What a Hawaii speeding ticket is

This page quotes sections of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) published by the Hawaii State Legislature (capitol.hawaii.gov), and a page on the Hawaii State Judiciary website (courts.state.hi.us), listed under Sources below. It does not apply them to any notice. Read any court, charge, statute or ordinance, speed limit, alleged speed, and amount shown on your notice. Confirm what your notice says.

Another page quotes chapters 291J and 291L and section 291C-108 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, on photo red light imaging detector systems and automated speed enforcement systems, with Hawaii Department of Transportation pages: Hawaii camera citations: what HRS chapters 291J and 291L say about photo red light imaging detector systems and automated speed enforcement systems.

When this page was checked on 2 Nov 2026, the capitol.hawaii.gov section pages could be read but could not be downloaded as files. Sections 291C-102 and 291C-105 are quoted from copies of those section pages saved by the Internet Archive on February 14, 2025 and September 23, 2026, linked under Sources below; the quoted text is the same as the text those section pages showed on 2 Nov 2026. Section 291D-9 is quoted as its section page showed it on 2 Nov 2026. The Judiciary page is quoted as shown when retrieved on 2 Nov 2026.

What HRS § 291C-102 says

HRS § 291C-102 is headed “Noncompliance with speed limit prohibited.” Its subsection (a) states: “A person violates this section if the person drives:”

(1) “A motor vehicle at a speed greater than the maximum speed limit other than provided in section 291C‑105; or”

(2) “A motor vehicle at a speed less than the minimum speed limit,”

HRS § 291C-102(a) continues: “where the maximum or minimum speed limit is established by county ordinance or by official signs placed by the director of transportation on highways under the director's jurisdiction.”

HRS § 291C-102(b) states: “If the maximum speed limit is exceeded by more than ten miles per hour, a surcharge of $10 shall be imposed, in addition to any other penalties, and shall be deposited into the neurotrauma special fund.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. This page quotes all of the text of section 291C-102, subsections (a) and (b). Section 291C-105 is quoted below.

What HRS § 291D-9 says

HRS § 291D-9 is headed “Monetary assessments.” Its subsection (a) states: “A person found to have committed a traffic infraction, emergency period infraction, or fireworks infraction shall be assessed a monetary assessment not to exceed the maximum fine specified in the law or rule defining the traffic infraction, emergency period infraction, or fireworks infraction. The court shall consider a person's financial circumstances, if disclosed, in determining the monetary assessment.”

HRS § 291D-9(b) states: “Notwithstanding section 291C-161 or any other law to the contrary, the district court of each circuit shall prescribe a schedule of monetary assessments for all traffic infractions, emergency period infractions, and fireworks infractions, and any additional assessments to be imposed pursuant to subsection (c). The particular assessment to be entered on the notice of traffic infraction, notice of emergency period infraction, or notice of fireworks infraction pursuant to section 291D-5 shall correspond to the schedule prescribed by the district court. Except after proceedings conducted pursuant to section 291D-8 or a trial conducted pursuant to section 291D-13, monetary assessments assessed pursuant to this chapter shall not vary from the schedule prescribed by the district court having jurisdiction over the traffic infraction, emergency period infraction, or fireworks infraction.”

HRS § 291D-9(c) states: “In addition to any monetary assessment imposed for a traffic infraction, an emergency period infraction, or a fireworks infraction, the court may impose additional assessments for:”

(1) “Failure to pay a monetary assessment by the scheduled date of payment; or”

(2) “The cost of service of a penal summons issued pursuant to this chapter.”

HRS § 291D-9(e) states: “Upon request of a person claiming inability to pay a monetary assessment, the court may grant an extension of the period in which the monetary assessment shall be paid or may impose community service in lieu thereof.”

HRS § 291D-9(f) states: “At any point before full payment of a monetary assessment, any person who suffers a change in financial circumstances may request a hearing to modify the monetary assessment or to request community service in lieu thereof.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. This page quotes subsections (a) to (c), (e) and (f) of section 291D-9. Section 291D-9 has other text, subsection (d), on fireworks infractions, that this page does not cover. This page does not quote section 291C-161, section 291D-5, section 291D-8 or section 291D-13, and it does not quote any schedule prescribed by a district court.

What HRS § 291C-105 says

HRS § 291C-105 is headed “Excessive speeding.” Its subsection (a) states: “No person shall drive a motor vehicle at a speed exceeding:”

(1) “The applicable state or county speed limit by thirty miles per hour or more; or”

(2) “Eighty miles per hour or more irrespective of the applicable state or county speed limit.”

HRS § 291C-105(b) states: “For the purposes of this section, "the applicable state or county speed limit" means the maximum speed limit established:”

(1) “By county ordinance;”

(2) “By official signs placed by the director of transportation on highways under the director's jurisdiction; or”

(3) “Pursuant to section 291C-104 by the director of transportation or the counties for school zones and construction areas in their respective jurisdictions.”

HRS § 291C-105(c) states: “Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor and shall be sentenced as follows without the possibility of probation or suspension of sentence:”

(1) “For a first offense not preceded by a prior conviction for an offense under subsection (a) in the preceding five years:”

(A) “A fine of not less than $500 and not more than $1,000;”

(B) “Thirty-day prompt suspension of license and privilege to operate a vehicle during the suspension period, or the court may impose, in lieu of the thirty-day prompt suspension of license, a minimum fifteen-day prompt suspension of license with absolute prohibition from operating a vehicle and, for the remainder of the thirty-day period, a restriction on the license that allows the person to drive for limited work-related purposes;”

(D) “A surcharge of $25 to be deposited into the neurotrauma special fund under section 321H-4;”

(E) “A surcharge of not more than $100 to be deposited into the trauma system special fund under section 321-22.5, if the court so orders;”

(F) “An assessment for driver education pursuant to section 286G-3; and”

(G) “Either one of the following:”

(i) “Thirty-six hours of community service work; or”

(ii) “Not less than forty-eight hours and not more than five days of imprisonment; and”

HRS § 291C-105(d) states: “Notwithstanding subsection (c), any person who violates subsection (a) within five years of two prior convictions for the same offense shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be sentenced as follows without the possibility of probation or suspension of sentence:”

(1) “A mandatory minimum jail sentence of thirty days;”

(2) “Revocation of license and privilege to operate a vehicle for a period of not less than ninety days but not more than six months;”

(3) “Attendance in a course of instruction in driver retraining;”

(4) “A surcharge of $25 to be deposited into the neurotrauma special fund under section 321H-4;”

(5) “A surcharge of not more than $100 to be deposited into the trauma system special fund under section 321-22.5, if the court so orders;”

(6) “An assessment for driver education pursuant to section 286G-3; and”

(7) “That the vehicle used in the commission of the offense be subject to forfeiture under chapter 712A, if the court so orders.”

That is the statute’s statement. This page does not say how that statement applies to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy. This page quotes subsections (a), (b) and (d), the opening words of subsection (c), and paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of section 291C-105. Section 291C-105 has other text, paragraph (2) of subsection (c), on an offense within five years of a prior conviction, that this page does not cover. This page does not quote section 291C-104, section 321H-4, section 321-22.5 or section 286G-3, or chapter 712A.

What the Hawaii State Judiciary page says

The Judiciary page is headed “Moving or Equipment Violations”. It states: “A moving violation is a violation of a statute, ordinance or rule relating to traffic movement and control arising from the operation of a motor vehicle (including a commercial motor vehicle). Pursuant to Hawai`i Revised Statutes § 287-3 (Supp. 2004), all alleged moving violations and convictions appear on an individual’s traffic abstract. Moving violations may be either civil traffic infractions or traffic crimes. Examples of moving traffic infractions include speeding, running a red light or crossing a solid line.”

Under the heading “Moving and Equipment Infractions”, it states: “Moving and equipment traffic infractions are civil offenses not punishable by a prison term. Penalties that may be imposed include monetary assessments (fines, costs, fees, surcharges), community service and attendance at a driving school.”

Under the heading “How long do I have to respond to a citation for a moving or equipment infraction?”, it states: “If you are cited for a moving or equipment traffic infraction, you must send a response to the respective or designated District Court or Traffic Violations Bureau within 21 days of the citation issue date. The court may enter a default judgment on traffic citations that have not been paid or answered within 21 days after the citation was issued.”

Under the heading “What are my options?”, it states: “Your options are explained in detail on the back of your citation.”

Those are the court page’s statements. The page has other sections and text that this page does not cover. This page does not quote section 287-3. This page does not say how those statements apply to a particular citation, license, or insurance policy.

This page does not calculate an amount for any speed or zone, and it does not say which entry, or what amount, applies to a particular notice. Read any amount printed on your notice.

Paths the notice describes (not which to choose)

Read which officer or agency issued your notice, the court named on it, the charge, the statute or ordinance it names, the date, any amount, and the response instructions printed on it. We do not tell you which path to choose or what step to take.

Violation.com does not collect Hawaii fines or monetary assessments. If you upload a speeding notice, we summarize what the notice shows. It is not legal advice.

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Sources retrieved 2 Nov 2026:

https://web.archive.org/web/20250214085448/https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0291C/HRS_0291C-0102.htm (Internet Archive copy, saved February 14, 2025, of https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0291C/HRS_0291C-0102.htm)
https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0291D/HRS_0291D-0009.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20260923041119/https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0291C/HRS_0291C-0105.htm (Internet Archive copy, saved September 23, 2026, of https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0291C/HRS_0291C-0105.htm)
https://www.courts.state.hi.us/self-help/traffic/moving_citations

Not legal advice. Not a law firm. Not affiliated with a government agency. Information Only.

Information on this page was last checked against official sources on November 2, 2026.