Hawaii driving lesson · Vehicle Equipment & Registration
Safety inspections, tires and vehicle checks
A 3-minute lesson from the Hawaii course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.
Hawaii requires a periodic safety inspection, so a vehicle can't be registered or used on public highways without a current certificate. Between inspections, simple checks of tires, lamps, mirrors and glass keep you safe.
PMVI (Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspection)
The official safety inspection done at authorized service stations and garages, which issue a certificate and affix a sticker.
After approval a sticker is affixed and a certificate issued. The certificate must remain in the vehicle; results are sent electronically to the registration file.
Your tires look fine, but you slide a penny upside down into the tread and see the top of Lincoln's head. That means less than 1/16 inch of tread: replace the tire before your next trip.
Check your understanding
Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.
How often must most Hawaii vehicles get a Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspection (PMVI)?
Every 6 months without exception
Once a year, at minimum
Every 2 years for all vehicles
Only when the vehicle is sold
Answer: Once a year, at minimum
Most vehicles must be inspected at least once a year.