How to Start an LLC in Hawaii
Here is the detail that trips up most first-time filers: Hawaii has no Secretary of State. LLC filings go to the Business Registration Division (BREG) of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). You create the company by filing Articles of Organization, Form LLC-1, under Section 428-203 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes. BREG's fee schedule lists the filing at $50, and a mandatory $1 State Archives preservation fee is collected with it, so the amount you actually pay is $51. This page walks the entire sequence.
Why the LLC Is the Default in Hawaii
A limited liability company draws a legal line between the business and the person running it. If the company is sued or cannot pay its debts, your house, savings, and personal accounts generally sit on the protected side of that line, provided you keep company finances separate from your own. Compared with a corporation there are no required boards, minutes, or share ledgers, and profits land on your personal tax return by default. For the food trucks, charter operators, vacation rental managers, contractors, and consultants that make up so much of Hawaii's small business economy, it is the standard choice.
What the State Collects
- Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1): $50 filing fee, plus the $1 State Archives fee. Budget $51.
- Expedited review (optional): $25 on top of the filing fee.
- Annual report (Form C5): $12.50 online or $15 by mail, plus the $1 archives fee, every year after your first.
Separate from BREG entirely: Hawaii has a General Excise Tax (GET) of 4% (4.5% on Oahu) that applies to all business income. Plan for it from day one.
The Seven Steps
Ready to get started?
Get Started- Confirm the name. It must contain "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." and be distinguishable from every entity already on BREG's records. Search the state's business registry before you print anything.
- Appoint a registered agent. Hawaii law (HRS ยง 425R-4) requires an agent with a street address in the state: either an individual who lives in Hawaii or an entity formed or authorized here. The company cannot name itself for this role.
- Complete Form LLC-1. The Articles of Organization ask for the company name, mailing address, registered agent, whether the company is manager-managed or member-managed, and the organizer's signature.
- File with BREG and pay $51. Submit through BREG's online filing portal (the division rolled out a new portal in mid-2026), send the paper form by mail or email, or deliver it in person in Honolulu. Add $25 if you want expedited review.
- Write an operating agreement. Hawaii never sees this document, but your bank will ask for it and a court will read it if members ever disagree. It records ownership percentages, profit splits, voting rules, and exit terms.
- Handle tax registrations. Get your EIN free at IRS.gov (skip anyone charging for this), then register for the general excise tax with the Hawaii Department of Taxation.
- Mark your annual report quarter. Every year after the year you form, Form C5 comes due by the last day of the quarter in which the LLC was organized. Details on our annual requirements page.
Where We Fit
Our formation service is $199 plus the $51 the state collects. That covers preparing and filing Form LLC-1 and includes your first year of registered agent service; the agent service then renews at $99 a year.