Hawaii LLC Foreign Qualification

Hawaii LLC Foreign Qualification Information

Steps to Hawaii LLC Foreign Qualification:

To foreign qualify your LLC in Hawaii, you will first need to select a name to use within the state. The name must not already be in use in Hawaii. Once you have settled on a name, you must file an Application for Certificate of Authority with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. This can be mailed, faxed, hand-delivered or filed online. There is a $50 filing fee for the Hawaii LLC Foreign Qualification.

Included with the Application for Certificate of Authority, you must include a Certificate of Existence from your LLC’s home jurisdiction. The Certificate of Existence can be no older than 60 days.

On the Application, you must designate a Hawaii registered agent to accept service of process on behalf of your LLC. A foreign LLC qualification will not be processed without a registered agent.

After you register a foreign LLC, you will be required to file an Annual Business Filing. This must be done within the same quarter of the year in which your foreign LLC was registered with the DCCA. There is a $15 filing fee. The Annual Business Filing can be filed online.

Hawaii Foreign LLC Qualification Quick Facts

Hawaii Registered Agent Requirements

A registered agent in Hawaii is required to fulfill the following duties:

  • Have and maintain a registered office (physical street location, not a PO box) within the state
  • Maintain regular business hours for the registered office throughout the year
  • Accept and sign for service of process and important business mail on client’s behalf
  • Contact clients when documents are accepted
  • Forward all documents to clients in a timely manner

What is a Principal Office?

Your LLC’s principal office is the main business office of your company. This is where you keep your financial records and corporate documents (such as your Articles of Organization). You are required to list your LLC’s principal office mailing address on the Application for Certificate of Authority.

Hawaii also requires that a list of all your LLC members, their addresses and their capital contributions be kept at your principal office.

Hawaii LLC Foreign Qualification Annual Business Filing

After you register a foreign LLC in Hawaii, you must file an Annual Business Filing each year. You must file within the same quarter of the year in which your foreign LLC was registered in Hawaii. There is a $15 filing fee for the Hawaii LLC Foreign Qualification annual business filing. The Annual Business Filing can be filed online.