Trailer registration
Trailer registration in Hawaii: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services (Division of Motor Vehicle, Licensing and Permits).
Who to contact
City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services (Division of Motor Vehicle, Licensing and Permits)
Visit the official Hawaii pageStep by step
Complete Form CS-L(MVR)14 (Application for Registration of Trailer)
Obtain a Hawaii Vehicle Inspection Certificate (required for trailers 10,000 lbs GVW or under)
For trailers over 10,000 lbs GVW, submit a State Department of Transportation Inspection Certificate
For new/out-of-county trailers, include the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin (MCO)
For previously out-of-state trailers: provide prior jurisdiction registration/title, a certified State weighmaster weight slip, bill of lading showing arrival date, and pass a VIN inspection
Submit to a Honolulu satellite city hall / DMV with payment
What to bring
Fees & renewal
Fees
Not published on the official page as of September 2, 2026 — confirm the exact fee with City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services (Division of Motor Vehicle, Licensing and Permits).
Renewal
Renews annual.
Good to know
Registration is COUNTY-administered (Honolulu shown; Hawaii/Maui/Kauai counties run their own offices). Trailer page does not print a dollar fee, so fees=null; Hawaii motor-vehicle registration is annual (expires by last working day of the expiration month) per the Honolulu motor-vehicle-registration page.
More for Hawaii
General guidance
Most states require any trailer towed on public roads to carry a title or registration, but the agency, the paperwork, and whether the rule depends on trailer weight vary by state. Pick your state below for the sourced, step-by-step process.
Nearly every state asks for a title, a manufacturer’s certificate of origin, or a bill of sale before it will issue a registration or plate. A homemade or older trailer without a title usually needs a separate title-application process before registration.
A number of states only require registration above a set gross weight, or price the fee by weight class. Check your state’s page below for whether a weight threshold applies before you assume a small utility trailer is exempt.
Most states issue the trailer plate through a county tag office, license plate agent, or DMV field office rather than by mail from the state capital. Confirm the exact office in the state guide below before you drive over.
Common questions
Yes — Hawaii requires registration for this vehicle type. City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services (Division of Motor Vehicle, Licensing and Permits) handles it; see the steps above.
Hawaii lists a annual renewal cadence for this vehicle type.
It depends on the state and, in several states, on the trailer’s weight. Some states exempt trailers under a set gross weight from registration entirely, while others require every trailer towed on public roads to carry a plate. Check your state’s guide below — never assume a small trailer is exempt without confirming with the agency listed there.
Homemade trailers and some older trailers were never titled. Most states have a bonded-title or title-application process for exactly this situation — it usually starts at the same agency that handles trailer registration. The state guide below names that agency.