Hawaii Vehicle Power of Attorney

Introduction

Key Things to Know

1. 1

   Titling and registration in Hawaii is county work, so the form is a county form. On Oahu the instrument is the City and County of Honolulu Division of Motor Vehicles power of attorney, CS-L(MVR)38A if you are the buyer and CS-L(MVR)38B if you are the seller, each revised 04/2026, appointing one person to sign the registration and title applications for the single vehicle described on it.

2. 2

   Both Honolulu forms print a NOTARY CERTIFICATION block on their face, so the owner's signature is taken in front of a notary. That was verified on the buyer form and on the seller form. It was not verified on the Hawaii County, Maui County or Kauai County forms, which were not reachable, so confirm the rule with your own county office.

3. 3

   Honolulu splits the document by role instead of combining both sides on one sheet: the 38A describes the signer as the purchaser of the vehicle, the 38B as the seller.

4. 4

   The appointment names a person of Honolulu as true and lawful attorney to sign, in the owner's name, place and stead, any application for original registration, certificate of title, duplicates or other certificates issued by the Director of Customer Services, City and County of Honolulu.

5. 5

   The seller form carries the odometer reading inside the power of attorney. The owner states the mileage with no tenths and ticks one of two boxes if the reading is in excess of the odometer's mechanical limits or is not the actual mileage. The buyer form instead authorizes the attorney in fact to sign the mileage disclosure only if the odometer reading is equal to or greater than the reading the seller disclosed.

6. 6

   Where a company, organization or entity needs someone to act for it at the Honolulu DMV, the instrument is a Letter of Authorization rather than a power of attorney. It goes on official company letterhead or the DMV template, names the individuals authorized, and should be original or certified.

7. 7

   Under Haw. Rev. Stat. Section 286-52 the seller and the buyer both sign the certificate of ownership with pen and ink, and the buyer has thirty calendar days to forward the endorsed certificate to the county director of finance. Miss that and the director charges an additional fee of 50 dollars for the new certificate of ownership, on top of the usual fee.

Hawaii Requirements for Vehicle Power of Attorney

• County Form, Not a State Form

  Hawaii publishes no statewide numbered motor vehicle power of attorney, because titling and registration is run by the four counties. On Oahu the office is the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services, Division of Motor Vehicles. On Hawaii island, Maui and Kauai it is the county Department of Finance, and the County of Maui lists its own Power of Attorney among its Motor Vehicle and Licensing electronic forms.

• Honolulu Buyer Form CS-L(MVR)38A and Seller Form CS-L(MVR)38B

  On Oahu there are two forms and you pick by role. CS-L(MVR)38A is the buyer power of attorney and CS-L(MVR)38B is the seller power of attorney, each carrying the revision 04/2026 in the footer. The 38A describes the signer as the purchaser of the vehicle, the 38B as the seller.

• Notary Certification Printed on Both Honolulu Forms

  A NOTARY CERTIFICATION block appears on the face of both the buyer and the seller form, so the owner signs in front of a notary public. That was verified on the Honolulu forms only. The Hawaii County, Maui County and Kauai County forms were not reachable, so confirm the rule with your county office before signing.

• One Vehicle Per Form, Described by Plate and VIN

  The Honolulu forms carry a single vehicle block: make, type, model year, license plate number and vehicle identification number. The appointment language refers throughout to the motor vehicle described above, so a second vehicle needs a second form, separately notarized.

• Authority Runs to Honolulu Registration and Title Applications

  The owner appoints one person of Honolulu as true and lawful attorney to sign, in the owner's name, place and stead, any application for original registration, certificate of title, duplicates or other certificates issued by the Director of Customer Services, City and County of Honolulu, with full power of substitution.

• The Mileage Disclosure Sits Inside the Form

  The seller form has the owner write the odometer reading, with no tenths, and tick one of two boxes if the reading reflects mileage in excess of the odometer's mechanical limits or is not the actual mileage. The buyer form instead lets the attorney in fact sign the mileage disclosure only if the odometer reading is equal to or greater than the reading the seller disclosed.

• A Business Uses a Letter of Authorization

  Where a company, organization or entity needs someone to act for it at the Honolulu DMV, the instrument is a Letter of Authorization, not the power of attorney. It goes on official company letterhead or the DMV template, identifies who is authorized to act for the entity, should be original or certified, and must be signed by an authorized individual such as the sole proprietor, all partners, or a named corporate officer.

• Thirty Days to the County Director of Finance

  Haw. Rev. Stat. Section 286-52 has the transferor and the transferee write their signatures with pen and ink on the certificate of ownership, and requires the transferee to forward the endorsed certificate to the county director of finance within thirty calendar days. A transferee who fails to do so is charged an additional fee of 50 dollars for the new certificate of ownership.