State hub · Hawaii
Hawaii LLC true cost (2026)
Hawaii state side: $50 formation filing, $15 for Annual Report in the 3-year model, ~$96 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #6 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Hawaii state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Hawaii DCCA – Business Registration Division. Filings go through hbe.ehawaii.gov.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $50 | Articles of Organization $50 (DCCA BREG fee schedule). Additional mandatory $1 State Archives fee commonly assessed at filing (total often $51). |
| Annual Report | $15 | Fee schedule lists $15; DCCA LLC info PDF notes online annual report $12.50. Used $15 from official fee table. $10 late fee per delinquent year online. |
| State Archives fee (at formation) | $1 | Mandatory $1 archives fee noted on DCCA domestic LLC page; included in 3-year subtotal once. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $96 | Formation $50 + archives $1 + 3× annual report $15 = $96. If always filing online at $12.50, recurring portion would be $37.50 instead of $45. |
When Hawaii actually bills you
Hawaii's recurring filing is due By the last day of the calendar quarter containing the registration anniversary (quarterly due-date system) — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Hawaii charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $50 | $50 |
| Year 1 cycle | Annual Report | $15 | $65 |
| Year 2 cycle | Annual Report | $15 | $80 |
| Year 3 cycle | Annual Report | $15 | $95 |
Provider + Hawaii state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Hawaii state subtotal of $96.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $385 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $593 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $394 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $843 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Hawaii ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Hawaii sits at #6 — the 6th cheapest three-year state charter — at $96 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $61 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $184 below the $280 median, and $2,414 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Hawaii lands in the cheaper half of the table.
- Just cheaper: New Mexico ($50), Missouri ($50).
- Just pricier: Ohio ($99), Idaho ($100).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Hawaii)
- Registered agent in Hawaii required.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Hawaii state fees is $96, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Hawaii, is about 75% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Anniversary-quarter due dates (not a single statewide date).
- Administrative termination risk after prolonged failure to file annual reports.
Who Hawaii is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Hawaii-domiciled LLCs with low formation cost and light annual report fees.
Often a poor fit when…
- Mainland-only operators who do not need a Hawaii entity.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Hawaii LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Hawaii?
$50 to Hawaii DCCA – Business Registration Division for the formation filing. Articles of Organization $50 (DCCA BREG fee schedule). Additional mandatory $1 State Archives fee commonly assessed at filing (total often $51). That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Hawaii LLC fees after year one?
$15 for the Annual Report, due By the last day of the calendar quarter containing the registration anniversary (quarterly due-date system). Fee schedule lists $15; DCCA LLC info PDF notes online annual report $12.50. Used $15 from official fee table. $10 late fee per delinquent year online. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Hawaii LLC really cost over three years?
$96 in Hawaii state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $385 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $843 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Hawaii.
Do I need a registered agent in Hawaii?
Yes. Registered agent in Hawaii required. Confirm Hawaii's DIY-versus-commercial agent rules with Hawaii DCCA – Business Registration Division before you file — a home address here becomes public record. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Hawaii figure above.
Is Hawaii a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Hawaii ranks #6 of 51 at $96 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Hawaii three-year number is built
Formation $50 + archives $1 + 3× annual report $15 = $96. If always filing online at $12.50, recurring portion would be $37.50 instead of $45. Figures are re-derived from the cited Hawaii sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Hawaii state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- Provider checkout upsells: see the national comparison page.
- Re-check live Hawaii DCCA – Business Registration Division fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- DCCA Hawaii domestic LLC fees
- DCCA Hawaii domestic LLC overview
- DCCA LLC information PDF (online annual $12.50)
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Hawaii's $96 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Hawaii math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.