City officials, citing a decline, are reminding motorists with out-of-state license plates that a permit is required to operate the vehicle in the City and County of Honolulu.

Motorists who bring a vehicle to Hawaii from another state have 30 days from the date of arrival to either register it in the City and County of Honolulu or obtain a permit that allows the out-of-state registration and license plate to remain valid until they expire.

The Department of Customer Services has experienced a 30% decrease in the number of out-of-state permits issued in Honolulu over the past four years — from 3,655 in 2019 to 2,545 in 2022.

This means fewer vehicles are getting a Hawaii safety inspection, which is a requirement for obtaining an out-of-state permit on Oahu, officials said.

“The reminder is part of a larger effort to help ensure that vehicles with out-of-state license plates are safe to operate on the city’s public roadways,” said Department of Customer Services Director Kim Hashiro in a news release.

The fee for an out-of-state permit is $5 and can be obtained at any satellite city hall. To book an appointment, visit www.alohaq.org.