Question: When we have houseguests, we drive a regular sightseeing circuit to introduce them to the islands. This is mainly on Oahu, but also on Maui or Kauai when we join our friends there. In those cases we drive a rental car. We stop at state parks when we can. We’ve noticed more charge for parking. Will we have to pay if we are in a rental car?
Answer: No, parking fees for private passenger vehicles at state parks don’t apply to Hawaii residents carrying a valid Hawaii driver’s license or state ID — except at Diamond Head State Monument, according to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. So it won’t matter if you are driving a rental car, as long as you carry your kamaaina credential.
You are correct that more state parks are charging tourists to park. The most recent example is Makena State Park on Maui, which last month began charging nonresidents $5 a car.
“The vast majority of our 52 park units do not currently impose parking or entrance fees. However, at a number of parks, it is necessary to improve our funding stream for additional management capacity for both the specific park units and the Hawaii State Park system. There is a huge backlog of deferred maintenance and improvements to enhance quality,” state parks Administrator Curt Cottrell said in a recent news release.
Here are state parks with parking fees:
Maui
Makena State Park: Nonresidents, $5 per car
Iao Valley State Monument: Nonresidents, $5 per car
Oahu
Nuuanu Pali State Wayside: Nonresidents, $3 per car
Diamond Head State Monument: All visitors, $5 per car or $1 per pedestrian or bicyclist
Kauai
Haena State Park: Nonresidents, $5 per car or $1 per pedestrian or bicyclist
Kokee and Waimea Canyon state parks: Nonresidents, $5 per car
Hawaii island
Akaka Falls State Park: Nonresidents, $5 per car or $1 per pedestrian or bicyclist
Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area: Nonresidents, $5 per car
Commercial vehicles such as tour buses are in a different category, and the parking fees are higher. For more information, see dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp.
Q: The city has those self-service kiosks, but what if the vehicle registration is expired?
A: You can still use the self-service kiosk to renew your vehicle registration — up to 10 months past its expiration date — as long as you have a current safety check on file, according to the city. Late registrations are assessed a $16 fee.
The kiosks are available in five Safeway stores on Oahu. Registration cards and stickers are printed on-site, as they would be if you visited a satellite city hall to renew. Renewal also is available by mail or online, but you’ll have to wait about two weeks to receive the card and sticker.
The kiosks are available at:
>> Kapahulu Safeway, 888 Kapahulu Ave.
>> South Beretania Street Safeway, 1234 S. Beretania St.
>> Kaneohe Bay Shopping Center, 46-065 Kamehameha Highway.
>> Kapolei Shopping Center, 590 Farrington Highway.
>> Waimalu Plaza Shopping Center, 98-1277 Kaahumanu St.
Note: For payment, these kiosks accept only credit or debit cards, and apply a nonrefundable service fee of 2.35% to the total transaction. This service fee also would apply if you used a credit or debit card to pay for the transaction in person at a satellite city hall.
For more information, see 808ne.ws/kiosk.
E kala mai
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Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
