Hawaii — Registry Rules

• People convicted of qualifying “covered offenses” (including sex offenses and crimes against minors) must register with the attorney general; see HRS §846E-2.
• Initial deadline: Register no later than three working days after the earliest of arrival in Hawaii, release, conviction (if not incarcerated), or arrival in a county when expecting to be present >10 days; see HRS §846E-2(g).
• Verification: Quarterly verification by mail or in-person depending on housing status, plus an annual in-person update during the 30-day period after the registrant’s birthday; see HRS §846E-5 and §846E-2(g).
• Primary method: Register and update in person with the county chief of police; Honolulu details are posted by HPD’s Records & Identification Division; see HPD Covered Offender Registry.
• ⚠️ Short stays can trigger duties: 10-day single stay or 30 days aggregate in a calendar year; see HRS §846E-2(a).
• ⚠️ Address changes (or 10+ days away from your registered residence) must be reported within three working days; see HRS §846E-6.
• ⚠️ Missing quarterly verification or the annual in-person update is chargeable as a class C felony; see HRS §846E-9.

Covered offenders include those with qualifying Hawaiʻi convictions and those designated as registrants in another jurisdiction who live or remain in the State beyond the visit thresholds; see HRS §846E-2(a)–(b) and HCJDC guidance at AG/HCJDC.

Duration: Tier 1: 10 years; Tier 2: 25 years; Tier 3/repeat: lifetime, with a 40-year petition route and tolling for noncompliance (HRS §846E-10).

• Initial/in-person registration events and 3-working-day deadline listed in HRS §846E-2(g).
• Quarterly verification by mail or in person depending on housing/mail status; act within 10 days of receipt if mailed; see HRS §846E-5 and failure rule at §846E-9(a)(11).
• Annual in-person review during the 30-day window after date of birth; see HRS §846E-2(g).
• All changes (address, employment/school, internet IDs, vehicles) due within three working days; see HRS §846E-6(a).

• If you have only a temporary/no-mailable address (or no address), report in person the first week of Jan/Apr/Jul/Oct to the chief of police; see HRS §846E-5(b).
• Annual in-person update at the police department during the 30-day period after your birthday; see HRS §846E-2(g).

No statewide residency-distance bans appear in Chapter 846E; duties focus on registration, verification, and public access; see HRS ch. 846E overview. Check supervision orders and county policies before housing decisions.

• Report employers (including volunteer work) and typical work areas/routes; see HRS §846E-2(d)(7)–(8).
• Report school affiliations as employee or student; see HRS §846E-2(d)(10).
• Report all email, instant-message names, and internet identifiers; see HRS §846E-2(d)(5).
• File changes within three working days; see HRS §846E-6(a).

• Registry information is publicly accessible online and onsite; see HRS §846E-3(f).
• Public posting can be removed by court after 40 years if strict criteria are met; see HRS §846E-3(g).
• One-misdemeanor-only covered offense is not posted online; see HRS §846E-3(h).
• Search the State site at the HCJDC portal; see Covered Offender Registry.

• Before/when moving out of Hawaiʻi, notify the AG of the new address within three working days and register in the new state within its deadline; see HRS §846E-6(a) and discharge duties in §846E-4.
• If absent from the registered residence 10+ days, notify the AG of current residence info within three working days; see HRS §846E-6(a),(a)(16).

• Nonresidents must register if remaining more than 10 days or 30 days aggregate in one calendar year; register within three working days of arrival; see HRS §846E-2(a),(g) and HCJDC FAQ.
• Arrival in a new county with an expected stay >10 days also triggers in-person registration; see HRS §846E-2(g)(8).

Failure to register, verify, update, or appear when required is a class C felony; see HRS §846E-9.

• Court termination of registration for Tier 1 after 10 years clean record; Tier 2 after 25 years; Tier 3 and repeat offenders generally lifetime, with a limited 40-year petition option; see HRS §846E-10.
• Separate petition to end public website access after 40 years if criteria are met; see HRS §846E-3(g).
• Non-Hawaiʻi-law registrants designated only by other jurisdictions may petition for termination when statutory criteria are met; see HRS §846E-2(b) and §846E-10(g).

• Persons found unfit to proceed or acquitted due to mental disease/disorder and released into the community are included in “covered offender” definitions and duties; see HRS §846E-1, §846E-2 and HCJDC FAQ.

• No statewide registration fee specified in Chapter 846E; routine costs (e.g., IDs, copies) may apply. See chapter index for scope; HRS ch. 846E.

• Case: State v. Bani — Haw. Sup. Ct. (2004-08-18) — Recognized due-process interests around lifetime registration/public disclosure; required notice and opportunity to be heard. link
• Statute: Act 40 (2021) (HB 888/SB 1042 vehicle) — 2021 Regular Session; effective 2021-07-01. Amended §846E-2 and §846E-10 among other updates, including petition standards and cross-references. link
• Rule: HCJDC ‘Covered Offender Registration’ guidance; effective 2013-05-01. Administrative guidance on quarterly verification and processes; complements statutory duties. link