Shipping Your Vehicle to Hawaii: Understanding the Rules of the Road

What process do I need to follow to ship my vehicle to Hawaii? Shipping vehicle to Hawaii is an easy four-step process;

Find a reliable car shipping company that you can use for your shipping needs. Once you identify the company, you can reach out to their customer care service for a quotation of the cost. Luckily, most shipping companies have a website section with an instant quote calculator. 

Assuming you are shipping vehicle from California to Hawaii, you will input the two destinations and get an immediate quotation. Note that most companies will not ask for payment until they give you a specific pickup date.

Before the actual shipping day, there are some necessary preparation measures you need to undertake. You will have to thoroughly wash the car, both inside and out. Also, you will have to remove any personal items from the vehicle and disable the alarm. 

Ensure that the car tires have enough pressure and are fully inflated. If your car has a full fuel tank, drive the car around until it has just enough fuel, which is quarter full. Where possible, take the vehicle for service to ensure that the brakes are optimally working and the battery is in a good state. Note that servicing is not necessary; it is just a precautionary measure.

Once you are sure your car is ready and you have a set day for shipping vehicle to Hawaii, it is time for handing the car off. You can choose to drive the vehicle to the port by yourself. Alternatively, you can hand the vehicle to the company's trucker.

During the handoff, you will be asked to sign a brief inspection, after which you will hand your keys over. The process is short, and there is no additional paperwork needed.

After the shipping duration is over, it is time to pick up your vehicle in Hawaii. The rules for shipping a car to Hawaii demand that the car is inspected again in Hawaii. After the inspection, you are free to collect the vehicle.

You will be asked to produce your booking number for the car and the confirmation number for security purposes. Once the details have been verified, you will collect your vehicle. 

There is no fixed price that you will pay when shipping vehicle to Hawaii. The amount depends mainly on various factors. However, most shipping companies have quotation calculators to promptly get a figure estimate.

The main factor that will be considered is distance. For example, a person shipping vehicle from California to Hawaii will not pay the same price as someone shipping their car from Boston to Hawaii.

Also, another factor that influences the shipping price is the type of car. Usually, the shipping cost will be higher if your car is highly valuable or has undergone heavy modification.

Must Read: The Ultimate Hawaii Car Shipping Guide for Sports Car, Vintage Cars, and Specialty Cars

You finally have your car in Hawaii. Before driving, it is crucial to go through the Hawaii rules of the road handbook. To avoid any offenses, accidents, or traffic, it is essential to master the rules of the road Hawaii to make your stay smooth and memorable. Here are some of the general driving in Hawaii road rules;

Image Source Pixabay

According to the rules of the road Hawaii, a driver is expected to drive prudently and reasonably depending on the prevailing weather condition and the traffic. Hawaii is an attractive city due to its geography. However, the area has narrow roads, and therefore, the basic speed limit is lower than in other states.

Image Source Pixabay

In the Hawaii rules of the road handbook, here are some of the regulations regarding turning and parking;

1. Some jurisdictions do not allow U-turns. However, you can make a U-turn if you can see each direction clearly, and the turn will not result in traffic.
2. Driving in Hawaii road rules term it illegal to park in a way that blocks any driveway or parking on the sidewalk. These rules also apply to Hawaii road rules for tourists.
3. Double parking is not allowed
4. The Hawaii rules of the road handbook say the driver must follow the arrow when making a turn at a traffic signal point.

Here is a copy of the Hawaii rules of the road handbook for further rules.

Most people who visit Hawaii, especially Honolulu, are tourists. If you are a tourist who would love to drive yourself across Hawaii, here are some helpful insights on Hawaii road rules for tourists;

• You need to have a valid and active international driver's license. Alternatively, you can also have a foreign drivers license, which must be in English
• Read basic Hawaii road rules to ensure you remain on the right side of the law
• Honking consistently is considered rude. Therefore, unless it is essential, avoid it at all costs

Hawaii road rules for tourists aim at making the driving experience rewarding and to help tourists fit in. The breathtaking landscapes in Hawaii are great to admire, but ensure you are driving carefully and within the speed limits set in the rules of the road Hawaii.

Now that you understand the rules for shipping a car to Hawaii and the driving in Hawaii road rules, here are some helpful tips to remember;

1. Pre-schedule the shipment at least a month before moving- Timing is of the essence, especially if you are looking to relocate. The best thing to do is schedule the shipment of your car a month earlier before the day you are looking to move. 

Not only will it ensure your car will be there when you need it to be, but also, your preferred transport manager will easily find an open transport spot within an appropriate timeframe.

2. Do not ship any personal items through your car- in our moving process above, we mentioned that you should clean the vehicle and remove any personal effects. Yes, a car can seem like a shipping container during your relocation process. 

However tempting s that may be, it is against the rules for shipping a car to Hawaii and will probably land you in trouble. Leaving your items in the vehicle will present liability and possibly a safety issue.

Hopefully, our guide on shipping vehicle to Hawaii has been helpful. We have discussed the process involved when shipping vehicle to Hawaii, rules for shipping a car to Hawaii, rules of the road Hawaii, and some tips to help make the vehicle shipping process a success.