From the Aloha Tony YouTube channel
Aloha, and welcome. If one of my videos brought you here, you're probably somewhere between dreaming about it and pricing out a shipping container. I put the things I wish every newcomer knew into one free PDF, so your move feels a lot less like a leap.
Send Me the Free GuideMore short videos on island life and the move on my Aloha Tony YouTube channel.
It's a free 12-page PDF you can read on your phone or print out. This edition focuses on Oahu, and my team helps with moves across the State. Inside:
1The honest cost of living
Oahu home and condo prices, electricity, groceries, gas, and the 4.5% GET, each with a date and a source.
2Build your Hawaii budget
A fill-in worksheet for what it costs to get here and what it costs to live here.
3Oahu areas at a glance
Town, East Honolulu, Windward, Central, Leeward, and the North Shore: vibe, commute, weather, and price feel.
4Shipping your car
Matson and Pasha Hawaii compared, what to do before drop-off, and how to register your car on Oahu.
5Bringing your pets
Hawaii's rabies-free entry rules, the 5-Day-or-Less requirements, fees, and timing.
6Your household goods
Ship a container, hire full-service movers, or sell and rebuy, plus smart questions for any quote.
7Rent or buy first?
How to decide, plus fee simple vs. leasehold, condo fees, Honolulu property taxes, and VA loan basics.
8Your 90-day moving checklist
Step by step from 90 days out through your first 30 days on Oahu.
I started in real estate in Los Angeles in 1999 and made my own move to Hawaii in 2005, so I know what it's like to land here with a long to-do list and no local contacts. Today I lead The Kawaguchi Group at eXp Realty, with 20+ agents living and working across the State.
Whether you want to buy a home or rent first and look around, my team and I will help you find the right place on the right island. We'll answer the small questions too, like which side of the island gets more rain and how long the drive into town really takes at 7 a.m.
Moving next month or two years from now, you're welcome to reach out. There's no pressure and no rush.
Tap the button, enter your name, email, and phone, and the guide opens right away. I'll also email you a copy and follow up personally to see which part of the island you're leaning toward.
By signing up for the guide, you agree that Tony Kawaguchi / The Kawaguchi Group may contact you by phone call, text message, and email at the number and email you provided about your move, including by automated means. Consent is not a condition of any purchase. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out of texts or HELP for help.
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Yes, if you plan ahead. Hawaii is rabies-free, and every dog and cat coming in has to meet the state's import rules. Pets that meet all the 5 Day Or Less program requirements can qualify for direct release at the Honolulu airport after inspection. Pets that don't can be quarantined for up to 120 days. The main steps are a working microchip, two rabies vaccinations (the most recent at least 30 days before arrival and not expired), and a passing FAVN rabies antibody test from an approved lab, followed by a 30-day wait that starts the day after the lab receives the blood sample. Your original documents need to reach the Animal Quarantine Station at least 10 days before you land; only the health certificate can travel with your pet. Direct airport release in Honolulu is $185 when the paperwork arrives on time and $244 when it doesn't. Talk to your vet the day you start thinking about moving.
Sources: Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture and Biosecurity: Animal Quarantine information · HDOA: 5 Day Or Less program FAQ · HDOA Checklist 1 (Direct Airport Release, Honolulu)
Most people book an ocean carrier such as Matson. Matson suggests booking within about a month of your move date, since sailing schedules can change. At the port you show your driver's license and booking number and leave a set of keys. The Department of Agriculture inspects every compartment, so leave them unlocked, and clean and dry the inside before you drop it off. The tank has to be between 1/8 and 1/4 full. Matson has suspended shipping electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, so check before you plan on bringing one. Matson lists 9 to 45 days from the mainland to Hawaii, depending on your island and the schedule.
Sources: Matson: dropping off your car · Matson: how to prepare your car · Matson: car shipping FAQ · Matson: shipping to and from Hawaii
Within 30 days. State law gives you 30 days after you start driving your mainland-registered car here to either register it in Hawaii or get an out-of-state vehicle permit, which keeps your current plates good until they expire, for up to 12 months. On Oahu, the city's steps start with a Hawaii safety inspection, and you'll want your shipping bill of lading with the car's VIN when you go to register. Honolulu Police have warned that skipping this can mean fines of up to $1,000, so put it on your first-month list.
Sources: HRS 286-54, out-of-state vehicle permit · City and County of Honolulu: vehicle registration steps (military info page) · Honolulu Police Department reminder
Once you live here, plan to transfer it. A valid license from another U.S. state, a U.S. territory, or Canada can be transferred at a driver licensing center. You bring the license plus original documents for identity, legal presence, and date of birth, and two proofs of your Hawaii address, then pass a vision test. You surrender the old license, get a temporary one, and the plastic card arrives by mail in about 4 to 5 weeks. Don't let your old license expire first: an expired out-of-state license can't be transferred, and you'd have to take the written and road tests. I couldn't find a set city deadline, so I tell people to do it as soon as they have proof of a Hawaii address.
Two to start with. Hawaii doesn't have a sales tax. Instead it has the general excise tax, a tax on businesses that's 4% at the state level plus a 0.5% county surcharge in all four counties. Businesses can pass it on to you, up to 4.712% of the price. Property tax is set by each county, not the state. On Oahu, if you buy and live in the home as your principal residence, you can file for a home exemption that lowers your taxable value by $120,000, or $160,000 if you're 65 or older, rising to $140,000 and $180,000 on July 1, 2027. The claim is due September 30 before the tax year it applies to, so file soon after you close. For income tax, talk to a tax professional.
Sources: Hawaii Dept. of Taxation: general excise tax FAQ · Hawaii Dept. of Taxation: county surcharge · Honolulu Real Property Assessment Division: home exemption
I always recommend it if you can swing it. Each island, and each side of each island, feels different, and a week of real errands, traffic, and weather tells you more than any video. If you do one scouting trip, let me know your dates and I'll help you see the areas that fit your budget and commute. A lot of my clients rent first for a few months, then buy once they know where they want to be. If a trip isn't possible, that's okay too.
Yes, and I help people do it every year. We tour by live video, I go see the things a camera misses, and your inspection, escrow, and most signing can be handled from wherever you are. The one rule I won't bend on: before you wire any money, call the escrow company at a number you looked up yourself and confirm the instructions by voice. Wire fraud targets remote buyers, and that phone call is the best protection there is.
Sources: My remote buyer's guide
Pet, shipping, vehicle, and tax rules change. Confirm with the agency or carrier before you book. Nothing here is tax or legal advice.
Ready to start planning your move?
Get the Free Moving to Hawaii GuideRather just talk story? Call me at (808) 201-3577 or send me a message.
Tony Kawaguchi, REALTOR (RS-66616), eXp Realty (RB-21841)
The Kawaguchi Group
Phone: (808) 201-3577 · Email: tony@alohatony.com
YouTube: Aloha Tony
Licensed in Hawaii. Equal Housing Opportunity.