLC?
Yes, an annual report is required for every Hawaii LLC, due by the last day of the calendar quarter that covers its registration date. It costs $12.50 online or $15 by mail, and a $10 late fee applies for every year you're delinquent.
Does Hawaii Charge a Franchise Tax on LLCs?
No, Hawaii doesn't charge LLCs a separate franchise tax. The General Excise Tax is administered by the Department of Taxation instead.
Can I Form a Professional LLC in Hawaii?
No, you can't form a Professional LLC in Hawaii. You'd register a regular domestic LLC instead and stay subject to your profession's licensing board separately.
What Happens to Hawaii LLC Filings During the Portal Transition?
Hawaii LLC filings during the portal transition still move forward on paper. BREG switched to a new computer system recently, and mail, email, fax and in-person filings all keep getting accepted while it settles in.
Does Hawaii's General Excise Tax Replace a Sales Tax?
Yes, Hawaii's General Excise Tax stands in for a sales tax by taxing the business instead of the customer. It runs 4% statewide on gross income, with a 0.5% county surcharge added in Honolulu, Kauai and Hawaii counties.
References:
- https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol08_Ch0401-0429/HRS0428/HRS_0428-.htm
- https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol08_Ch0401-0429/HRS0428/HRS_0428-0809.htm
