Skip to main content
YaH Brands
Login

Form an LLC in Hawaii

How to start an LLC in Hawaii.

What the state asks for, what it charges, and what to file after you form. Fees checked against official Hawaii sources in .

Low filing fees, but Hawaii's General Excise Tax applies to most sales and services.

Form your Hawaii LLC Talk to a person

Hawaii at a glance

State filing fee
$51
Articles of Organization
Annual Report
$12.5
Every year
Filed with
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division
Operating agreement
Not required

The 2026 online annual report fee is $12.50. The standard paper filing fee is $15. These are the state's own fees, separate from ours, and they can change. Confirm with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division before you file.

Forming an LLC in Hawaii, step by step.

  1. 1

    Choose a name and check it

    Your name needs "LLC" or a similar designator and must be distinguishable from names on record. Search the Hawaii business database first.

  2. 2

    Appoint a registered agent

    Someone with a street address in Hawaii who accepts legal papers and official notices for the LLC. You can serve yourself or use a registered agent service.

  3. 3

    File the Articles of Organization

    File with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division. The state fee is $51. Includes the $50 Articles of Organization fee and a $1 State Archives fee.

  4. 4

    Write an operating agreement

    Not required. Either way it sets ownership, money, and decisions in writing. See the operating agreement guide.

  5. 5

    Get an EIN

    The business's federal tax ID, free from the IRS. Our EIN assistance can prepare it.

  6. 6

    Register for sales tax if you sell taxable items

    Hawaii issues a General Excise Tax (GET) License through the Hawaii Department of Taxation. Check local licenses too.

  7. 7

    File your Annual Report

    Every year: during the calendar quarter of the LLC's formation anniversary. The fee is $12.5.

General information, not legal or tax advice. State rules and fees change; this page was last checked in October 2026. YaH Brands is not a law firm or an accounting firm.

Forming in Hawaii? We prepare and file it, keep track of the follow-ups, and a real person answers when you call.

Get started now

Services for this step

Every service is available on its own. Add only what your business needs.

Keep reading

All LLC guides

Hawaii LLC questions

  • The state filing fee for the Articles of Organization is $51. Includes the $50 Articles of Organization fee and a $1 State Archives fee. Plan for ongoing costs too, including the Annual Report fee of $12.5. The 2026 online annual report fee is $12.50. The standard paper filing fee is $15.

  • Yes. Hawaii requires a Annual Report every year. The fee is $12.5, due during the calendar quarter of the LLC's formation anniversary.

  • Not required. Having one is still a good idea for any LLC, and banks often ask for it.

  • Yes. Every Hawaii LLC must keep a registered agent with a physical address in the state to accept legal papers and official notices.