How to Start an LLC in Hawaii

Why Create a Hawaii LLC?

The state of Hawaii offers several different types of business incentives, provided your LLC meets specific criteria. For example, The Enterprise Zones (EZ) Partnership Program gives State & County benefits to companies in an effort to stimulate business activity, job preservation, and job creation in areas where they are most appropriate or most needed. If you take advantage of the EZ Partnership Program, you may be able to reduce your state taxes and receive other county benefits for up to seven years.

For entrepreneurs wanting to start a business in the Aloha State, creating a Hawaii limited liability company (LLC) is the fastest and easiest way. An LLC is an ideal business entity for startups and small- to medium-sized businesses, granting you the advantages and protections that larger Hawaii corporations benefit from, but with simplified rules and regulations.

If an LLC isn't the right entity for the type of business you're starting, you may want to consider forming a Hawaii Corporation instead.

Benefits of starting a Hawaii LLC:

• Protect your personal assets from your business liability and debts

• Simple to create, manage, regulate, administer and stay in compliance

• Easily file your taxes and discover potential advantages for tax treatment

• Low cost to file ($100)

Learn more about the benefits of the LLC business structure.

In this guide, you’ll find information on naming your LLC, getting a Registered Agent, the fees you’ll need to pay, Hawaii business taxes and much more. We also cover what you'll need to register and file your LLC and how you'll interact with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division (BREG).

How to Form an LLC in Hawaii Yourself in 6 Steps

1

Complete a Hawaii LLC Search and Choose a Unique Business Name

You’ll need a distinctive and original name for your LLC that’s not used by any other business in the state. Try using Incfile’s Business Name Generator to brainstorm ideas if you’re having trouble coming up with a name. You'll need to follow a few naming rules, which you can read about in detail on the Hawaii Business Names page.

Once you’ve chosen a name, you’ll need to make sure it’s available in Hawaii. To find out whether another company in the state is using your desired business name, use our tool to do a business name search. You can also carry out a name search on the Hawaii Business Express online database.

2

Provide an Official Business Address for Your LLC

Every LLC in Hawaii must have a designated street address, regardless of whether it’s an office building, a home (if the company is run from a residence) or any other physical location. It can be outside the state, and it cannot be a P.O. Box.

3

Assign a Registered Agent

A Registered Agent is someone who receives official legal and tax correspondence and is responsible for filing reports with the Hawaii Business Registration Division (BREG). Every LLC in Hawaii is required to have a Registered Agent.

This position can be filled by you, another manager in your business or a dedicated Registered Agent service. If your Hawaii Registered Agent is a person, they must be present and available during business hours to receive important documents on behalf of your company, and have a physical street address in Hawaii. In Hawaii, you appoint your Registered Agent when you file your Articles of Organization and formally form your business.

All of Incfile’s packages include Registered Agent service. It’s free for the first year and just $119 per year after that. You can also log in to our dashboard and easily view any document we've received on your behalf.

4

File Your Articles of Organization with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division (BREG)

Once you've gathered all the information for your Hawaii LLC, you’ll need to file a form with the Hawaii DCCA, BREG via email, mail, fax, or in person, or register an account and complete it online.

Your Articles of Organization can be filed online with the HI Business Express portal, you can email, fax, or hand deliver them to the Office of the Secretary of State, or you can have Incfile do it on your behalf. The Hawaii LLC filing fee is $50.

You only need to file your Articles of Organization once, but every year after, you must file an annual report. The fee for this, set by the Hawaii DCCA, BREG, is $15. Incfile can either remind you to do it, or we can do it for you.

What are the fees and requirements to form a business in Hawaii?

5

Get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service

You’ll need an EIN to identify your business to the IRS. You use this number when filing and paying taxes or when submitting payroll information and payments for your employees. An EIN is also required to open a business bank account. You can obtain one directly from the IRS, or Incfile can get one for you as part of the Hawaii LLC formation process.

6

Create an Operating Agreement

A kind of "instruction manual" that explains how you'll run your business, an LLC Operating Agreement details how decisions will be made, how the business is divided among members and what will happen if a member leaves the company.

Some states require that a company have this document in place. You're not legally required to have a Hawaii LLC Operating Agreement, but it’s a good idea to have one regardless.

Other Hawaii LLC Types

Professional LLC

Different from professional corporations, Professional Limited Liability Companies (PLLCs) typically have licensing requirements applicable to certain fields, such as law and medicine. In order to form a PLLC, you may need a state license to practice.

Learn more about PLLC vs. LLC and which one is right for your business.

Foreign LLC

If your business is already operating in another state and expanding to Hawaii—or vice versa—you’ll need to form a Foreign LLC.

Learn more about Hawaii Foreign LLC registration.

Helpful Resources from the State of Hawaii