Question: In AlohaQ now there’s a link for “limited renewal appointments” at Kapalama. Is that for the “driving only” license? I don’t want to make the wrong appointment.

Answer: No. The Kapalama Driver’s Licensing Center now has separate links to make an appointment for the following day to renew a driver’s license or state ID. There are a limited number of next-day appointments available, and they are released late the previous afternoon. Separate links set these appointments apart from links to regular appointments, which can be made further in advance. The description (“limited”) does not refer to Hawaii’s limited-purpose driver’s license, which is available to people who cannot document their lawful presence in the United States and is sometimes called a “driving only” license.

Honolulu County’s Department of Customer Services has rolled out several improvements to deal with a backlog of various transactions, including state ID and driver’s license renewals. Here are the highlights, according to the department:

>> All nine of Oahu’s satellite city halls, plus the Kapalama Driver Licensing Center, Kapolei Driver Licensing Center and Koolau Driver Licensing Center now offer standby service. Same-day service is not guaranteed in a standby line, but there are so many appointment no-shows that it’s usually a good option for people who need an appointment for their transaction and can’t get one right away.

>> As explained, the Kapalama Driver Licensing Center has two new service buttons among its AlohaQ options, at alohaq.honolulu.gov. About 50 “Limited Renewal Appointments” for a Hawaii driver’s license or state ID renewal are released each business day between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., for the following business day.

>> The Kapolei Driver Licensing Center also is making more appointments available via AlohaQ. There are no separate buttons to make these appointments, which are released between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. for the following day and can be used for any available service.

>> The Wahiawa Driver Licensing Center has reopened one service window for all services, except written tests, which won’t be available at this location until further notice. Appointments can be made for this location on AlohaQ.

Q: I have family visiting from California in nine days. All are fully vaccinated. Do they also need to get negative COVID-19 test results and load them into Safe Travels? CDC guidance says you do not need to get tested if fully vaccinated.

A: Yes. Since they are flying to Hawaii from the mainland, they will have to upload acceptable, negative COVID-19 test results prior to boarding the plane to avoid quarantine upon arrival, despite being fully vaccinated.

Hawaii’s vaccine exemption applies only to interisland travelers at this point. It is expected to expand to trans-Pacific travelers within the next several weeks or so, but not before your relatives’ visit.

Regarding domestic travel, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that “fully vaccinated travelers do not need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it.” As we’ve explained, Hawaii does require pre-testing for trans-Pacific arrivals who want to avoid quarantine.

Read more of the CDC’s guidelines at 808ne.ws/cdctravel, keeping in mind that they don’t override conflicting rules set by Hawaii’s state or county governments.

Q: When will unemployment go back to the old way of requiring job searches?

A: Pretty soon. Gov. David Ige did not give an exact date, but he said Monday that the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations would be reinstating job-search requirements for people claiming unemployment benefits and that the department would announce the details shortly. The usual rules requiring claimants to apply for at least three jobs a week have been waived during the pandemic.

Mahalo

Mahalo to the couple who informed the Ala Moana Target personnel that I was not feeling well Saturday. The couple had me sitting down until the Target personnel, the Honolulu Fire Department (Station 2) and the paramedics arrived. I did not get their names, but want to say thank you. — G.F.

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.