Hawaii Police Reports: County Police, Fees and Crash Rules
Who has your crash report, what drivers must report, insurance rules and traffic deaths in Hawaii.
If you crashed in Hawaii, the island you were on decides which department wrote your police report.
Who Has Your Hawaii Police Report
Hawaii crash reports belong to the county police. HRS 291C-20 makes a traffic collision report “for the confidential use of the police department,” so the county department that responded is the one that releases it. The Honolulu Police Department’s Traffic Division, for example, investigates fatal crashes on the H-1. The new traffic patrols by state Department of Law Enforcement deputies are there to supplement and support county police, Honolulu Civil Beat reported.
The same law says who can get a copy: the drivers involved (or a driver’s employer, parent or legal guardian), anyone injured, owners of damaged vehicles or property, an authorized representative of any of them, law enforcement and the courts. Someone who may sue over a death caused by the crash also counts as directly concerned. Honolulu releases a report once the investigation is complete and the case is closed, and both Honolulu and Kauai black out personal identifiers under HRS chapter 92F.
Don’t want to deal with the forms, or not sure which county took your report? We can get a copy of your report for you at no cost.
Police Reports From Hawaii’s County Departments
Each of the four departments runs its own records office, with its own steps and fees:
| Department | How to request | Fee |
| [Honolulu Police](https://www.honolulupd.org/police-reports/) (Oahu) | Call the Records Division at 808-723-3258 first to check whether your collision report can be released. Then request it by email, by mail or in person at HPD Records Division, 801 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, weekdays 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring or send a color copy of your government ID; mail requests need a self-addressed stamped envelope. | $0.50 for the first page, $0.25 for each page after; cash, check or cashier’s check to “City and County of Honolulu,” no cards |
| [Hawaii Police](https://www.hawaiipolice.gov/services/get-a-police-report/) (Big Island) | In person, by phone, or in writing to the Records and Identification Section, 349 Kapiolani Street, Hilo, HI 96720. Hilo Records (808) 961-2233; Kona Station (808) 326-4646 ext. 286. A response or the report comes within 10 business days, and staff call when it’s ready; pick up at any district station. | $1 for the first page, $0.10 for each page after; cash only |
| [Kauai Police](https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Police-Department/Records-Section) | Online request forms (non-business, business or insurance); allow 48 hours for a response. Staff schedule a pickup appointment once the report is ready. Status line (808) 241-1929. | Not posted |
| [Maui Police](https://www.mauicounty.gov/443/Police-Reports) | Call 808-244-6355. Maui will not fax reports. | $0.25 per page; cash (no bills over $20), personal check, money order or cashier’s check |
Start with the department for the island where the crash happened. Bear in mind that on the Big Island, anyone picking up a report for you needs a letter of authorization.
What Hawaii Drivers Must Report
Under HRS 291C-16, the driver in a crash that injures or kills anyone, or causes $3,000 or more in apparent damage to all property combined, must notify the nearest police officer immediately, by the quickest means available. If the driver is physically unable, another occupant who can must give the notice. Skipping the notice can bring a surcharge of up to $100 on top of other penalties.
The law asks for notice to police, and we found no state form for Hawaii drivers to file a written crash report of their own. That makes the county police report the main record of the crash.
Hawaii No-Fault Insurance, Fault and Deadlines
Hawaii is a no-fault state, according to the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). After a crash, your own insurer pays injury bills for you and your passengers up to your personal injury protection (PIP) limit, whoever caused it. PIP benefits carry a limit of $10,000 per person (HRS 431:10C-103.5). The driver at fault still pays for damage to vehicles and other property.
For personal auto policies written or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, the minimum liability limits are $40,000 for injury to one person, $80,000 per crash and $20,000 for property damage (HRS 431:10C-301, as amended by Act 138 of 2024). The old minimums were $20,000, $40,000 and $10,000, and some older pages, including one on the DCCA site, still show them. Your insurer or agent must also tell you about uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, which you can turn down in writing.
No-fault limits when you can sue the other driver over your injuries. Under HRS 431:10C-306, a lawsuit is allowed for a death, a significant permanent loss of use of a body part or function, permanent and serious disfigurement that causes mental or emotional suffering, or once the PIP benefits for your injury reach $5,000.
Fault can be shared. Under HRS 663-31, an injured person whose negligence is not greater than that of the people they’re suing can still recover, and the award shrinks by their own share. A driver found 50% at fault recovers half; one found more at fault than the other side recovers nothing.
Filing deadlines run two years, with a twist for car crashes. HRS 431:10C-315 allows a lawsuit within two years of the crash or within two years of the last motor vehicle insurance, workers’ compensation or public assistance payment for it, whichever is later. Wrongful death claims have two years from the death (HRS 663-3). A claim against a county needs written notice within two years (HRS 46-72), and a lawsuit against the State must start within two years (HRS 662-4).
Hawaii Traffic Deaths by the Numbers
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| Traffic deaths, January 1 to December 25 | 128, against 101 for the same days of 2024 | 2025 | Hawaii Department of Transportation |
| Traffic deaths by county, January 1 to December 25 | Honolulu 82, Hawaii 20, Maui 18, Kauai 8 | 2025 | Hawaii Department of Transportation |
| Pedestrians killed, January 1 to December 25 | 37, against 36 for the same days of 2024 | 2025 | Hawaii Department of Transportation |
| Motorcyclists and scooter riders killed, January 1 to December 25 | 39 (31 motorcyclists, 8 scooter riders) | 2025 | Hawaii Department of Transportation |
| People killed in traffic crashes | 102 | 2024 | NHTSA |
| Deaths in crashes with an alcohol-impaired driver | 34 (34%) | 2024 | NHTSA |
HDOT’s 2025 tally stops at December 25; by the full-year count of 129, as Honolulu Civil Beat reported, 2025 was Hawaii’s deadliest year on the roads since 2007. Pedestrians, motorcyclists and scooter riders accounted for more than half of the deaths HDOT counted through December 25.
Hawaii Crash Guides by City and County
Local guides and day-to-day crash coverage for Hawaii, sorted by city and county:
County accident news: Honolulu County · Maui County · Hawaii County · Kauai County · Kalawao County
Roads and intersections across the islands are covered on our Hawaii intersections page.
Help After a Crash
- Local Accident Reports. After a crash, we can connect you with local help, from doctors and body shops to injury attorneys. Contact our team.
- Crime victim compensation. Hawaii’s Crime Victim Compensation Commission covers the crimes listed in HRS 351-32, which include negligent homicide and negligent injury: a death caused by a driver under the influence, and a serious injury caused by negligent driving. File within 18 months of the injury or death, or later with good cause (HRS 351-62).
- MADD Hawaii. Free services for victims and survivors of drunk and drugged driving crashes. Honolulu office 808-532-6232; 24-hour help line 877-MADD-HELP (877-623-3435).
- 988. Call or text 988 any time for crisis support.
- Hawaii trauma system. The Department of Health’s EMS and Injury Prevention branch runs the state trauma system.
Hawaii Crash Questions
How do I get a police report for a car accident in Hawaii?
Ask the county police department for the island where you crashed: Honolulu Police on Oahu, Hawaii Police on the Big Island, or the Maui or Kauai police. Hawaii has no state highway patrol. Under HRS 291C-20, copies go to drivers, injured people, owners of damaged property, their representatives and others directly concerned. Posted copy fees run from $0.10 to $1 a page.
How do I get an HPD accident report in Honolulu?
Call the Honolulu Police Department (HPD) Records Division at 808-723-3258 to confirm the report can be released, then ask by email, by mail or in person at 801 South Beretania Street. Bring a color copy of your government ID. Copies cost $0.50 for the first page and $0.25 for each page after, and HPD takes no cards.
Is Hawaii a no-fault state?
Yes. Your own personal injury protection pays injury costs for you and your passengers, up to $10,000 per person, no matter who caused the crash. You can sue the other driver only for a death, a significant permanent loss of use of a body part or function, serious permanent disfigurement, or once PIP benefits reach $5,000. The at-fault driver still pays for vehicle and property damage.
How long do I have to file a car accident claim in Hawaii?
Two years from the crash or from the last motor vehicle insurance, workers’ compensation or public assistance payment for it, whichever is later (HRS 431:10C-315). Wrongful death claims have two years from the death (HRS 663-3). A claim against a county needs written notice within two years (HRS 46-72), and a lawsuit against the State must be filed within two years (HRS 662-4).
Recent Hawaii Crash Coverage
Critical Moped Crash on N Kuakini St in Honolulu, HI
Five Hurt, Two Critical in Two-Car Crash on Mokapu Blvd in Kailua, HI
Three Hospitalized in Multi-Vehicle Crash on H-1 Fwy in Honolulu, HI
Fatal Pedestrian Crash on Kanoelehua Ave in Hilo, HI
Two Hospitalized After House Fire on Iwaiwa St in Hālawa, HI
Older stories sit in the Hawaii accident news archive, and recent accident alerts follow new crashes nationwide as they are reported.
Local Accident Reports compiles this information from public agency sources and published reports for general reference. It is not legal advice and is not an official police record. Fees, forms and deadlines change, so confirm with the agency before you send a request. Last updated October 2026.