What persons are exempt from license
HRS §286-105
in effect286-105. What persons are exempt from license
The following persons are exempt from license:
(1) Any person while driving or operating a motor
vehicle in the service or employ of any branch or agency of the federal
government; provided that the person has received a license or permit from the
branch or agency to operate and drive the motor vehicle; provided further that
the branch or agency has been duly authorized by the federal government to
issue the license or permit;
(2) Any person while driving or operating any road
machine, farm tractor, or implement of husbandry temporarily operated or moved
on a highway, or tractor trucks, forklifts, and top picks being used as marine
terminal equipment temporarily moving in or between terminals at:
(A) Sand Island and along Sand Island Parkway
and Sand Island Access Road;
(B) Kalanianaole Avenue between Kuhio Street
and Kahanu Street, abutting Hilo Harbor;
(C) Kawaihae-Mahukona Road abutting Kawaihae
Harbor;
(D) East Kaahumanu Avenue between Hobron
Avenue and Kane Street, abutting Kahului Harbor; and
(E) Waipaa Road abutting Nawiliwili Harbor;
provided that no person under the age of thirteen
years shall be permitted to drive or operate any such road machine, farm
tractor, implement of husbandry, on a highway, or tractor trucks, forklifts,
and top picks being used as marine terminal equipment temporarily moving in or
between terminals identified in subparagraphs (A) through (E);
(3) Any person who is at least eighteen years of age
and who has in the person's possession a valid driver's license to drive the
categories of motor vehicles listed in section 286-102(b), except section 286‑102(b)(4),
that is equivalent to a driver's license issued in this State but was issued to
the person in another state of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, a province of the
Dominion of Canada, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for
that category of motor vehicle that the person is operating;
(4) Any person who has in the person's possession a
valid commercial motor vehicle driver's license issued by any state of the
United States, Mexico, or a province of the Dominion of Canada that issues
licenses in accordance with the minimum federal standards for the issuance of
commercial motor vehicle driver's licenses; and
(5) Any person who drives or operates state or county
motor vehicles while employed by, in the service of, or volunteering for the
state or county fire departments; provided that they are trained and certified
to drive category (4) motor vehicles as set forth in section 286-102(b)(4) by
the state or county government, as appropriate; provided further that the
person maintains a category (3) license as set forth in section 286-102(b)(3).
[L 1937, c 234, §3; RL 1945, §7303; am L Sp 1949, c 19, §3; RL 1955, §160-33;
am L 1957, c 82, §1 and c 159, §1; am L 1967, c 214, §7; HRS §286-105; am L
1970, c 164, §3; am L 1971, c 127, §2; am L 1972, c 2, pt of §6; am L 1976, c
5, §2; am L 1979, c 108, §1; gen ch 1985; am L 1986, c 224, §2; am L 1989, c
320, §5; am L 1990, c 11, §1 and c 342, §19; am L 1993, c 268, §1; am L 1997, c
73, §1; am L 2017, c 115, §3; am L 2019, c 220, §3]
Source: Hawaii State Legislature (capitol.hawaii.gov), via Internet Archive capturesURL: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0286/HRS_0286-0105.htmFetched: 11/10/2026