Question: I understand that a large increased cost for vanity plates is being added to vehicle registrations. I have a month before I need to renew. Can I exchange my vanity license plate for a regular one before I have to pay the higher fee? What do I need to do?
Answer: Yes, the price of vanity plates, also known as personalized license plates, rose to $60 from $25 as of July 1. The fee is charged annually for as long as you keep the plate, in addition to all other motor vehicle registration and renewal fees, according to Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services.
We’re hearing from motorists who paid the higher surcharge last summer and don’t want to again, as well as readers like you, whose most recent renewal occurred before the fee hike.
To avoid this surcharge, before renewal time, “you may return your personalized license plate to get a set of new standard license plates at any satellite city hall and pay a one-time $5 new license plate fee in addition to all other registration/renewal fees. If you exchange the personalized license plate for new standard license plate, you will no longer pay the $60 annual personalized license plate surcharge,” the department says on its website.
Q: Any update on the Sriracha shortage?
A: We did hear back Tuesday from Huy Fong Foods Inc., the California-based company that makes the hot sauce, but there isn’t good news to share. Its customer service department thanked customers for their patience as the company struggles to stabilize its supply of red jalapeno chile peppers, a main ingredient in the popular condiment. A drought last summer in a key growing area in Mexico disrupted the supply. Here’s the full emailed response:
“Unfortunately, we are still experiencing a shortage of raw material. Although some production did resume this past Fall season, we continue to have a limited supply that continues to affect our production. At this time, we have no estimations of when supply will increase. Because we do not sell directly to retail/market levels, we cannot determine when product will hit shelves again and/ or who currently has product in stock. We are grateful for your continued patience and understanding during this unprecedented inventory shortage. We are currently working on trying to avoid future shortages.”
Q: Regarding foreign driver’s licenses, I thought Hawaii had pacts with certain countries.
A: Yes, Hawaii has driver’s license reciprocity agreements with Japan, Korea and Taiwan, which allow eligible applicants from those countries to transfer their license to Hawaii without taking the written or road tests, according to the Honolulu Department of Customer Services’ website. Applicants give up their foreign driver’s license when they make the transfer to obtain a Hawaii driver’s license — this process isn’t for short-term visitors.
By contrast, Monday’s question was about international driving permits, which adults visiting other countries — including Americans traveling abroad — may obtain to supplement their driver’s license and passport. An IDP, which is good for one year, doesn’t on its own authorize a person to drive, but serves as a translation accepted as identification in 150 countries, according to AAA.
Honolulu Youth Commission
Oahu residents ages 14 to 24 may apply to serve as volunteers on the Honolulu Youth Commission, which advises Honolulu’s mayor and City Council. The deadline to apply is 4:30 p.m. June 30. For more information and a link to the application, go to honolulu.gov/yc.
New commissioners will be chosen by Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Council members Matt Weyer (District 2), Tommy Waters (District 4), Calvin Say (District 5), Tyler Dos-Santos-Tam (District 6) and Val Okimoto (District 8), according to a news release.
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.
