Hawaii licenses you by the kind of vehicle you drive. Most new drivers want Class 3, which covers cars and light trucks. Mopeds, motorcycles and heavier vehicles each need their own class and their own tests.
Hawaii license classes
| Class | Vehicles | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mopeds | Special knowledge + off-street skills test |
| 2 | Motorcycles and motor scooters | Special knowledge + off-street skills test |
| 3 | Single vehicle GVWR 18,000 lb or less | Also ≤15 passengers incl. driver, and autocycles |
| 4 | Single vehicle GVWR 18,001 to 26,000 lb | Must be at least 21 to apply |
Minimum age for a Class 3 driver's license
Handbook p. 12 ↗Minimum age to apply for any larger-class license
Handbook p. 12 ↗Autocycle
A motorcycle with a steering wheel and seating that doesn't require the operator to straddle or sit astride it, designed to travel on three wheels in contact with the ground.
Handbook p. 14 ↗Know the rule
You may drive an autocycle with a category 3 license, but you may not use an autocycle for the category 3 road test.
Handbook p. 15 ↗Moped
A two- or three-wheeled device with a motor no larger than two horsepower. A driver's license of any category lets you operate one on public streets.
Handbook p. 17 ↗Know the rule
Class 1 and 2 applicants pass a special written exam (rules of the road, highway signs, safe driving) plus an off-road skills test, covered in the Motorcycle Operator Manual.
Handbook p. 15 ↗Commercial (CDL) classes
| Class | Covers |
|---|---|
| A | Combination GVWR 26,001+ lb, towed unit over 10,000 lb |
| B | Single vehicle GVWR 26,001+ lb (towing ≤10,000 lb) |
| C | Not A or B, but 16+ passengers or placarded hazmat |
CDL endorsements:
- H – hazardous materials in placardable amounts
- T – double and triple trailers
- P – vehicles designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver
- N – tank vehicles
- X – tank vehicles hauling hazardous materials in placardable amounts
- S – school bus
Know the rule
For a Category 4 license you pass the skills test (vehicle inspection, basic control skills and road test) described in the Hawaii Commercial Driver's License Manual.
Handbook p. 15 ↗Put it into practice
You hold a Class 3 license and a friend lends you a moped. That's legal, because a license of any category covers mopeds. A friend's motorcycle is different: you'd need a Class 2 license and its own knowledge and off-street skills tests.