What You Need to Know to Renew your Hawai’i Driver’s License

On Jan. 16, 2018, motorists renewing their Hawai’i driver’s licenses began bearing a star in a gold circle, indicating that the license is in full compliance with new Federal guidelines.

To obtain the gold star driver’s licenses, which indicates the license is Real ID compliant, motorists must present the following documents to the Vehicle Registration & Licensing Division:

• A U.S. State, Local Government- issued Certificate of Birth; or a valid U.S. Passport or Passport Card
• For married women who changed their names, a certified government-issued marriage certificate (showing name on birth certificate)
• A Social Security card (unlaminated) showing current name
• Two documents showing your physical address (such as a HELCO bill). If you use a post office box number, submit one document with the post office box number and one document with your physical address.

Motorists may elect to get a limited-purpose driver’s license, which will not have a gold star, but which may ONLY be used to drive. For more information on Acceptable Documents visit our website.

No changes are required at this time to currently-valid licenses. The Department of Homeland Security has mandated that all driver’s licenses used as identification to board flights and enter all Federal buildings must bear the gold star by October 1, 2020.  Passports can be used as alternate identification to board flights.