HI
Car shipping in Hawaii
Car shipping for Hawaii moves by ship. This page does not show a truck rate per mile.
Key facts
- Population
- 1,432,820
- How vehicles move
- By ship
As of 1 July 2025. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, 1 July 2025.
| Lived there one year earlier | People | Margin of error |
|---|---|---|
| California | 10,516 | 2,445 |
| Texas | 5,174 | 2,026 |
| Washington | 4,329 | 1,535 |
Registering an out-of-state car. Check the state agency sources there for current requirements and fees.
Cities
Choose a nearby city for pickup and delivery guidance.
Routes
Compare shipping estimates for common journeys.
Nearby places
Check access guidance for terminals, campuses, and other pickup spots.
Companies based here
Checked facts
Where people came from
According to Census ACS 2024, the largest estimates of people now in Hawaii who lived in another state a year earlier are California, 10,516 (margin of error 2,445); Texas, 5,174 (margin of error 2,026); and Washington, 4,329 (margin of error 1,535). The largest outbound flow is back to California. Those counts are people, not sailings. California to Hawaii is an ocean lane. How the ship is booked is on mainland to Hawaii and the Hawaii shipping process. No steamship price belongs in this note.
Harbors, and the next island
Hawaii DOT's Harbors Division runs commercial harbors and splits them into Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii districts. Harbor pages in this plan are Honolulu, Kahului on Maui, Hilo and Kawaihae on Hawaii Island, and Nawiliwili on Kauai. A car delivered on one island does not drive to another. Inter-island shipping is a second booking. Confirm the current operator, because this note does not name one. See Hawaii inter-island car shipping.
Military entitlement and county registration
Hawaii is outside the contiguous states. Military OneSource says that on orders to or from outside the contiguous United States, one privately owned vehicle may be shipped at government expense. The transportation office confirms that entitlement. Installations include Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Schofield Barracks, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and Fort Shafter. On Oahu, within 30 days of arrival, get an out-of-state permit or a Hawaii registration. Hawaii DOT says each county, not a state DMV, handles registration. A safety inspection comes first. The station can fail the car for lack of a Honolulu registration even if everything else passes. After you register or get the permit, return within 30 days of that failed check for the emblem. County steps are on the registration page.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, state population totals, 2020-2025 (Vintage 2025, July 1)
- U.S. Census Bureau, state-to-state migration flows (ACS, 2024 table)
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, Harbors
- Honolulu Department of Customer Services, motor vehicle registration
- Military OneSource, PCS moving FAQs (privately owned vehicles)
Questions
Can a truck drive this route?
No. Vehicles moving to Hawaii go by ship. This page does not show a truck rate.
Sources
Call (800) 989-8833 Quotes by phone, 24/7