Hawaii demerit points are no longer used by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to accrue on your driving record, so you do not need to worry about points on a license. While other states use a point system for driving violations that might impact your insurance rates or other driving privileges, Hawaii does not utilize this system.

Driving violations can still impact you, however, so be sure you know what to expect if you commit any infractions.

Although the points system no longer apply, your driving privileges can still be impacted, and even revoked entirely, based on your driving record. The change in protocol for accruing points does not change the actual violations on record, if you have any.

Find out how you might be able to clear your record and what certain driving violations might mean for you in the appropriate sections below.

Moving Violation Penalties in Hawaii

A moving violation will appear on your driving record as either a civil traffic infraction or a traffic crime, which could include driving under the influence (DUI, also called a DWI) or reckless driving. Moving violation consequences include DUI penalties, which can in turn include fines, a driver’s license suspension, possible imprisonment and the possibility of a rehabilitative driving school program.

Driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) greater than 0.08 percent, or even as low as 0.02 percent for a driver younger than age 21, can result in a conviction.

Reckless driving penalties, also sometimes called a careless driving penalty, can also include monetary assessments and potential imprisonment. These are all known as traffic crimes and are considered petty misdemeanors, regular misdemeanors or felonies. These will all appear on your driving record in Hawaii.

Being charged with a traffic crime at this level can have severe implications for your driver’s license and privileges, so be sure to follow all the requirements of any conviction, including community service or traffic school.

How to Fix a Driving Record in Hawaii

If you want to know how to clear your driving record in Hawaii, you must first know how to check your record. You can visit or submit a written request to any of the District Courts and pay the fee to obtain a copy. Any moving violation conviction will show up on this record, so you can monitor any issues and ensure all the information is correct.

If you have been charged with a DWI, you have the option of a driver improvement course specifically aimed at rehabilitation for DWI charges, called the DWI Court Program. This is not an online driving school, but an in-person program to attempt to help participants over a minimum of a year. During that year, your sentence will be stayed pending successful completion of the program.

There are disqualifying factors, so not everyone can participate in this program, but for those who can, it can be a great option for rehabilitative care as well as helping your driving record.

Disputing a Moving Violation Charge in Hawaii

Fighting a speeding ticket in Hawaii, or another type of citation or infraction, requires you to either deny the charge altogether or to admit wrongdoing while explaining any mitigating circumstances regarding the incident. In either case, you will need to request a hearing. Knowing how to fight a traffic ticket can help you to be best prepared and not miss any crucial deadlines or court dates.

When you fight a speeding ticket, remember that this specific type of moving violation is considered to be a moving traffic infraction. If you are being charged with a traffic crime, those penalties will be much harsher and the implications of your court appearance much more dramatic.

Traffic crimes include DWI and reckless driving charges, as discussed above. Those can include potential prison time, so having legal representation is more important at those court appearances.

California Privacy R. Request

California Opt-Out