Question: My driver’s license expired over a year ago. I plan on taking driving lessons to become familiar with bells and whistles on new-model cars. Does Hawaii have a driver’s learner permit? If so, must I have a driver in the car with me as I practice for the road test? Can I drive myself to take the road test? I am not a new driver, but am defeated by new electronics and options.
Answer: Yes, yes and no. Along with your questions, we also asked the city whether there’s an alternative to the standard learner’s permit for previously licensed drivers like you (no). Here’s the full response from Harold Nedd, a spokesperson for Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services:
“A person with a learner’s permit must have a licensed driver in the car with him or her when practicing for the road test to obtain a Hawaii driver’s license. This would be even if the person practicing for the behind-the-wheel exam is an adult.
“A key requirement of taking the road test to obtain a Hawaii driver’s license is for the person with the learner’s permit to be accompanied by a licensed driver. The person with the learner’s permit cannot drive himself or herself solo to take the road test.
“There are no other alternatives for formerly licensed drivers who are seeking a new Hawaii driver’s license in the City and County of Honolulu.”
To obtain your learner’s permit as an adult, you’ll need to make an AlohaQ appointment at an Oahu Driver Licensing Center; complete and submit the Driver’s License Application Form, along with supporting documents if necessary (see note); pass the written test and vision test; be fingerprinted and photographed; and pay the fee. After obtaining your learner’s permit, you can make an appointment for the road test. For full instructions and a link to the application, go to 808ne.ws/3GV3 BKP and click on “to get a Learner’s (Instruction) Permit and New License.” Or go to honolulu.gov/csd and click through the links to information about driver’s licenses.
The permit process has additional steps for prospective drivers under age 18.
Note: If you had not presented certain identifying documents when you got your previous license, you will need to do so now. These include proof of legal name, date of birth, Social Security number and legal U.S. presence. The aforementioned website has a guide to help you determine what you’ll need to fulfill document requirements that took effect March 5, 2012, according to the city.
Check the traffic
Honolulu’s Department of Environmental Services reminds Oahu residents to check online cameras at refuse and recycling convenience centers before dropping off holiday trash, to avoid the busiest times. All seven of Oahu’s convenience centers have 24/7 monitoring camera feeds, which “focus on the entrance to each convenience center, providing a clear view of any lines and vehicle traffic. These cameras offer real-time insights into current conditions, enabling residents to plan their visits around the busiest times. During the holidays ENV is also dispatching additional resources to service containers in a timely manner to better serve the public,” the department said Tuesday in a news release.
To view the camera feeds, go to 808ne.ws/3Gs2txJ and click on the link to your preferred convenience center. Or go to ENV’s home page, honolulu.gov/opala, and follow the links at the top of the page.
Mahalo
Please mahalo the wonderful caring staff at the St. Francis Adult Day Center in Ewa. These “careblazers” provide kind and compassionate care, as well as having a creative, fun atmosphere for kupuna. They are a godsend to families with their loved ones in their care. — Grateful ohana
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
