Out-of-State Plates? (Hilo: inspection, live in, restaurant)

[Tsimmer777]

I live in Hilo and it's really nice here, but one thing is that not only is it an island chain, but it's also the only state in the US that requires ALL citizens but armed forces to surrender their previous state license plates, so you very rarely get to see other state plates because they only have a month to change them to Hawai'i plates. So anyway, last night I went out for dinner with my family at Ruben's and saw a Cali plate-have you guys seen any OOS plates recently?

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

We see out of state plates infrequently and assume that they picked up their car off the dock less than 30 days ago. Don't know any other way that someone can keep out of state plates here.

How was dinner at Ruben's?

[smarterguy]

Originally Posted by Tsimmer777

but it's also the only state in the US that requires ALL citizens but armed forces to surrender their previous state license plates, so you very rarely get to see other state plates because they only have a month to change them to Hawai'i plates.

A few other states I've lived in required you to change plates within 30 days too , but they don't strictly enforce the law. Even if you get an instate license, you can get a way with not changing plates if you car is garaged or kept off the street. Lol, but obviously Hawaii is completely different circumstances.

[Jonah K]

Originally Posted by Tsimmer777

I live in Hilo and it's really nice here, but one thing is that not only is it an island chain, but it's also the only state in the US that requires ALL citizens but armed forces to surrender their previous state license plates, so you very rarely get to see other state plates because they only have a month to change them to Hawai'i plates. So anyway, last night I went out for dinner with my family at Ruben's and saw a Cali plate-have you guys seen any OOS plates recently?

The State of Hawaiʻi doesn't require folks to surrender out-of-state license plates within a month. However, folks are required to get a safety check inspection and submit an "out-of-state vehicle permit application form" within 30 days. Considering that the approved "out-of-state vehicle permit" is only valid until the original registration's expiration date or for 12 months (whichever occurs first) and requires just as much paperwork as getting Hawaiʻi plates, most folks simply opt to get Hawaiʻi plates.

[cjg5]

The flip side of this topic is seeing Hawaii plates outside of Hawaii. I've seen maybe 3 in my entire life, most recently about 2 or 3 months ago.

[PacificFlights]

as jonah said, you can still use your out of state plates. This was originally set up mainly for temporary workers who are on hawaii for less than a year but brought their personal vehicle with them. It is about the same paperwork and you get a nice sticker for the car, and you pay a reduced admin fee not the regular registartion fee.

[Tsimmer777]

Hmmm...interesting-does anyone by chance know how long Washington lets you keep an out of state plate on your car or if you can re-register your car to have the same plate until it expires, because I'm planning on moving to Seattle in a few years and I want to weird people out to the maximum with my car. Or should I just ask someonw who lives in Washington about it?

And btw, Ruben's was great-it's been our family's favorite restaurant on the island for a LONG time.

[PacificFlights]

Originally Posted by Tsimmer777

Hmmm...interesting-does anyone by chance know how long Washington lets you keep an out of state plate on your car or if you can re-register your car to have the same plate until it expires, because I'm planning on moving to Seattle in a few years and I want to weird people out to the maximum with my car. Or should I just ask someonw who lives in Washington about it?

And btw, Ruben's was great-it's been our family's favorite restaurant on the island for a LONG time.

Once you become a resident of WA, you have 30 days to get your car registerd. I recall a news story about the police activly looking for out of state plates and checking the registration. If you have a WA licnese but a HI registration they go byt he date of the license to set the 30 days. If you show a Hawaii license as well, they take the info down and mail a notice to the HI address with a post office requrest to not forward, when they get it back with your new address the return label will indcate the date you did the change of address and they use that as the 30 days. They apparently have been racking in the money doing this way.

[Tsimmer777]

Originally Posted by PacificFlights

Once you become a resident of WA, you have 30 days to get your car registerd. I recall a news story about the police activly looking for out of state plates and checking the registration. If you have a WA licnese but a HI registration they go byt he date of the license to set the 30 days. If you show a Hawaii license as well, they take the info down and mail a notice to the HI address with a post office requrest to not forward, when they get it back with your new address the return label will indcate the date you did the change of address and they use that as the 30 days. They apparently have been racking in the money doing this way.

Hmmm-very good to know things!

[Dthraco]

Over the past couple weeks I have seen plates from:

I frequently see Alaska, California, and Texas. I've also seen Indiana, Colorado, Idaho and Washington.

This week I saw one from Kansas! (Insert Wizard of Oz quote)