| Date | Title | Description |
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| Apr 2, 2024 | Kokua Line: Must notice of transfer be signed at DMV? | Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Question: Does the signature on title of ownership transfer for vehicles have to be signed in front of a DMV employee? When selling or turning over the vehicle, must the... |
| Feb 18, 2024 | Kokua Line: Must I bring documents for gold-star renewal? | Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Question: My Hawaii driver’s license has the gold star and is up for renewal. I got a reminder postcard with a list of documents to bring. Read more
Mahalo for reading t... |
| Jan 11, 2024 | Kokua Line: Did city change way to get disability parking permit? | Question: Did the city change how it issues disability parking permits?
Answer: Yes, this is no longer a walk-in “express line” service at Oahu’s satellite city halls. An appointment is required, Harold Nedd, spokesperson for Honolulu’s Dep... |
| Dec 12, 2023 | Kokua Line: Does city actually follow up on complaints? | Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Question: Kokua Line frequently says to contact this or that city agency when a problem occurs, such as with abandoned cars or homeless camps or missing driver’s license... |
| Oct 15, 2023 | Kokua Line: Which satellite city hall opens at 7 a.m.? | Question: The Kapolei Satellite City Hall opens at 7 a.m., which is great for area residents who can use it before they go to work. I don’t live in Kapolei. Do any satellite city halls in town open this early? Or will they?
Answer: For now ... |
| Jan 6, 2023 | Kokua Line: What walk-in service is offered at satellite city hall? | Question: Regarding Oahu’s satellite city halls, how are we supposed to know whether we can walk in or we need an appointment?
Answer: The following basic services are provided at Express Windows at Oahu satellite halls, without an appointm... |
| 2023 | Kokua Line: Can I renew my passport online? | Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Question: Can you tell me how to get a passport? My passport expired on Nov. 9, 2020, so I need to get a new one. Read more
Mahalo for reading the Honolulu Star-Advertis... |
| Nov 17, 2022 | Kokua Line: How do I get rid of old gun? | Question: Is it possible to turn in a handgun (no permit found) and ammunition to police that formerly belonged to a long-deceased person? No questions asked, without providing identity of deceased? If yes, how do I go about doing this?
Ans... |
| Sep 22, 2022 | Kokua Line: How do I get housebound mom a state ID? | Question: Is there a way to get a state ID for someone who can’t leave the house? This is for my mother. She needs a valid ID because I can’t do certain errands for her without showing her ID. I have been showing her old driver’s license bu... |
| Aug 1, 2022 | Ala Moana Satellite City Hall to begin accepting U.S. passport applications today | Starting today, the Ala Moana Satellite City Hall will begin accepting U.S. passport applications on an appointment-only basis.
The U.S. passport service will be offered at a satellite city hall on Oahu for the first time, the City and Coun... |
| Nov 30, 2021 | Kokua Line: Where can I renew my license on a Saturday? | Question: Will the DMV open longer because the licenses are expiring?
Answer: You are referring to the fact that Gov. David Ige is no longer extending expiration dates for Hawaii driver’s licenses and state identification cards by emergenc... |
| Nov 26, 2021 | Kokua Line: What type of ID works for Safe Access Oahu? | Question: Since they are revising Safe Access O‘ahu, are they adding vaccination requirements for kids 5 to 11 at restaurants now?
Answer: No, the update still exempts children under age 12, who were not eligible to be vaccinated when the C... |
| Nov 17, 2021 | Kokua Line: How do I transfer a car’s title after an owner dies? | Question: How do I transfer a vehicle title to myself after an owner has died? Do I have to have a death certificate? We didn’t have an automatic transfer set up.
Answer: The process varies depending on whether you also are listed on the ti... |
| Nov 8, 2021 | Off the News: Hoping for more transparency on bills | Thanks is owed to three Hawaii high court justices who struck down the so-called “gut and replace” lawmaking practice. For years, the tactic has allowed legislators to strip the content of one bill and replace it with language for an unrela... |
| Oct 13, 2021 | Kokua Line: How many Hawaii people are on food stamps? | Question: This latest unofficial shutdown has been brutal for some of us. The governor told tourists not to come right before the plus-up expired. I am requesting food stamps for the first time. It’s easy to count COVID-19 tests but what ab... |
| Oct 4, 2021 | Off the News: Reprieve for expired licenses | On Friday afternoon, Gov. David Ige extended the state’s pandemic emergency declaration for another 60 days — and with it, gave another reprieve to those whose Hawaii’s driver’s license, state ID card or learner’s permit has expired.
Initia... |
| Sep 8, 2021 | Kokua Line: Can a homeless person without an ID get vaccinated against COVID-19? | Question: I’m currently operating a homeless church in the Kakaako area with limited service due to the spread of COVID-19. We have about 25 to 30 homeless people attending our service per week and have found that less than half of them are... |
| Sep 2, 2021 | Kokua Line: Were crosswalks removed on the Ward Avenue bikeway? | Question: Regarding Ward Avenue (808ne.ws/91sty), what’s the difference between a protected bike lane and a regular one?
Answer: “Protected bike lanes, also known as cycle tracks or separated bike lanes, are bikeways located on or adjacent ... |
| Aug 31, 2021 | Kokua Line: Why can’t I pay my property taxes by phone? | Question: I am trying to pay my Honolulu property tax bill by phone using my credit card. I get a phone greeting saying that they cannot take my payment at this time. What’s up? The system is also rejecting my efforts to pay by credit card... |
| Feb 23, 2021 | Kokua Line: Certain drivers can renew expired Hawaii license without road, written tests | COURTESY STATE DOT
People whose Hawaii driver’s licenses have expired generally won’t have to retake the written test or road test if their one-year reactivation period ends during Hawaii’s COVID-19 emergency period, according to the state ... |
| Dec 27, 2020 | Kokua Line: Revived ‘plus-up’ would start fresh, not make up for gap in federal jobless aid | Question: Will the new plus-up be retroactive to when the last one expired?
Answer: No, even assuming that President Donald Trump ultimately signs the bill into law. Congress revived Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) in the ... |
| Nov 24, 2020 | Kokua Line: Honolulu County adds mail option to replace a lost or stolen state ID | Question: I have lost my Hawaii state ID. Can you please tell me where and how — in this period of chaos — I can get it replaced? I live in the McCully area.
Answer: You can order an exact copy by mail, saving you a trip to a driver license... |
| Oct 8, 2020 | Kokua Line: Night owls offer tips to reserve DMV appointment | Question: Regarding getting an appointment on www.AlohaQ.org, the website says, “Openings are added regularly, so please check back often for additional times.” Is this even true? I’ve tried practically every day and never find anything.
An... |
| Oct 6, 2020 | Kokua Line: AlohaQ appointments appear booked up for driver’s license and state ID renewals | Question: I’ve been trying to get my driver’s license renewed for some time now. It doesn’t expire until the beginning of December, but that time is fast approaching. There are no appointments available anywhere on Oahu. I can’t even get so... |
| Sep 25, 2020 | Kokua Line: Extra money flowing to 200,000 jobless; 5,401 claimants with low benefits are excluded | Question: Will we get Lost Wages Assistance in a lump sum, since it’s retroactive?
Answer: No, the $300 supplement is being paid a week at a time, for a total of six weeks, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations... |
| Sep 23, 2020 | Kokua Line: Oahu’s driver’s license centers and satellite city halls to reopen Thursday for appointments | Question: I made an appointment months ago to renew my driver’s license. It’s on Thursday. Will the DMV be open by then?
Answer: Yes. Oahu’s driver’s licensing centers and satellite city halls will reopen for in-person service that day, wi... |
| Sep 3, 2020 | Kokua Line: Honolulu County service-center appointments canceled through Wednesday, at least | Question: I have a driver’s license renewal appointment scheduled for next Wednesday (Sept. 9). Will the DMV be open that day or will it be closed and my appointment canceled? I have not been able to reach anyone by telephone and the inform... |
| Aug 27, 2020 | Kokua Line: Honolulu City Lights will be drive-by event, with no electric light parade or big holiday crowds | Question: Usually by now you have something about getting permits for Honolulu City Lights. Is that not happening?
Answer: The annual holiday festival known as Honolulu City Lights will be scaled way back this year, with no big gatherings d... |
| Off the News: Driver’s license renewal extension | Due to the pandemic slowing down city services, there’s now another 60-day reprieve for Oahu residents whose driver’s licenses, learner’s permits and state ID cards have expired since mid-March 2020.
June 8, 2021, is the new expiration date... |
| Kokua Line: Free tax prep meant for needy but doesn’t have preset income limit | Question: What is “low to moderate income” for purposes of qualifying for the free tax return preparation at the Hawaii Kai library (808ne.ws/25kline)?
Answer: That location is one of 17 Oahu sites in the AARP Foundation’s annual Tax-Aide p... |
| Kokua Line: Snowballing demand pushes Honolulu DMV to its limits | Frustration is rising among Oahu residents who can’t get a timely appointment to obtain or renew a Hawaii driver’s license or state ID. Nola Miyasaki, director of Honolulu County’s Department of Customer Services, addresses common question... |
| Kokua Line: Bill would pave the way for online Hawaii driver’s license renewal | Question: I don’t understand why Hawaii can’t renew driver’s licenses online. Other states already do this. Rather than telling people to keep trying to make an appointment, they could do something to serve the public! It’s not even innovat... |
| Kokua Line: How do I switch ‘gold star’ from license to ID? | Question: If a kupuna has decided to not renew their Hawaii driver’s license when it expires but instead would like to get a state ID, can this be done online, or is an in-person appointment needed for a new state ID upon expiration of a dr... |
| Kokua Line: Why is Honolulu County scrapping popular by-mail renewal for certain driver’s licenses? | Question: I followed all instructions on AlohaQ and still am unable to get an appointment before my driver’s license expires. Meanwhile, my husband, who is a few years older, was able to renew by mail. What a convenience! Any chance they wi... |
| Appointment and mask needed for in-office visits for driver license and state ID | STAR-ADVERTISER FILE
The city closed all its driver-licensing centers and satellite city halls on March 25. In-office visits were suspended nine weeks ago and 44,000 appointments were canceled. Offices for some ID services will reopen on Tu... |
| Kokua Line: Can I renew disability parking pass if I no longer drive? | Question: I just quit driving, and I have this handicap parking placard and it expires at the end of the month. Can I extend it? Even though I am not driving, can I use it to have somebody drive me, because we still need to park close to th... |
| Kokua Line: Most of Oahu’s satellite city halls set to reopen by appointment on July 1 | Question: Are the satellite city halls ever going to reopen?
Answer: Yes. Eight of the nine are scheduled to reopen July 1, by appointment only. To be clear, that means no walk-in service for any type of transaction, according to Honolulu C... |
| Kokua Line: Why no HOLO cards at Ala Moana satellite city hall? | Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Question: The city should expand service at the satellite city hall at Ala Moana Center, not reduce it; this is the closest satellite to the major population centers of ... |
| Kokua Line: Can I leave quarantine when the travel rule changes? | Question: I am scheduled to return to Hawaii on Monday, the day before the vaccine exception takes effect. If I cancel my COVID-19 test and self- quarantine instead, will they let me out on Tuesday?
Answer: No. Travelers in quarantine befor... |
| Kokua Line: Beefed-up phones, stricter AlohaQ system aim to improve Honolulu County customer service | Question: I know I am not the only one having trouble getting an appointment to renew my driver’s license, but I noticed something different when I tried to log onto AlohaQ. Now it won’t even let you try to make an appointment unless your l... |
| Kokua Line: How do I transfer my driver’s license from Japan, Korea or Taiwan to Hawaii? | Question: What must I do to get a Hawaii driver’s license if I already have a driver’s license in Japan? I will be living in Honolulu.
Answer: Hawaii has a driver’s license reciprocity agreement with Japan. Assuming that your Japanese licen... |
| Editorial: City services change up | July 1 ushered in a new fiscal year for our local governments as well as some updates, both good and not so good. Let’s start with the good.
All nine satellite city halls have reopened for in-person business, albeit by-appointment only. Str... |
| Kokua Line: When is the next ‘Condorama’ online event? | Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Question: The next time the state does its condominium webinar, please publicize. I attended in 2021, and I wish more owners in my building had as well, so they would un... |
| Kokua Line: Which owner gets traffic-cam ticket? | Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Question: Regarding the red-light cameras, the state says the ticket is issued to the registered owner of the vehicle. What if two registered owners are listed on the ti... |
| Kokua Line: Can I transfer my REAL ID to Hawaii? | Question: I have a REAL ID license from Washington state. Can I transfer it to Hawaii, or will I have to bring in all my documents again?
Answer: It’s not an either/or question, according to Honolulu’s Department of Customer Services. An el... |
| Kokua Line: What’s a legal way to dispose of car without insurance or registration? | Question: What is the legal way to dispose of a car without insurance or registration?
Answer: One possibility is the city’s no-fee junking service, which has the vehicle owner submit the vehicle’s title, license plates and a form attesting... |
| Kokua Line: ‘No star’ state ID debuts for limited use by ill people | COURTESY HONOLULU DEPARTMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICES
The “no star” Hawaii state ID made its debut this week.
Question: Last year you wrote about a new ID that would be for people who don’t travel so they don’t need a gold star, but do need som... |