Hawaii · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in Hawaii
Hawaii's fees are small. The catch is a deadline tied to the quarter you incorporated in.
See the stepsShort answer
File Articles of Incorporation for a domestic profit corporation with the Hawaii Business Registration Division for $50. At checkout that is $51 for Hawaii plus $123.75 for our formation, $174.75 before card processing. Hawaii then asks for a $15 annual report, due by the end of the calendar quarter in which you incorporated. A corporation formed in a given year skips that year's report.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in Hawaii, step by step?
Hawaii's annual report deadline follows the calendar quarter in which you incorporated: March 31, June 30, September 30 or December 31. A corporation owes no annual report for the year it incorporates. Registration runs through the Business Registration Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA).
Choose and check the name
Search the Business Registration Division's name records at DCCA to make sure your name is distinguishable before you file. See the Hawaii name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File articles of incorporation
File the Articles of Incorporation (domestic profit corporation) with Hawaii. The fee at our checkout is $51. Details are below.
Adopt bylaws
Bylaws are the board's rules: how directors are elected, how meetings run and how officers are chosen. Every corporation we form includes them.
Name directors, officers and issue shares
A Hawaii board must consist of one or more individuals, and one individual may hold more than one office. 4 Hold an organizational meeting, record it in minutes, and issue stock to the owners.
Get an EIN
The EIN is the corporation's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it free at irs.gov.
Register for state taxes
Before you pay wages, open a payroll withholding account with the state’s tax department, and a sales tax account if you sell taxable goods or services.
File the annual report
Put the first deadline on your calendar before you file anything else. See the Hawaii annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in Hawaii?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $51 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $174.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $229.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $273 | At filing |
| Annual report (each year) | $15 6 | by the end of the quarter in which the corporation was incorporated (Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30 or Dec 31) |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. State fees: the state's published fee for the Articles of Incorporation (domestic profit corporation) is $50; our checkout charges $51 on the state side, and the state's fee schedule does not itemize the other $1. You see it before you pay.
Hawaii at a glance
| Question | Hawaii |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Articles of Incorporation (domestic profit corporation), $50 1 |
| Name rule | Must contain corporation, incorporated or limited, or corp., inc. or ltd. 2 |
| Registered agent | Registered agent with a business address in Hawaii: an individual residing in Hawaii or an entity authorized to transact business in Hawaii 3 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director; officers: officers described in the bylaws or appointed by the board; one individual may hold more than one office 4 |
| First report after filing | None 5 |
| Annual report | Annual report, $15, due by the end of the quarter in which the corporation was incorporated (Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30 or Dec 31) 6 |
| Corporate income tax | 4.4% to 6.4%, graduated 7 |
Do I need a registered agent in Hawaii?
Each Hawaii corporation must keep a registered agent with a business address in the state. 3 You can be your own agent if you have a street address in the state and are there in business hours, but the address goes on the public record. Ours, through our partner Registered Agents Inc, is $74.25 a year, or $178.20 with the formation. Hawaii registered agent rules.
What goes in the Hawaii articles of incorporation?
File Articles of Incorporation for a domestic profit corporation with the Business Registration Division. Name a registered agent with a business address in Hawaii, an individual who lives there or an entity authorized to do business in the state.
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a Hawaii corporation owe?
File the annual report by the last day of your incorporation quarter, starting the year after you incorporate. Keep a Hawaii registered agent.
- A Hawaii domestic profit corporation files an annual report with DCCA for $15 by mail; the online filing fee is $12.50. 6
- On Hawaii Form N-30, a corporation with taxable income of $25,000 or less pays 4.4%; over $25,000 up to $100,000 it pays 5.4% less $250; over $100,000 it pays 6.4% less $1,250. 7
How do I start an S corp in Hawaii?
A corporation is a C corporation unless it elects otherwise. An S corp is a tax election, not another kind of entity. The order is plain: form the corporation, get the EIN, then file IRS Form 2553 within 2 months and 15 days after start of the tax year the election takes effect (or any time in the prior tax year) 9. Hawaii honors a valid federal S election for its own income tax, with no separate state election. 8
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read Hawaii: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in Hawaii?
Shares, a board and officers. The usual choice when you plan to raise money from investors or issue stock options.
Fewer formalities and flexible ownership. Often the simpler choice for one owner or a small team.
Compare the two: How to start an LLC in Hawaii.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in Hawaii as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in Hawaii?
- Adopt the bylaws and hold the first board meeting; write minutes.
- Issue stock to the owners and keep a stock ledger.
- Get the EIN, open a business bank account and keep money separate.
Form your Hawaii corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($51), with bylaws included. Add the registered agent for $178.20 in all, or take the Day-One Bundle at $222.
Common questions
How much does it cost to incorporate in Hawaii?
The Business Registration Division charges $50 for articles of incorporation of a domestic profit corporation. The annual report is $15 by mail and $12.50 online.
When is the Hawaii annual report due?
On the last day of the calendar quarter in which you incorporated: March 31, June 30, September 30 or December 31.
Do I file an annual report the year I incorporate in Hawaii?
No. Your first report comes the following year.
Can I expedite a Hawaii corporation filing?
The fee schedule shows a $25 expedited review column, but the division's site says expedited handling is currently not available during its system transition. Check the site for current status.
Sources 9 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Hawaii charges $50 to file articles of incorporation for a domestic profit corporation. cca.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Hawaii corporation's name must contain the word corporation, incorporated or limited, or the abbreviation corp., inc. or ltd. (company is not on the list). data.capitol.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Each Hawaii corporation must keep a registered agent with a business address in the state. files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Hawaii board must consist of one or more individuals, and one individual may hold more than one office. data.capitol.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Hawaii does not require an annual report for the year you incorporate. files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Hawaii domestic profit corporation files an annual report with DCCA for $15 by mail; the online filing fee is $12.50. cca.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- On Hawaii Form N-30, a corporation with taxable income of $25,000 or less pays 4.4%; over $25,000 up to $100,000 it pays 5.4% less $250; over $100,000 it pays 6.4% less $1,250. files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- Hawaii honors a valid federal S election for its own income tax, with no separate state election. files.hawaii.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- IRS: Form 2553 instructions irs.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
Last verified Nov 7, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.