How to Start an LLC in Hawaii (2026): 7 Steps and the 3 Best LLC Services
The short answer for starting an LLC in Hawaii this year (2026): Mainstay Filing ($199), HI Registered Agent.org ($199) and Hawaii Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. Then the lesson: 7 steps, with a $51 state filing fee and the Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report every year.
$12.50 a yearFiled and paid last day of the quarter in which the LLC was organized
Three years of state fees
$76Excludes service fees
How many steps
7Each one explained
You will learn
Where and how to file in Hawaii
The registered agent requirement
The yearly upkeep
Who we would hire to file
Teacher's pick
Hawaii: our recommended services
Ranked by our grading rubric, which puts steps handled and three-year cost first.
Best overall
1. Mainstay Filing: best for first-time founders who want it handled
$199 a year, $250 with the state fee
For most new founders in Hawaii, Mainstay Filing: $199 a year handles the filing, the registered agent and the annual report, and renewal stays at $199.
HI Registered Agent.org is $200 less across three years; covering more lesson steps outweighs the gap on our rubric.
That covers the Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report too; the state's $12.50 is billed at cost.
What you get
Filing with the state
Registered agent for the full year
Annual report filed each cycle
EIN application
State fee at cost
What we like
Same $199 each year
One $199 yearly price with the annual report included
Each company's listed price on November 12, 2026. Every row excludes the $51 state fee.
Starting an LLC in Hawaii, step by step
Step1
Step 1: Check your name is available
Pick a name, then check it against the records at the Hawaii Secretary of State so no other company already holds it.
TipWrite down two backup names before you search.
Step2
Step 2: Name a registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A Hawaii resident, or a business entity formed in Hawaii or authorized to do business there. The LLC cannot be its own agent.
The address has to be a place of business with a street address in Hawaii. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
TipEvery service in our picks can act as your registered agent.
After the Hawaii approval, the IRS issues an EIN, the number banks and payroll use for the LLC. If you use Mainstay Filing, the EIN application is included.
Step6
Step 6: Sign an operating agreement
Write down who owns the Hawaii LLC and how decisions are made. This operating agreement stays with your records, not with the state.
Step7
Step 7: Plan for year two and beyond
After year one the main job is the Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report ($12.50, every year, by last day of the quarter in which the LLC was organized). The penalty for filing late is $10.
Every state figure links to its source under References; service prices come from each company's site.
Why this order
On lesson steps handled, which carries 35%, Mainstay Filing scored above HI Registered Agent.org.
Handling the Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report beat the lower price on our weights.
Quick answers
What does it cost to form an LLC in Hawaii?
Hawaii charges $51. Add $199 if a service files it.
Which form creates the LLC?
The state's form is the Articles of Organization for Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1) (submitted to the Hawaii Secretary of State).
Is a registered agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does Hawaii require each year?
The Domestic Limited Liability Company Annual Report: $12.50, every year, due last day of the quarter in which the LLC was organized.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Yes. File directly with the state and pay $51; you also need a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
We'd go with Mainstay Filing, because it takes the formation, the registered agent and every annual report off your list for $199 a year. Then HI Registered Agent.org and Hawaii Registered Agent.co.