Hawaii Bill of Sale — Free Template & Generator
In Hawaii, vehicle titles are handled by the counties, and both halves of the transfer have a deadline. The seller detaches the Notice of Transfer from the top of the title and submits it “within 10 days to the county where the vehicle was last registered” — the City and County of Honolulu calls it a “very important step” that “can protect the seller from fines and other fees incurred after the date of sale.” The buyer has 30 days to transfer the title and registration.
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- Word & PDF
- Hawaii pre-selected
How it works
- 01 Hawaii is already selected
The governing-law clause names the state; change it only if the sale happens elsewhere.
- 02 Enter the item and the parties
Vehicle, boat or general item — VIN and odometer, or HIN — plus price, payment method, seller and buyer.
- 03 Review clause by clause
The as-is terms, the seller’s title warranty and, for vehicles, the federal odometer statement.
- 04 Download, then file Hawaii’s paperwork
Word & PDF on your device; the state steps and forms are listed below, each cited to the source.
What Hawaii actually requires
Hawaii rules for a private sale
Last verified September 30, 2026- Seller’s notice Notice of Transfer within 10 days
“Detach the Notice of Transfer form that is located on the top of the Certificate of Title, complete the form including the name and address of new owner, and signature of seller, and submit it within 10 days to the county where the vehicle was last registered.” If it has already been detached, Honolulu’s form CS-L(MVR)53 can be used instead. The notice “informs the city of a pending ownership transfer and can protect the seller from fines and other fees incurred after the date of sale.”
City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services — Vehicle Ownership Transfer
- Seller’s Section A Odometer, date, print, sign — notarization optional
On the front of the title, Section A: record the odometer reading — required from the 2011 model year for vehicles 20 years old or less; 2010 and earlier are not required — and “Date, print and sign your name; if there are joint owners, both owners must date, print and sign their name.” Honolulu notes: “Notarization of seller’s signature(s) is optional, however, notarization will prevent rejection for irregular signature(s) upon comparison with the signature(s) on file.”
City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services — Vehicle Ownership Transfer
- Buyer’s deadline 30 days from the seller’s date of transfer
On Oahu, new owners bring to a satellite city hall, “within 30 days of seller’s date of transfer on the Certificate of Title, Section A,” the title “properly endorsed by the seller(s), buyer(s), and if applicable, lienholder(s)” and a current Hawaii Safety Inspection Certificate. Maui County charges “A late transfer fee of $50.00 … in addition to the $20 transfer fee, if the documents are received after 30 days (60 days if the lien holder does not have an office in the State of Hawaii).”
City and County of Honolulu — Vehicle Ownership Transfer; County of Maui — Ownership Transfer, Buyer
- Safety inspection The seller hands over a current certificate
Maui County tells sellers to “Provide the new owner with the endorsed Certificate of Title, the last issued Certificate of Registration and State of Hawaii Safety Inspection Certificate.” Honolulu: “All vehicles on Oahu are required to have a valid Registration, Certificate of Title, and State of Hawaii Safety Inspection Certificate,” and it recommends that buyer and seller go together to complete the transfer in one appointment.
How this document fits Hawaii’s paperwork
Official form: Hawaii’s counties transfer ownership through the certificate of title, its Section A assignment and the Notice of Transfer attached to it; the county pages we read do not require a separate bill-of-sale form. A bill of sale is the written record of price, date, odometer and terms that goes with the endorsed title.
The endorsed title transfers the vehicle. The bill of sale records the price, the date and time of the handover, the odometer reading and the as-is terms — the same date the seller writes in Section A and on the Notice of Transfer. On the day of the sale the seller completes Section A, hands over the title, registration and safety inspection certificate, and within ten days files the Notice of Transfer. The buyer has thirty days to transfer at the county office. Rules and fees vary slightly by county.
FAQ
Hawaii bill of sale questions
- Is a bill of sale required in Hawaii?
- The county pages we read transfer ownership through the endorsed certificate of title and the Notice of Transfer, not a separate bill of sale. A bill of sale is still the only record of the price and terms, and a dated one supports the seller’s Notice of Transfer if the buyer is slow to register.
- How long does the seller have to submit the Notice of Transfer in Hawaii?
- 10 days. The seller detaches the Notice of Transfer from the top of the title, completes it with the new owner’s name and address and the seller’s signature, and submits it to the county where the vehicle was last registered. Honolulu says this can protect the seller from fines and fees incurred after the sale.
- What is the late transfer fee in Hawaii?
- It is set by each county. Maui County charges a $50 late fee on top of the $20 transfer fee if the documents arrive after 30 days, or after 60 days if the lienholder has no office in Hawaii. On Oahu the buyer must transfer within 30 days of the seller’s date of transfer on the title.
- Does a Hawaii title need to be notarized?
- Not in Honolulu: notarization of the seller’s signature is optional. The county adds that notarization prevents rejection if the signature looks irregular compared with the one on file.
- Does the buyer need a safety inspection to transfer a car in Hawaii?
- Yes. Honolulu requires a current State of Hawaii Safety Inspection Certificate for the transfer, and Maui County tells sellers to give it to the new owner with the endorsed title and the last registration.
- Is this legal advice?
- No. Free Contract Generator provides self-help templates and general information, not legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created. Vehicle-transfer rules are set by each state and change; confirm the current rule with the agency cited and consult a licensed attorney for advice about your situation.