Hawaii LLC

What is a Hawaii LLC?

A Hawaii LLC is formed by filing Articles of Organization with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs and paying the required filing fee. A Hawaii LLC is governed by its Operating Agreement, which is written and agreed upon by its members, and which lays out the management structure of the company. Each member offers a capital contribution in return for an ownership percentage.

Learn more below about the structure of a Hawaii LLC and how one is formed.

Hawaii LLC Requirements

  1. Articles of Organization
  2. State Filing Fee of $50 (Non Refundable).
  3. A Registered Agent located in Hawaii. See our service here.
  4. Beneficial Ownership Information Report filing. Report due after LLC formation starting January 1, 2024.

Hawaii LLC Structure

HI Limited Liability Companies are structured legally with the Hawaii Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company. Like many states, the document for an LLC is short and simple.

  • Hawaii LLC Name
  • Address
  • Registered Agent
  • Organizer(s)
  • Duration
  • Management

Name

The name of the company shall be listed on the Hawaii Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company.

Address

Mailing address of the Principal Office is to be listed on official record.

Registered Agent

A person or company can act as your Registered Agent in Wyoming. The state of Hawaii requires you to have a registered agent to form, and keep open, an LLC.

Organizer(s)

The name and address of each Organizer for the HI LLC will be listed on the Articles of Organization.

Duration

You have the LLC run it’s length of life at-will or you can end the life of an LLC in Hawaii on a specific date in the future.

Management

In Hawaii, you have to list the names and addresses of all the initial Managers or Members, depending on which management style you choose.

Hawaii LLC Facts
The Form to File Articles of Organization
Filing Fee $50
Agency to File With Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Our Fee $195 (includes registered agent service)
Expedited Filing Yes ($25 for one to three day processing)
Online Filing Yes
Annual Business Filing Due Date Anniversary Quarter of Formation
Annual Business Filing Fee $15
State Income Tax 4%

How to File a Hawaii LLC

Steps in forming a Hawaii LLC:

  1. Choose a Name for Your LLC: When you start an LLC, you must first select a name for your new company. The name of your company must include one of the following: Limited Liability Company, LLC or L.L.C. Your cannot register a name already on file with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
  2. File Articles of Organization: Once you have selected a name, you can form an LLC by filing Articles of Organization with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. This can be mailed, faxed, hand-delivered or filed online. There is a $50 filing fee.
  3. Appoint a Registered Agent: When you file Articles of Organization, you will be required to appoint a Hawaii registered agent. Your registered agent will accept service of process and important business mail on behalf of your company.
  4. Write Operating Agreement: After you form an LLC, you will want to write an operating agreement, the document that determines the ownership of your company and how your LLC will be managed. Operating agreements are not filed with any agency, but they are the single most important document for your LLC.
  5. Open Business Bank Accounts: You will need to open business accounts for your new LLC. Business accounts will process all the monetary transactions for your company. Most banks will require copies of your Articles of Organization, operating agreement, and an initial resolution authorizing the opening of the accounts.
  6. Submit Annual Business Filing: Once you form an LLC, you will be required to file an Annual Business Filing with the DCAA. Each year, you must file during the quarter of the year in which you formed your LLC. There is a $15 filing fee. You can file online.
  7. File Beneficial Ownership Information Report: Beginning January 1, 2024, you’ll need to file a BOI report after company formation. The report must be submitted to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and is free to file.

Additional Resources: 

How to Start a Hawaii LLC
How to Form a Hawaii LLC (paper filing)

What is the Difference Between At-Will and Specified Term?

In some cases, the LLC members will want their business to conclude and their company to dissolve on a specified date. In this case, when filing Articles of Organization, you should indicate the month, day and year of dissolution.

At-will means that the members are free to dissolve the LLC at any time, and the LLC will continue exist until it is dissolved.

Are My Business Filings in Hawaii Made Public?

Yes. When you form a Hawaii LLC, your Articles of Organization are open to the public. All business documents filed with the DCCA are part of the public record.

Hawaii Registered Agent

A Hawaii registered agent must have and continuously maintain a registered office within the state (a physical street address, not a PO box). The registered office must be kept open year round during regular business hours. A registered agent accepts service of process (notice of a lawsuit) and other important business mail on behalf of their clients. When documents are accepted, clients are notified and the documents are forwarded to the clients in a timely manner.

When you hire Filings Made Easy, we will also be the main point of contact between your LLC and the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. We will receive your Annual Business Filing notice and other documents from the DCCA, and we will keep you informed about all compliance deadlines.

Annual Business Filing and Hawaii Taxes

After you form an LLC in Hawaii, you must submit an Annual Business Filing each year with the DCCA. There is a $15 filing fee. The filing must be submitted during the same quarter in which your company was formed. This filing can be done online with the Business Registration Division.

There is a state income tax rate in Hawaii between 1.4% and 11%. There is a state excise tax of 4%.

Federal Beneficial Ownership Information Report Filing

As a newly-formed LLC, you’ll probably need to submit a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The BOI report provides the federal government with basic information about your LLC and the people with the most power over your business decisions and profits. Starting January 1, 2024, this report is due following company formation. This report is a little complicated, but we can make filing painless with our $25 BOI report filing service.

Why Hire Corporate Filing Solutions to Form Your Hawaii LLC?

Starting your LLC in Hawaii shouldn’t be a hassle or a time consumer. That’s why we offer Filings Made Easy™ to make starting an LLC in Hawaii super easy.

Hire us and relax while our filing experts form your new Hawaii LLC. Our staff will process orders the same business day as they are received. To make things even easier, we bundle the first year of Registered Agent service and ensure your Hawaii LLC comes fully equipped and ready to do its job.

Start your LLC in Hawaii and get Registered Agent service for as low as $55 a year.