July 8, 2026, 10 a.m.
Honolulu Hale
To: Honolulu City Council
Tommy Waters, Chair
Andria Tupola, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: Bill 47 (2026) — RELATING TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE WEIGHT TAX
Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other members of the Council,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 47 (2026), which would cut the city’s vehicle weight tax by 1.5 cents per pound. Currently, Honolulu’s weight tax includes a 7-cent-per-pound levy on all commercial and passenger vehicles registered in the county.
Each county levies weight taxes on vehicles, but Honolulu’s is the highest by a substantial amount. For passenger vehicles, Maui County’s weight tax is 3.5 cents per pound, Kauai County’s is 2 cents, and Hawaii County’s is 1.75 cents.[1] Each county’s weight tax is imposed in addition to the state’s per-pound weight tax of 1.75 cents to 2.25 cents, a state highway beautification fee and a city vehicle registration fee.
For context, the owner of a 2019 Toyota Tacoma would pay about $310 annually for only Honolulu’s portion of the weight tax. That would decrease to about $265 under this proposed legislation.
This measure will make transportation more affordable for Honolulu residents struggling with high gas prices. Saving $45 will not be a make or break most residents, but it will help mitigate the affordability crisis that most people deal with everyday.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
1050 Bishop St. #508 | Honolulu, HI 96813 | 808-864-1776 | info@grassrootinstitute.org
[1] Daryl Huff, “Lawmakers moving to slash city vehicle tax by 75%,” Hawaii News Now, April 14, 2026.
