The minimum Hawaii LLC cost is $51, which covers the processing fee for filing your LLC formation documents, known as the Articles of Organization.

Having said that, the total cost of forming an Hawaii LLC will depend on several factors, including your personal preferences and business needs. 

In our How Much Does an LLC Cost in Hawaii article, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about the different costs associated with launching and maintaining an LLC.

Hawaii LLC Cost

In the table below, you can find a summary of the main requirements of forming an Hawaii limited liability company (LLC) and their associated fees.

                                                         

Requirement	Fee
Certificate of Organization	$51+
Registered Agent	$0-$300+
LLC Name	$0-$60
Operating Agreement	$0+

Hawaii LLC Filing Fee ($51+)

To form your LLC in Hawaii, you will be required to submit Form LLC-1: Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Business Registration Division.

You can submit this filing online, by mail, or in person, with a cost of $50 for the Articles of Organization, plus an additional State Archives fee of $1.

If you are registering a foreign LLC, you will need to submit Form FLLC-1: Application for Certificate of Authority for Foreign Limited Liability Company instead, which comes at the same cost ($51).

Having said that, if you choose to use an LLC formation service, the cost will be a little higher as it will include a small service fee in addition to Hawaii’s state filing fee.

The fees for an LLC formation service can range significantly, but can start from as low as $29, increasing if you decide to purchase any additional offerings.

Note: For more details on the formation process, you can check out our Hawaii LLC Formation guide.

Hawaii Registered Agent ($0-$300+)

In Hawaii, you will need to appoint a registered agent as part of filing your LLC’s Articles of Organization. This is a person or business entity that you must assign to receive tax, legal, and governmental correspondence on behalf of your Hawaii LLC.

While you can act as your own registered agent at no extra cost, it’s often recommended to hire a professional service so you avoid any potential penalties or legal issues caused by non-compliance with state regulations.

This can also be an affordable alternative to working with a business attorney, and will help keep your personal information private.

The cost of a registered agent service will depend on the services you require, starting at around $50 a year.

If you need additional features — such as same-day document scans, enhanced notifications, and annual report reminders — the fees will be higher, usually ranging between $150 and $300 per annum.

Note: If you decide to use a commercial registered agent for your LLC, you will be required to submit a Commercial Registered Agent Listing Statement (Form X-11) to Hawaii’s Business Registration Division and pay a filing fee of $100.

Alternatively, you can find some of the top recommendations for professional RA services in our Best Registered Agent Services of 2024 article.

Naming Your Hawaii LLC ($0-$60)

When forming your Hawaii LLC, you’ll be required to pick a suitable name that’s available to use.

There are two potential costs to be aware of when naming your LLC.

Reserving Name

In Hawaii, you can reserve a name for your LLC before officially forming it, provided it doesn’t closely resemble the name of an existing business entity.

Name reservations can be filed online through Hawaii Business Express or by downloading an Application for Reservation of Name form and submitting it via mail or in-person.

You will have to pay a processing fee of $10, after which your chosen name will be secured for a period of 120 days.

Note: We suggest checking that your LLC name is actually available proactively by conducting a business entity search on the Secretary of State’s website.

When choosing a name for your LLC, it’s important to select one that corresponds to an available domain. This is because a matching domain ensures consistency between your LLC’s name and its online presence, which helps to strengthen its brand recognition and credibility.

Doing Business As (DBA) Name

If you plan to operate your business under a name that differs from your LLC’s official one, you will have the option of registering a Doing Business As (DBA) name — also known as a Trade Name in Hawaii.

While you are not legally required to file a DBA registration with the state, this is generally recommended as it can alert other businesses that the trade name is actively in use.

You can file online through the Hawaii Business Express website or you can choose to submit the Application for Registration of Trade Name form to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs by mail, fax, or in person.

The registration fee for this is $50, regardless of the filing method you chose.

It’s important to note that a DBA registration in Hawaii is valid for five years, after which it will need to be renewed at the same cost.

Note: The state of Hawaii recommends checking the Department of Taxation’s website — as well as phone directories — in order to determine whether a trade name has ever been used before.

Hawaii LLC Operating Agreement ($0+)

While not mandatory, it’s good practice for LLCs to have an operating agreement; this is also known as a company agreement.

This document defines the roles and responsibilities of the members or managers in your LLC and will help prevent and solve any business disputes that may arise later on.

While you can opt to hire an online service or business attorney to draft this document for you (which typically costs at least a few hundred dollars), it’s actually quite straightforward to do it yourself at no extra cost.

It’s also important to note that this doesn’t actually need to be filed with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) — it’s purely an internal document.

Additional Hawaii LLC Formation Costs

On top of the more common fees outlined above, there are a number of additional formation costs that LLCs in Hawaii may encounter depending on their circumstances.

We’ve summarized some of these additional LLC costs below:

Expedited Hawaii LLC Filing

The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) offers expedited processing for businesses looking to fast-track their submissions.

With expedited filing, your submission will be processed within one business day — a significant reduction from the standard processing time of three to five business days for standard filings.

This service incurs an additional fee of $50 on top of the regular filing fee imposed for processing your Articles of Organization.

Local Business Licenses

In order to comply with the local-level regulations of your city and county, your business may be required to obtain one — or several — local business licenses.

While very few municipalities impose a general licensing requirement for businesses operating within their limits, your LLC might need a municipal license if it’s involved in certain activities.

For instance, an LLC operating a club in Honolulu will be required to obtain a Liquor License from the city.

The cost for this license is $320, which will need to be paid in addition to an initial application fee of $50, a $2.50 online service fee, and the applicable expenses associated with publishing a notice of a public hearing in a local newspaper.

Certificate of Good Standing

An Hawaii Certificate of Good Standing is a document often required to open a business bank account; it can also be requested by various lenders in order to check that your LLC is properly registered and legally authorized to conduct business in the state.

You can order a Certificate of Good Standing online through the Hawaii Business Express website by searching for your business name, opening the selected record, and choosing the last tab titled “Buy Available Docs”.

This service comes at a cost of $5.

Certified Copies of Business Documents

You may need certified copies of your business documents if you’re dealing with financial institutions, regulatory bodies, or are involved in legal proceedings.

You can obtain certified copies of your business documents online through the Hawaii Business Express website at a cost of $0.25 per page, plus $10 for the certification.

Cost to Maintain an LLC in Hawaii

In addition to the cost of forming an LLC in Minnesota, there are also several ongoing costs you’ll be responsible for paying each year.

We’ve outlined these recurring costs associated with maintaining an Hawaii LLC below.

Annual Report Fee

To maintain good standing with the state, Hawaii requires all corporations, LLCs, and partnerships to submit an Annual Report to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Business Registration Division.

To submit this report, you can either file online via the Hawaii Business Express website or print the Limited Liability Company Annual Report form and mail it to the Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs.

The filing deadline for the annual report will depend on the formation date of your LLC:

• Between January 1 and March 31: Your filing due date is March 31
• Between April 1 and June 30: Your filing due date is June 30
• Between July 1 and September 30: Your filing due date is September 30
• Between October 1 and December 31: Your filing due date is December 31

Keep in mind that the annual report comes with a $15 processing fee.

General Excise Tax

In Hawaii, businesses are subject to a unique General Excise Tax (GET) on their gross income.

The standard statewide rate for the GET is 4.00%; having said that, certain locations implement additional surcharges, potentially increasing the GET rate to as much as 4.50%.

You will be required to file GET tax returns periodically, with the frequency being determined according to how much is owed. These filings can be monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.

The due date for all filings (besides annual filings) is the 20th day after the applicable filing period ends; for example, monthly filings are due by the 20th of the following month.

For annual filings, the due date is the 20th day of the fourth month following the end of your LLC’s fiscal year. For instance, if your fiscal year ends on December 31, your filing will be due by April 20 of the subsequent year.

Note: Before you can comply with GET requirements, you will need to obtain a GET license. This requires completing the Hawaii Basic Business Application (Form BB-1) and paying a one-time fee of $20.

Registered Agent Maintenance

If you decide to take advantage of a professional registered agent in order to handle your legal documents, you’ll be required to pay an annual fee in return for their services. This fee commonly ranges between $45 and $300 depending on the provider and features you select.

While you’re not required to use a professional registered agent service, it’s highly recommended.

Taxes

In addition to the federal taxes your LLC is required to pay regardless of the state it’s based in, there are a variety of state-specific taxes in Hawaii you need to be aware of, including:

• Sales tax
• Employment taxes
• Business privilege taxes
• Property taxes

Additionally, there are various local taxes your LLC may need to pay depending on the municipality or county it’s based in, such as:

• Sales and use taxes
• Property tax

Hawaii vs Other States

Hawaii stands as one of the most business-friendly states, distinguishing itself by not imposing franchise or charter taxes, which are common in other states (with the only exception being financial institutions).

Furthermore, Hawaii has made significant efforts to streamline its business registration paperwork.

The forms are designed to be straightforward, requiring just the necessary details to meet Hawaii’s legal filing standards and nothing beyond that.

This approach not only facilitates a smoother registration process but also positions Hawaii as an appealing choice for entrepreneurs seeking a balance between simplicity and compliance.

Regardless, it’s important to understand that the best state to form your LLC will generally be the one in which you plan to primarily operate your business from.

This is because this makes it far easier to stay legally compliant on a number of levels, including taxation, licensing, and filing requirements, as you’ll only need to deal with one state’s set of rules.