How licensing works in Hawaii
The Hawaii Department of Transportation sets the rules, and each county (Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii County and Kauai) runs its own driver licensing centers. Drivers under 18 go through a graduated licensing program.
| Stage | Minimum age | Main rules |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction permit | 15½ | Pass the written test. Drive with a licensed driver 21 or older in the right front seat. From 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., a parent or guardian must ride along. Hold 180 days. |
| Provisional license | 16 | State-certified driver education. 50 supervised hours (10 at night). From 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., a licensed parent or guardian must ride along, except for work or school activities. One non-household passenger under 18. |
| Driver's license | 17 | Hold the provisional license for six months. |
New drivers are most likely to crash in their first months of driving alone, and night driving and carrying friends make that risk higher. Graduated licensing rules give you time to build skill in safer conditions, so you gain experience before the limits come off.
Provisional license rules
- Between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., drive only with a licensed parent or guardian, unless you are going to or from work or a school-authorized activity.
- Carry no more than one passenger under 18 who is not a member of your household, unless a parent or guardian is with you.
- Everyone in the car must wear a seat belt or use a child restraint.
Driver education
Minors need a State-certified driver education course. You will get certificates for both the classroom part and the behind-the-wheel part. Bring them when you apply for your provisional license.
The Hawaii written test
You can take the learner's permit written test online if you are at least 15 years and 6 months old, or at a county driver licensing center.
| Online test detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Questions | 25 |
| Time limit | One hour |
| Languages | English and Spanish |
| Device | Desktop or laptop with webcam, keyboard and mouse (no phones or tablets) |
| Fee | Your county's fee, paid online by credit card |
| After you pass | 30 days to finish at a county licensing center |
Rules for the online test
- Do not look to the side or leave the test screen.
- If you are under 18, an adult over 18 must be there when you register and give their driver's license details.
- The adult must stay out of the webcam's view while you test.
Rules specific to Hawaii
Supervision
A permit holder must drive with a licensed driver who is at least 21 and sits in the right front seat. Late at night, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., the supervisor must be a parent or guardian.
Seat belts
When a provisional driver is behind the wheel, every occupant must be buckled up or in a child restraint.
Pedestrians and city driving
Honolulu and other towns have busy crosswalks. Always stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk and watch for people near bus stops.
Stop and wait for pedestrians in the crosswalk.
- The pedestrian crossing.
- Your car stopped before the crosswalk.
- A car in the next lane also stops.
Key numbers to remember
Many test questions ask for an exact age, time or number. Use this table as a quick review before you practice.
| Rule | Number |
|---|---|
| Permit age | 15½ |
| Permit holding period | 180 days |
| Supervisor age | 21 or older |
| Practice hours | 50, including 10 at night |
| Provisional age | 16 |
| Night limit | 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. |
| Online test | 25 questions, 1 hour |
| Finish after passing online | Within 30 days |
Test tips
- Read the Official Hawaii Driver's Manual.
- Learn the key numbers: 15½, 16, 17, 21, 180 days, 50 hours, 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
- Do these practice tests until you score 90% or more.
- Take the real test online or book a county appointment.
On test day
Give yourself plenty of time on the day of your test. Get a good night's sleep, eat something before you go, and arrive early so you do not feel rushed.
- Bring every document on the official checklist, plus your glasses or contact lenses if you need them to see.
- Turn off your phone and put it away before the test starts.
- Read each question all the way through, then read every answer before you choose.
- If you are not sure, first rule out the answers you know are wrong.
- Change an answer only if you are sure you misread the question.
If you do not pass, do not give up. Look at the topics you missed, study those parts of the handbook again, and take more practice tests before you try again.
Keep studying
This guide covers rules that are special to Hawaii. The general rules of the road, such as right-of-way, turns, lane markings, parking, alcohol and sharing the road, are in the national US driving study guide. Study both before your test.