O‘ahu DMV offering help to Kaua‘i residents

Published on September 25, 2026

LĪHUʻE – The DMV on O‘ahu is temporarily stepping in to assist Kaua‘i residents who need an online duplicate of their driver’s licenses.

The temporary assistance responds directly to the recent fire at the Līhu‘e Civic Center, which severely disrupted local government facilities and halted standard driver licensing services on Kaua‘i.

Beginning immediately, Kauaʻi County residents can use the City and County of Honolulu's online portal to request a replacement or duplicate copy of their valid Hawaiʻi driver’s license.

The recent fire destroyed the primary administrative and IT hub for Kauaʻi’s DMV, leaving many residents without access to essential credential replacements.

While Kauaʻi officials have worked to restore select vehicle registration and inquiry services via drop boxes, kiosks, and the Kapaʻa Armory, full on-island driver licensing and reprinting capabilities remain offline.

“By expanding access to our online portal, we can help ease the burden for Kauaʻi residents, who urgently need a valid physical license while their home county rebuilds its operations,” said Department of Customer Service Director Kim Hashiro, whose oversight responsibilities include the DMV in the City and County of Honolulu.

"The fire at the Kāpule Building took out systems our residents count on every day, and we know how hard it's been for people who need a valid license to work, travel, or care for their families,” said Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami. “We're deeply grateful to Director Hashiro and the City and County of Honolulu for opening their doors to Kaua‘i. This is what it looks like when our counties take care of each other. Our team is working every day to bring driver licensing back home, and we'll keep residents informed at kauairecovers.org as each service is restored. Until then, we ask for continued patience, and we mahalo everyone who has shown up for one another through Hurricane Lowell and this fire."

The standard fee for an online duplicate is $7. We will print the new credential with the applicant's existing information on file and mail it directly to their address. Applicants should allow up to five weeks for delivery. 

This service is for exact duplicate requests only. This temporary workaround cannot be used to change a name, residential address, or personal data. Kauaʻi residents can initiate their request by visiting the City and County of Honolulu’s duplicate portal.

The City and County of Honolulu’s online duplicate driver’s license portal is temporarily available to Kaua‘i residents.

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