Hawaii Car Shipping Requirements

Information on Shipping Your Vehicle to Hawaii

Shipping your car to or from Hawaii can be a special challenge. Luckily the experts at Carnections are here for you!
There are a few special Hawaii car shipping requirements you should know.

Vehicle Requirements

  • The vehicle must be operational, have a working parking/hand/emergency brake, contain no chips or cracks in the windshield, and be qualified or capable of being qualified for driving on public roads.

  • The vehicle must have a clean interior and exterior. Particularly, make sure there is no dirt or plant matter anywhere in or on the vehicle. Your vehicle will be inspected by the USDA. If it fails the USDA inspection, it will not be shipped.

  • Remove all personal belonging. If an item is not normally attached to the vehicle (e.g., radio or spare tire) or bolted or strapped down (e.g., a secure car seat) then it is NOT allowed. This is a requirement of the shipping line and is standard for shipping vehicles across any ocean

  • Have NO MORE than ¼ a tank of gas. If your car arrives at the port with more than ¼ tank, it will be drained of the excess and you will be charged a gas removal fee.

  • Vehicles moving out of Seattle must have antifreeze, especially during the cold months. Antifreeze is recommended for all ports during the winter. Carnections is not responsible for damage to your vehicle due to cold temperatures.

  • NO flammable or otherwise dangerous materials, e.g., propane tanks, fire extinguishers, firearms, ammo, etc. are allowed. No exceptions.

What you’ll need

  • Be prepared with the name, mailing address and phone number of the shipper (the person who is shipping the vehicle) and the consignee (the person to whom the vehicle is being shipped).

  • You’ll need to have the vehicle make, model, year, license plate number & state, VIN number, and color

  • You might need to show a copy of the vehicle registration (The vehicle title is required if your vehicle is leaving the Seattle, WA port).

  • Make sure you know which port in Hawaii your vehicle is being shipped to. We can ship it to Hilo or Kawaihae on the Big Island, Honolulu on Oahu, Kahului on Maui, or Nawiliwili on Kauai

  • You need to supply keys for the ignition and any locked compartments, e.g., trunk and gas tank. Your keys will be shipped with your car. The Department of Agriculture inspects your vehicle so they need to have full access to your car

  • Keep the original vehicle registration. You’ll need it for receiving the car in Hawaii.

For Shipping your Vehicle From Hawaii to the Mainland

All of the conditions listed for shipping a vehicle to Hawaii PLUS the following additional conditions should be noted and met by the shipper: You must provide the vehicle’s current title and registration (no copies). If the person dropping off the vehicle is not the registered owner (name appears on the title), then he/she must also supply a letter authorizing shipment of the vehicle from Hawaii signed by the owner and notarized by a licensed notary. If a lien holder is named on the registration, then a signed a notarized letter must be supplied by the lien holder, which authorizes shipment of the vehicle from Hawaii.

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