Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Hawaii permit test is a multiple-choice rules of the road test, which Honolulu and Maui counties describe as 30 questions. You need to be at least 15½, pass it plus a vision test, and then collect your instruction permit at a county licensing office. This page covers the online and in-person options, county fees, what to bring and the rules once you hold the permit.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Minimum age: 15 years and 6 months.
- Questions: 30 multiple choice (Honolulu and Maui county pages). HDOT’s online test page says 25, so the count may differ by version.
- Pass mark: Maui County says more than 6 errors is a fail. In other counties, check the pass mark with your county licensing office.
- Time limit online: one hour.
- Failed? Wait seven days before retaking.
- Honolulu fees: $2 written test in person, $12 online, $5 instruction permit.
How many questions are on the Hawaii permit test?
Honolulu’s online test page and GDL page both say 30 multiple-choice questions, and Maui County’s permit page says the same. HDOT’s statewide online learner’s permit test page says 25 questions. Prepare for 30 and confirm with your county.
The test covers rules of the road and recognition of traffic control devices (signs, signals and markings). All of it comes from the Hawaii Driver’s Manual. Its appendix has 177 numbered practice questions, each with a page reference so you can look up the answer.
What score do you need to pass?
Maui County says that if you get more than 6 errors you fail. On 30 questions, that means at least 24 correct. Honolulu’s pages do not state a pass mark. Aim well above 24 so one county’s rule never catches you out.
Online test or in person?
| Online (Home Driving Knowledge Test) | In person | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Home, on a desktop or laptop with a mouse, keyboard and webcam. No phones, tablets or touchscreens. | County driver licensing center, by appointment, on set days |
| Time limit | One hour | Ask your center |
| Languages | English and Spanish; questions can be read aloud | Honolulu offers an oral test at Kapalama for $10 |
| Rules | Two warnings for looking away or leaving the screen; the third ends the test as a fail. Photos are taken during the test. | Standard exam room rules |
| Under 18 | An adult over 21 must be present at registration and stay out of the webcam view | Parental consent required |
The online test launched statewide on December 11, 2024. Passing it does not give you a permit. You still book a county appointment for the eye test, photo, fingerprints and fee. Honolulu says to do this within 60 days of passing. HDOT’s page and Maui County say 30 days. Book quickly to be safe.
Hawaii permit test fees by county (online)
| County | Online test total | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| City and County of Honolulu | $12 | $2 county fee + $10 transaction and card fee |
| Hawaii County | $11 | $1 county fee + $10 |
| Kauai County | $20 | $10 county fee + $10 |
| Maui County | $25 | $15 county fee + $10 |
Figures from Honolulu’s online permit test page, as of November 2026. Each retake costs the full fee again, and there is no refund for failing. In Honolulu the permit itself costs $5 and the in-person written test $2. Other counties set their own permit fees, so check your county’s page.
What to bring to get your Hawaii instruction permit
- Completed Driver’s License Application Form.
- Certificate of Completion, if you tested online.
- Certified birth certificate (or other proof of legal name, birth date and legal presence).
- Social Security number.
- Two proofs of Hawaii address. Under 18s without two may use a parent’s.
- Under 18: Parental Consent Form CS-L (DL) 239 (Honolulu). Both parents named on the birth certificate must sign it in person, or bring a notarized form for a parent who cannot attend. Faxes, photocopies and emails are refused.
You will take an eye test, be photographed and fingerprinted, and pay the permit fee. Honolulu issues a temporary permit and mails the plastic card in about six to eight weeks.
Rules while you hold a Hawaii instruction permit
- Carry the permit whenever you drive.
- A licensed driver at least 21, licensed for that type of vehicle, must sit in the right front seat.
- Between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., that person must be your parent or guardian.
- Everyone in the vehicle must be belted or in the correct child restraint.
- Under 18: hold the permit at least 180 days before the road test.
- No phone use, including hands-free, if you are under 18.
How long is a Hawaii permit valid?
HDOT’s GDL brochure says one year from issue. You can renew from 30 days before expiry to 90 days after. Honolulu says renewing more than 90 days late means retaking the written test. For minors who renew 31 to 90 days late, road test eligibility restarts at 180 days from the renewed permit’s issue date.
Common questions
Can I take the Hawaii permit test on my phone?
No. You need a desktop or laptop with a webcam. Phones, tablets and touchscreen devices are not allowed.
How many times can I retake it?
Honolulu allows retakes, but no more than twice in one day, and you must wait seven days after a knowledge-based fail. Each attempt costs the full fee.
Do I need a parent with me for the online test?
If you are under 18, an adult over 21 must be present to register and give their details, then stay out of the camera’s view.
Is the test available in other languages?
Online it is in English and Spanish. Honolulu offers an oral test at the Kapalama center for $10. HDOT offers a free interpreter service.
Can I take the permit test at 15?
Not before 15 years and 6 months.
Is there an eye test?
Yes. A vision screening is part of getting the permit, along with the rules of the road test.
Related guides
- Learning to drive in Hawaii: complete guide
- Hawaii provisional license rules for teens
- Hawaii driver’s ed requirement for under 18s
- US permit test by state
- REAL ID and your first US driver’s license
Sources
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, “Hawaii Driver’s Manual” (2023 edition) (hidot.hawaii.gov)
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, “Online Learner’s Permit Test” (hidot.hawaii.gov)
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, “Written test for driver’s permit now available online statewide” (hidot.hawaii.gov)
- Hawaii Department of Transportation, “What you need to know about Hawaii’s Graduated Licensing Program” (hidot.hawaii.gov)
- City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services, “Online Learner’s Permit Test” (honolulu.gov)
- City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services, “Driver’s License Procedures” (honolulu.gov)
- City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services, “Driver’s License FAQ” (honolulu.gov)
- City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services, “Fee Table” (honolulu.gov)
- County of Maui, “Class 3 Instructional Permit” (mauicounty.gov)