How to Start Your Hawaii LLC

Hawaii is the westernmost state of the U.S. and the only one composed entirely of islands. Although the Hawaiian archipelago is made up of hundreds of islands, the majority of Hawaii’s population lives on just a handful.

Hawaii is famed for its climate, culture, natural scenery and friendly people. It is a center for tourism, although it supports several other economic sectors as well. If you want to start your own business in Hawaii, one of the best ways to do so is by forming an LLC.

Hawaii Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) are a business entity designed for startups and small- and medium-sized businesses. Forming an LLC is fast, easy and inexpensive. LLCs offer many of the protections and advantages of large corporations without all the rules, regulations and compliance issues common to larger business entities.

Let’s start by looking at the advantages of forming a Hawaii LLC.

Advantages of Forming an LLC in Hawaii

Hawaii LLCs have several benefits for business owners.

The preparation to start a Hawaii LLC is quick and easy: You can complete all the necessary forms and actions online to start your company. You can gather and prepare the information to start your business in an hour or two.
An LLC limits your personal liability: Any liabilities created by your Hawaii business (debts, obligations and other liabilities) are legally considered to be completely separate from your personal assets as the business owner or founder.
Hawaii LLCs are easy to maintain: LLCs are light on rules and regulations. There’s no need for boards of directors, complex rules and regulations or formal annual meetings.
LLCs are very easy to manage: General administration is fast and easy. Add and amend members and make other changes with just a little paperwork.
Taxes are simple: Any income you earn through your Hawaii LLC is reported on your personal tax return. This means you won’t run into “double taxation” issues common with larger corporations.
Turnaround times for forming an LLC in Hawaii: You will normally have the option of a “Standard” turnaround time and an “Expedited” turnaround time for forming your LLC. You can learn about those times here.
Fees for forming an LLC in Hawaii: Learn about standard filing costs here.

Start your Hawaii LLC in Six Steps

STEP 1: Name Your Hawaii LLC

You will need a distinctive, original name for your Hawaii LLC that’s not used by another business in Hawaii
To find out if another company is using your choice of business name, carry out a Hawaii business entity name search
The name should be unique and not able to be confused with the name of another Hawaii business
The name of your business must contain “Limited Liability Company” or the abbreviation “LLC” or “L.L.C.”
- For example: “Hawaii Flower Blooms LLC” or “Finister and Sons, Limited Liability Company”

STEP 2: Provide the Address for Your New Hawaii LLC

A Hawaii LLC must have a designated street address. That could be your home address (if you’re running the company from your residence), where your office is located or another physical address of your preference.

STEP 3: Assign a Registered Agent for Your Hawaii LLC

Every Hawaii LLC must have a “Registered Agent.” That could be you, the managing director, owner or a dedicated Registered Agent service. The Registered Agent in Hawaii is someone who receives official legal and tax correspondence and has responsibility for filing reports with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

At Incfile, all of our packages include a Registered Agent service, which is free for the first year and just $99 per year thereafter. We also have a dashboard where you can log in and easily view any document your Registered Agent has received on your behalf. Here are a few reasons you might want to appoint Incfile as your Registered Agent service:

The Registered Agent must have a physical street address in the state where you are forming the company. Some people establish companies outside of the state they live in and will need to use a Registered Agent service to provide the address.
You always need to have someone on hand to receive important documents for your business during business hours (typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday). Therefore, a person must always be available to sign for legal correspondence.
The Registered Agent’s name and address are part of the public record and available through the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs' website. If you would prefer your name and address are not published, this is a good reason to choose a Registered Agent service.
If you change your Hawaii business address or move out of state, you don’t need to file additional documentation with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for the new address of your Registered Agent. You will need to set up a new Registered Agent service in the new state.

STEP 4: Gather Information for Filing with the State

You will need to gather certain information about your proposed business for filing with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. We’ll guide you through everything you need to do when you create your business with us.

STEP 5: File Articles of Organization With the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Once you've gathered all the information together for your LLC, you’ll need to file a formal document with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to create your LLC. This document is known as your Articles of Organization, and filing it starts the process of creating your Hawaii LLC. You can do this online, mail in a form or have Incfile do it on your behalf.

STEP 6: Create a Hawaii LLC Operating Agreement

Hawaii LLCs aren’t required to have an Operating Agreement, but they are extremely useful for several reasons. Your Operating Agreement covers how the business will be run, how managers and members are chosen, the rights and duties of members and several other key areas. Learn how to create your Operating Agreement here.

If you’re interested in having your Operating Agreement created for you, Incfile will draft a general Operating Agreement within most of our online business formation packages. It can also be selected as an add-on option in our Silver package. This Operating Agreement will be a basic template that you can make changes to anytime you see fit.

You can find lots more useful information on how to form an LLC here. It answers questions like:

Who can form an LLC?
Where should you form an LLC?
When should you form an LLC?
What are the ongoing responsibilities for an LLC?

Starting Your Hawaii LLC: Useful Resources

Form a Hawaii LLC Without Breaking the Bank

Incfile provides a cost-effective service to help you create your LLC. We guide you through the process and handle most of the administrative steps on your behalf, such as filing the Articles of Organization. Our basic package also provides free Registered Agent service for the first year. If you're looking for help starting an LLC, our comprehensive services provide outstanding value.

Only $49 + State Fee To Launch Your Business

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

Filing Time and Price

The state charges this amount to file a new business entity. This fee goes directly to the Secretary of State.

State Fee	State Filing Time	Expedited Filing Time
$50	10 Business Days	2 Business Days

Compliance Requirements

This report is mandatory and must be filed within the specified time frame in order for the entity to remain in good standing with the state. Failure to file this report can lead to the company being revoked or administratively dissolved.

View Other State's Ongoing

Annual Report

Frequency: Annually

Due Date: The annual report or annual statement due date is dependent on the registration date. If the registration falls between:

January 1 and March 31, the annual report or statement is due by March 31 of each year;
April 1 and June 30, the annual report or statement is due by June 30 of each year;
July 1 and September 30, the annual report or statement is due by September 30 of each year;
October 1 and December 31, the annual report or statement is due by December 31 of each year;

Filing Fee:$15