Ask the Mayor: Why are Home Addresses on Vehicle Registrations?

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the questions submitted to his staff.

Cars line the Kuihelani Hwy where motorists have pulled over to enjoy the view. “We are not allowing people to drive onto the farm site. In addition to our upcoming Earth Day event, in the future we will be working to organize tours of the farm to give people access to learn more about these biofuel crops and our company’s sustainable ‘agriculture and renewable energy’ model,” said a company spokesperson. PC: Maui Now 4.11.17.

Submit your own questions about County of Maui programs, services, operations or policies to Mayor Alan Arakawa at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, 270-7855 or mail them to 200 S. High St., 9th Floor, Wailuku, HI 96793.

Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column.

Dear Mayor:

Q: A vehicle owner’s home address is on their vehicle registration document. There’s a concern that if a vehicle is stolen, the perpetrator would know where the victim’s home is. For people that keep a garage door opener in their glove compartment, this presents a serious potential threat for theft. Is this a Hawaiʻi Revised Statute, County Code, or policy requirement?

A: I asked our DMVL staff about this, and was told that per Hawaiʻi Revised Statute (HRS) 286-41 the Registered Owner’s address is required as part of the application for vehicle registration, as the registration renewal and any communication from the DMVL is mailed to the address that is provided by the registered owner.

Additionally, HRS 286-47 (1) mandates that both the certificate of registration and certificate of title contain the name and address of the owner and legal owner. The law does not specify physical home address, however, so the registered owner has the option of listing a P.O. Box address for vehicle registration purposes. Vehicle owners who want to see a change in the State law requiring the address to be printed on the registration document may speak with their state elected officials about advocating for such an amendment.