Hawaii Bill of Sale for a Car
A bill of sale may be required for a private car sale in Hawaii, depending on the situation. Hawaii titling is administered by each county (Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii), and a private sale is normally completed with the properly endorsed certificate of title, current registration, and safety inspection certificate submitted within 30 days rather than a bill of sale — but a bill of sale is required in specific situations (e.g., the City and County of Honolulu requires a notarized bill of sale if the certificate of title is not released by the recorded owner), and exact requirements vary by county.
Compiled from Hawaii DMV guidance — verify current rules with the state · 2026-07-08 · Reviewed by the CarWhere Vehicle Data Team
Bill of sale
Conditional
Bill of sale notary
Conditional
Official form
No statewide form; county forms exist
Official form: No statewide form; county forms exist (e.g., Maui County Bill of Sale, Form DMVL590) · Free printable Hawaii template →
What a Hawaii car bill of sale must include
- Seller name and signature
- Buyer name and address
- Vehicle description (year, make, license plate and/or VIN)
- Consideration/sale price
- Date of sale
- Notarization when used in lieu of a released title (Honolulu)
Ownership transfers through the county-endorsed certificate of title, and the federal odometer disclosure baseline (vehicles under 20 model years old) applies to private sales via the title assignment.
Before you sign: run the VIN
Once you sign, the car — and its problems — are yours. The $9.99 Full VIN Report shows open recalls for that VIN, plus complaints and service bulletins for the model, and the original window sticker where available, in about a minute. One-time, no subscription. Run the report →
FAQ
Do you need a bill of sale to sell a car privately in Hawaii?
Sometimes. Hawaii titling is administered by each county (Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii), and a private sale is normally completed with the properly endorsed certificate of title, current registration, and safety inspection certificate submitted within 30 days rather than a bill of sale — but a bill of sale is required in specific situations (e.g., the City and County of Honolulu requires a notarized bill of sale if the certificate of title is not released by the recorded owner), and exact requirements vary by county.
Does a Hawaii car bill of sale have to be notarized?
In some cases. The City and County of Honolulu requires the bill of sale to be notarized when it is used because the certificate of title was not released by the recorded owner; other counties' notarization practices vary.
Is there an official Hawaii bill of sale form?
Yes — No statewide form; county forms exist (e.g., Maui County Bill of Sale, Form DMVL590) (linked above). You can also use any document that contains the same information.
What should a Hawaii car bill of sale include?
At minimum: seller name and signature; buyer name and address; vehicle description (year, make, license plate and/or vin); consideration/sale price; date of sale; notarization when used in lieu of a released title (honolulu). Ownership transfers through the county-endorsed certificate of title, and the federal odometer disclosure baseline (vehicles under 20 model years old) applies to private sales via the title assignment.
What should I check before signing the Hawaii bill of sale?
Confirm the VIN on the document matches the dashboard and door-jamb VIN character-for-character, and check the vehicle's history first: the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report shows open recalls for that VIN, plus complaints and service bulletins for the model and the original window sticker where available. Once you sign, the car — and its problems — are yours, so they're cheaper to find before you sign.
Sources: bill-of-sale, notarization, and odometer requirements from Hawaii DMV/DOR/DOT guidance (linked above), with some details confirmed via official-domain search where the state site blocked direct access. Requirements change by statute — confirm with the state before you sign. Cite this page: CarWhere, "Hawaii Bill of Sale for a Car," carwhere.com/titles/bill-of-sale/hawaii, verified 2026-07-08.