What Garage Liability Insurance Requirements Apply in Hawaii?

Hawaii’s required motor vehicle liability policy excludes property owned by, transported by, or in the charge of the insured; its $20,000 property-damage minimum therefore does not describe customer vehicles in a shop’s care. Hawaii dealer law allows accessory repair, service, and storage uses at a licensed sales site, so put those operations and customer-car custody on the quote.

What Is Garage Liability Insurance?

Garage liability can address injury and property-damage claims from auto repair and related garage operations. If you run a repair or service shop, check separately whether customer cars in your care need garagekeepers coverage for vehicle damage. Read the national Garage liability guide.

What Should You Watch for With Garage Liability Insurance in Hawaii?

Separate Customer-Car Damage
Hawaii’s required motor vehicle policy excludes property in the insured’s charge, and the $20,000 property-damage minimum has the same exclusion. Ask whether customer cars held for repair or storage need separate garagekeepers protection; the statute does not promise that a commercial policy provides it. ¹
List Repair and Storage at the Licensed Site
Hawaii allows maintenance, repair, storage, service, parts, and paint operations as accessory or customary uses of a dealer’s licensed sales site. Tell the broker which of those services you perform at each location and how long vehicles remain there. ^2,³
Confirm the Licensed Premises Boundary
A Hawaii dealer license authorizes business only within the licensed premises shown on the approved map or plan and only in the county where the license issued. If repair bays, overflow parking, or a storage lot sit outside that footprint, ask the regulator about licensing and the broker about the location schedule. ³
Separate Demonstrations From Other Road Use
Hawaii’s permanent new-dealer plates are for new vehicles used only to demonstrate them to customers on public highways. Describe delivery, employee errands, courtesy cars, and test drives separately so the broker can confirm what the actual policy says about each use. ⁴

Which Garage Liability Providers Have Hawaii License Records?

No provider in our research has both a state license record and a listing for this coverage line. This does not establish that providers are unlicensed. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm availability with a provider when requesting a quote.

Who Regulates Insurance in Hawaii?

Hawaiʻi Insurance Division

The Insurance Division oversees insurance companies and producers, examines Hawaiʻi-based insurers, reviews rate and policy filings, and investigates insurance complaints. It is part of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. ^5,^6,⁷

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint
Phone: 1-844-808-3222

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Hawaii

Reported tax rate. 4.68% of premium when Hawaiʻi is the home state ^8,⁹

Hawaiʻi applies a 4.68% tax when it is the insured’s home state. Surplus-lines coverage is placed with an unauthorized insurer, so do not assume the Hawaiʻi Insurance Guaranty Association protects the policy; confirm the insurer’s status and policy terms with your broker.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy Garage Liability in Hawaii

Does the quote address customer vehicles while they are in our care at each licensed Hawaii location, including overnight storage and test drives?
Are our repair, service, paint, parts, and storage operations listed for the premises shown on the dealer license map?
Which vehicles and drivers may use our permanent demonstration plates, and what separate policy terms apply to courtesy or delivery use?

Garage Liability Insurance in Hawaii: Frequently Asked Questions

Does Hawaii’s required motor vehicle liability cover damage to a customer’s car left for repair?

No, not under the statutory minimum described in HRS §431:10C-301: required motor vehicle liability excludes property in the insured’s charge. Ask the broker how the quote treats customer vehicles separately. ¹

Can a Hawaii dealer operate a repair or storage business at its licensed site?

Yes. HRS §437-11(b) permits accessory or customary uses such as repair, maintenance, service, parts, paint, and storage at the dealer’s licensed site. ²

Can Hawaii new-dealer permanent plates be used for any dealership errand?

No. HRS §286-53 limits those permanent plates to new motor vehicles used only to demonstrate vehicles to customers on public highways. Confirm other road uses separately. ⁴

Sources for Garage Liability Insurance in Hawaii

1
Hawaii Revised Statutes §431:10C-301, Required motor vehicle policy coverage. Hawaii State Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes; §431:10C-301(a)(2), (b)(1)–(2); current compiled text, amendment note includes 2024 Act 138. Accessed 2026-09-28.
2
Hawaii Revised Statutes §437-11, Additional requirements for dealer’s and auction’s license. Hawaii State Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes; §437-11(a)–(b). Accessed 2026-09-28.
3
Hawaii Revised Statutes §437-7, Application for issuance or renewal of license. Hawaii State Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes; §437-7(i)–(j). Accessed 2026-09-28.
4
Hawaii Revised Statutes §286-53, Dealers in new motor vehicles. Hawaii State Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes; §286-53(c)(1), (f), (i). Accessed 2026-09-28.
5
Insurance Division. Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs; Official division homepage; scope, license search, complaints, contact information. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
Insurance Licenses and Registrations. Hawaiʻi Insurance Division; Insurance license information; links to state-based system for license applications and status. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Filing a Complaint. Hawaiʻi Insurance Division; Online complaint form and published consumer phone. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Surplus Lines Tax. Hawaiʻi Insurance Division; 4.68% rate and home-state application under HRS § 431:8-315. Accessed 2026-09-28.
9
HRS § 431:16-105: Definitions. Hawaiʻi Legislature; Defines a member insurer as an insurer licensed or holding a certificate of authority in Hawaiʻi; cross-read with HRS § 431:8-102 and § 431:8-301 for unauthorized surplus-lines placements. Accessed 2026-09-28.
10
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
11
Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
12
Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
13
About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
14
Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
15
Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
16
Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

What Garage Liability Insurance Requirements Apply in Hawaii?

What Is Garage Liability Insurance?

What Should You Watch for With Garage Liability Insurance in Hawaii?

Separate Customer-Car Damage

List Repair and Storage at the Licensed Site

Confirm the Licensed Premises Boundary

Separate Demonstrations From Other Road Use