Kimberlee Leonard has 22 years of experience as a freelance writer. Her work has been featured on US News and World Report, Business.com and Fit Small Business. She brings practical experience as a business owner and insurance agent to her role as a.
Kimberlee Leonard Small Business Expert WriterKimberlee Leonard has 22 years of experience as a freelance writer. Her work has been featured on US News and World Report, Business.com and Fit Small Business. She brings practical experience as a business owner and insurance agent to her role as a.
Written By Kimberlee Leonard Small Business Expert WriterKimberlee Leonard has 22 years of experience as a freelance writer. Her work has been featured on US News and World Report, Business.com and Fit Small Business. She brings practical experience as a business owner and insurance agent to her role as a.
Kimberlee Leonard Small Business Expert WriterKimberlee Leonard has 22 years of experience as a freelance writer. Her work has been featured on US News and World Report, Business.com and Fit Small Business. She brings practical experience as a business owner and insurance agent to her role as a.
Small Business Expert Writer Rob Watts Managing Editor, SMBWith over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
Rob Watts Managing Editor, SMBWith over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
Written By Rob Watts Managing Editor, SMBWith over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
Rob Watts Managing Editor, SMBWith over a decade of editorial experience, Rob Watts breaks down complex topics for small businesses that want to grow and succeed. His work has been featured in outlets such as Keypoint Intelligence, FitSmallBusiness and PCMag.
Managing Editor, SMB Brette Sember, J.D. contributorBrette Sember is a retired attorney who has been writing and editing law and legal topics for more than 25 years. She is the author of more than 40 books, is a nationally recognized expert on divorce and family law and has a depth of experience that.
Brette Sember, J.D. contributorBrette Sember is a retired attorney who has been writing and editing law and legal topics for more than 25 years. She is the author of more than 40 books, is a nationally recognized expert on divorce and family law and has a depth of experience that.
Brette Sember, J.D. contributorBrette Sember is a retired attorney who has been writing and editing law and legal topics for more than 25 years. She is the author of more than 40 books, is a nationally recognized expert on divorce and family law and has a depth of experience that.
Brette Sember, J.D. contributorBrette Sember is a retired attorney who has been writing and editing law and legal topics for more than 25 years. She is the author of more than 40 books, is a nationally recognized expert on divorce and family law and has a depth of experience that.
Updated: Feb 13, 2024, 8:30pm
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Hawaii is a great place to live a balanced life. Locals enjoy after-work surf sessions that make the daily grind worthwhile. Starting a business in Hawaii can be a good place for someone with a great concept and work ethic to make it happen. If you do start a business, you may want to set up a limited liability company (LLC) for tax and legal purposes.
We created this guide to help walk you through the process of establishing an LLC in Hawaii. Read on to learn what you need to get started.
Doing a few things before establishing your LLC will help make the process run smoothly. While there aren’t many steps involved in establishing a Hawaii LLC, you don’t want to miss anything and delay your company’s formation.
Before you settle on a name, make sure that you check its availability with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Having a unique business name ensures that other companies don’t have names that are too similar, creating confusion for consumers. It only takes a few minutes to see if your name is available.
Enter the name that you wish to use to register your business, and the system will search all known business names in the state. A list of matching names will appear if there are any. Adjust your name so that there are no potential conflicts with other companies.
If you want to reserve a name, you can do so for up to 120 days in Hawaii. You’ll need to establish a Hawaii Business Express account to reserve your entity name, which costs $10.
A registered agent is a person who is authorized to accept legal and official documents for the company. In the state of Hawaii, the registered agent can be a person in the organization and ―it can even be you. The registered agent must have a local physical address to accept documents, and a post office box will not be sufficient.
If you don’t reside in the state of Hawaii, you’ll need a local registered agent. You can hire one to be your official representative. Professional registered agents usually cost $50 to $300 annually. Make sure the registered agent is reputable and will forward the necessary documents to you as needed.
Just as you search to see if your business name is available, you’ll also want to see if the domain name is available. There is little more frustrating than trying to establish your website and realizing that another company has already registered your business name.
Popular domain search engines are found at places, such as GoDaddy or HostGator. These sites will allow you to search for a domain name for free. If you find what you are looking for and it isn’t a name already taken by another business, go ahead and buy the domain. Most domains cost anywhere from 99 cents to $49.99. Some premium names may be priced at thousands of dollars. Determine what fits in your business plan and reserve your domain name.
To register an LLC in Hawaii you need to complete Form LLC-1 (Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company). This document includes:
It will cost you $50 to register your LLC in Hawaii with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Business Registration Division, plus an additional $1 State Archives fee. Filing online is the fastest way to complete the paperwork. It takes one to three days to process online orders with a $25 expedited processing fee. It will take three to five business days to process if you don’t need it expedited.
You can also file the forms in person or mail them.
You can mail documents to:
PO Box 40
Honolulu, HI 96810
You can also deliver them in person to:
335 Merchant St., Room 201
Honolulu, HI 96813
Mailed LLC forms take seven to 14 business days to process. Documents handed in person takes three to five business days.
