HI Corporation Filing Fees and Requirements

How Much Does It Cost to Form an HI Corporation?

Legal business registration — and keeping your business compliant — involves necessary expenses and investment. Some of these costs are payable to the Hawaii DCCA, while others are due to additional state entities or the federal government. Here are some common requirements and fees.

Please note that fees for a State of Hawaii business license or permit may be due when you first form your business, on an ongoing schedule or on an ad hoc basis. Find more details below.

Initial Hawaii Corporation Filing Fees

When starting a business in Hawaii State, you’ll need to file a form and pay a filing fee. Here are the current Hawaii corporation filing fees and times:

When you use Incfile to register a business in Hawaii, we charge you the state filing fee and forward it to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs when we file your incorporation paperwork.

Hawaii Annual Report Requirements

Most states require business entities to file an annual (or other periodic) report. Hawaii requires an annual report to be filed once every year with the Hawaii DCCA.

When you complete your annual report you may file it online accompanied with a filing fee of $15.

State of Hawaii Business License and Permit Requirements

Before you start doing business, you must secure the necessary state, federal or local business licenses and permits to operate your corporation. Some of the fees will only need to be paid once, while others may be ongoing charges.

Permits and licenses vary based on:

Corporate Bylaws

You are required to have Hawaii corporation bylaws if you form a corporation in the state. You don't need to file them with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, but make sure you have them with your business documents and by all means, continue to follow them.

The bylaws must then be adopted (and amended, if necessary) by the board of directors and shareholders.

Drafting a set of bylaws can be extremely helpful in making sure you’re organized and can help protect your business from any future changes and events that may affect your business.

Other HI Corporation Filing Requirements and Fees

The State of Hawaii requires you to complete a few more tasks before you can begin conducting business.

Appoint a Director

Some states require corporations to appoint a full board of directors. HI corporation law requires all corporations to have at least one director.

Appoint Officers

In Hawaii, the board of directors may elect officers, such as the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer etc. One of the elected officers has the responsibility of the preparation and custody of minutes of the directors' and shareholders' meetings and for authenticating records of the corporation.

Issue Stock to Shareholders

To raise business capital and keep it separate from company owners' money, every Hawaii corporation must sell stock to its shareholders. The Articles of Incorporation must authorize the sale of at least one class of share, and the corporation cannot sell more shares than are authorized.

Hold Annual General Meetings

This is one area where Hawaii differs from other states. You are required to hold annual meetings, however if you fail to do so, Hawaii Corporation Law Title 23, Chapter 414,, § 414-121 states, "The failure to hold an annual meeting at the time stated in or fixed in accordance with a corporation's bylaws shall not affect the validity of any corporate action. "

Get a Trade Name or DBA

If you want to register a Hawaii DBA (trade name), you must file a form with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and pay a filing fee of $50.

Change the Registered Agent

If your corporation is based in Hawaii, then you must have a Registered Agent in the state. You'll need to appoint one when you file your Articles of Incorporation. You can also assign a new Registered Agent later by filing a form and paying a fee of $25.

Reserving a Name for Your Corporation

If you're not quite ready to start your business, you can reserve a name for 120 days with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs by filing a form and paying a fee of $10. First, conduct a HI corporation search and learn the state's business naming rules to ensure you choose a name that meets legal requirements.

Amending Facts About Your Corporation

The forms you fill out when you first incorporate state certain facts about your Hawaii business at that time. Through the years, some or all of this information may change. If it does, you'll need to file Articles of Amendment with the DCCA along with a filing fee of $25. You can do this yourself or Incfile can do it for you.

Get a Certificate of Good Standing

Some organizations may request that you prove your corporation's compliance with laws and tax requirements. In most states - including Hawaii - this proof is provided with a Certificate of Good Standing.

If you need to prove you have met your commitments, you’ll need to request an HI Certificate of Good Standing from the DCCA. You request one via the online portal. A fee of $5 is due at this time.

The information listed above details many of the fees a standard corporation will be required to pay in Hawaii. In some circumstances, there may be other one-off, periodic or ad hoc fees not listed above.

Of course, your corporation will also probably need to pay federal, state, self-employment (if it's an S Corp) and other taxes. You'll find more information on the Hawaii taxes page.