Hawaii · Start a business

How to start a business in Hawaii

Hawaii requires a General Excise Tax license from anyone who receives income from business activities in the state.

As of 5 min readVermilion Vitez Team

See the checklist
STATE FILING FEE$51FILEDHAWAII DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANDEINANNIVOPENHAWAII · 10 STEPSFrom structure to open door

Short answer

To start a business in Hawaii, pick a structure and file with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and: $51 for an LLC, $50 for a corporation's articles. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes.

Last checked .

What do you file before you open in Hawaii?

  1. Pick a structure

    Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Hawaii LLC guide, Hawaii corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Hawaii. By trade: cleaning business, handyman.

  2. Check and register the name

    Search the Hawaii Department of Commerce and records before you pick a name: state name search. The Business Registration Division of the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs registers trade names for a nonrefundable $50.00 filing fee, and the certificate runs for five years. 1 See Hawaii name search guide.

  3. File with the state

    Hawaii charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $51 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $50 3. See LLC cost.

  4. Name a registered agent

    Each Hawaii corporation must keep a registered agent with a business address in the state. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See Hawaii registered agent rules.

Which accounts do you open after you file in Hawaii?

  1. Get an EIN

    An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. 5

  2. Open your state tax accounts

    The Hawaii Department of Taxation takes new business tax registrations online through Hawaii Tax Online, or on Form BB-1, the State of Hawaii Basic Business Application. 6 See Sales tax permit.

  3. Register as an employer

    In most cases, an employer with employees working in Hawaii pays unemployment taxes on their wages, and registers its company with the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations through the online Employer Web Application. 7 Hawaii employers report each new employee to the Child Support Enforcement Agency within 20 days of the employee's first day of work. 8 Hawaii's Disability Compensation Division requires workers' compensation coverage from any employer, other than those excluded, with one or more employees, full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary. 9

What keeps your Hawaii business in good standing?

  1. Check licenses and permits

    The Hawaii Department of Taxation requires businesses operating in the state to register for a General Excise Tax license, which covers anyone who receives income from business activities in Hawaii, for a one-time $20 fee at registration. 10

  2. Calendar the yearly filings

    Hawaii annual report: $12.50, due by the end of the calendar quarter your formation anniversary falls in (March 31, June 30, September 30 or December 31). 11 See Hawaii annual report.

  3. Use free local help

    Small business advising in Hawaii runs through the Hawaii SBDC. 12 The Business Action Center, a division of the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, provides information on the licenses and permits tied to specific business activities in Hawaii. 13

What it costs to start a business in Hawaii

$51to file an LLC 2
$50to file a corporation's articles 3
$50for a trade name 1
$12.50each year, annual report 11
19,635business applications filed in Hawaii in 2025 14

Do you need a business license in Hawaii?

It depends on the trade and the place. The U.S. Small Business Administration says most small businesses need a combination of licenses and permits from federal and state agencies, and that requirements and fees depend on the business activity and the issuing agency. 15 Hawaii's own rule is in step 8. 10 Where to look up licenses: Business Action Center.

How to register a business name in Hawaii

QuestionHawaii
Where it is filedWith the state 1
OfficeBusiness Registration Division
What it is calledtrade name
Fee$50
Term in years5

Check that the name is free first: state name search.

Also in Hawaii

  • Prepaid Health Care coverage. Under Hawaii's Prepaid Health Care Act, employers provide medical coverage for non-work illness or injury to employees who meet weekly hours and monthly earnings tests, and plans are approved by the Director of the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. 16
  • Temporary Disability Insurance. Hawaii's Temporary Disability Insurance law requires employers to provide partial wage replacement insurance coverage to eligible employees for nonwork-related injury or sickness, including pregnancy. 17

More for Hawaii

5.0 on Google 17 reviews Vinny and Ray (888) 419-0771 Filed right, or we fix it free
Ready to file?

Start your Hawaii business

We file it, and the state fee shows before you pay.

Start my LLC
ORDER YOUR FILING

Form your Hawaii LLC

We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee, with the total shown before you pay.

  1. 1State & name
  2. 2Ownership & agent
  3. 3Add-ons
  4. 4Review & pay

Where are you forming, and what is it called?

Your state and entity type set the filing fee. Your total updates the moment you pick them.

Entity type

No name yet? Generate a few, free, no email asked. · Compare what every state charges

Your total
Formation service fee$123.75
State filing feeSelect a state
Card processing fee—
TotalSelect a state to see your total

“Ray and Vinny explained LLC formation and asset protection in plain English. No pressure, just real guidance.”

James R. · January 2026

Founded 2023 · 5.0 on Google, 17 reviews · Stripe handles your card · If we make a filing error, we refile free

If we ever charge your card for something you did not choose, tell us within 60 days and we refund it in full.

Common questions

What are the steps to start a business in Hawaii?

Pick a structure, file with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and, name a registered agent, get an EIN, register for state taxes with the Hawaii Department of Taxation, then handle hiring, licenses, yearly filings and local help.

What does it cost to register a business in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, an LLC filing is $51 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $50. The annual report is $12.50 each year.

Can I start a business in Hawaii with no money?

Hawaii charges $51 to file an LLC, and the annual report is $12.50 each year. An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. The Hawaii Small Business Development Center is the only statewide business assistance organization in Hawaii, and its confidential business advising is provided to clients at no charge.

Are there small business grants in Hawaii?

Hawaii's Business Development and Support Division lists the Hawaii SBIR Phase 0 Grant, which gives up to $3,000 to companies submitting a competitive federal SBIR Phase I application.

What is the Hawaii SBDC?

The Hawaii Small Business Development Center is the only statewide business assistance organization in Hawaii, and its confidential business advising is provided to clients at no charge.

Sources 18 links, checked Nov 12, 2026
  1. DBA or trade name registration cca.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  2. Official state fee schedule for LLC filings cca.hawaii.gov, checked Oct 17, 2026
  3. Corporation filing cca.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  4. Registered agent rule files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  5. IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  6. State tax registration tax.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  7. Unemployment insurance registration labor.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  8. New hire reporting ag.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  9. Workers' compensation coverage labor.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  10. General business license tax.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  11. Hawaii annual report cca.hawaii.gov, checked Oct 4, 2026
  12. Small Business Development Center hisbdc.org, checked Nov 12, 2026
  13. State business portal cca.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  14. US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  15. SBA: licenses and permits sba.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  16. Prepaid Health Care coverage labor.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  17. Temporary Disability Insurance labor.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  18. State small business funding invest.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026

Last verified Nov 12, 2026.

This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.

Start my LLC