Hawaii DMV Permit Test cheat sheet

Hawaii driver's licenses are issued by the county DMV (City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai); a Hawaii instruction permit requires a written knowledge test and vision screening, and the permit is valid for one year from issuance.

Real ID-compliant Hawaii licenses require proof of legal presence (U.S. passport, birth certificate, or valid immigration documents), proof of Social Security number, and two proofs of Hawaii principal residence; a non-compliant limited-purpose license does not satisfy federal Real ID use.

Hawaii's graduated licensing system: a driver under 18 must hold an instruction permit for at least 180 days, complete 50 hours of supervised driving (10 at night), and pass the road test before a provisional license; nighttime and passenger restrictions apply to provisional holders under 18.

Hawaii's zero tolerance law sets a 0.02% blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers under 21; a first violation results in license suspension and mandatory substance abuse assessment, not merely a fine.

Hawaii's implied consent law: refusing a breath, blood, or urine test after a lawful arrest for OVUII (operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant) triggers administrative license revocation of at least one year, independent of criminal penalties.

Hawaii's Move Over law requires drivers approaching a stopped emergency or authorized vehicle with flashing lights to change lanes away or, if unable, slow to a safe speed; the rule extends to tow trucks and highway workers.

Hawaii's child passenger restraint law requires a child under 4 to ride in an approved child safety seat; children 4 through 7 must use a child restraint or booster seat, and all rear-seat passengers under 18 must be restrained.

Hawaii's hand-held device law: drivers may not use a hand-held mobile phone or text while driving; drivers under 18 are barred from all mobile phone use, including hands-free, except for emergency calls.

Sign shape conveys meaning: octagon = STOP, inverted triangle = YIELD, diamond = warning, pennant = no-passing zone, round = railroad advance warning, and horizontal rectangle = regulatory or guide information.

Sign color conveys meaning: red = stop/prohibition, yellow = warning, fluorescent yellow-green = pedestrian and school crossings, orange = construction/work zone, blue = services and disabled parking, and green = distance/direction guidance.

A flashing red signal is treated as a STOP sign: come to a full stop, yield, then proceed when clear; a flashing yellow signal means slow down and proceed with caution without a required stop.

A steady yellow light means the signal is changing to red; a driver who has not entered the intersection must stop if it can be done safely, and entering on red is a violation.

Solid white lines separate traffic moving in the same direction and mark the right edge of the roadway; solid yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions and mark the left edge of divided highways.

A double solid yellow line means no passing or crossing in either direction; a broken yellow line on your side permits passing when safe, and a broken line on the other side means that direction may pass.

A shared center left-turn lane (two-way left-turn lane) is bordered by solid yellow lines with broken yellow inner lines; it is used only for left turns in either direction, not for travel or passing.

A white stop line or crosswalk at an intersection marks where vehicles must stop for a red light or stop sign; stopping beyond the line or in the crosswalk is a violation.

Hawaii's basic speed rule requires a speed reasonable and prudent for conditions regardless of the posted limit; the limit is a maximum for ideal conditions, and reduced visibility or wet pavement requires slowing below it.

Following distance rule: use at least a three-second gap in good conditions and four or more seconds when road, weather, or visibility is poor, or when following large vehicles that block forward view.

Right-of-way at an uncontrolled intersection: the vehicle on the right has the right of way, and a vehicle turning left must yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right.

Pedestrian rules: drivers must yield to pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk, may not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk, and must stop for a pedestrian who has stepped into the roadway.

Hawaii's crosswalk law requires drivers to stop for a pedestrian crossing in a crosswalk and to yield at intersections when a pedestrian is approaching; passing a vehicle that is stopped for a pedestrian is prohibited.

Passing a bicyclist: Hawaii law requires at least three feet of clearance when overtaking a cyclist; if the lane is too narrow to allow three feet, the driver must wait until it is safe to pass.

Railroad crossing procedure: slow, look both ways, listen, and never stop on the tracks; a driver must stop at least 15 feet from the nearest rail when a train is approaching or when crossing gates, lights, or a flagger signal a stop.

Hawaii's OVUII limit is 0.08% BAC for drivers 21 and older; alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time before legal limits are reached, and fatigue produces effects similar to alcohol impairment.

Hydroplaning occurs when tires ride on a film of water; it is avoided by reducing speed in rain, avoiding sudden braking or steering, and replacing tires with worn tread.

Hawaii requires liability insurance (minimum bodily injury and property damage coverage) for registered vehicles, and drivers must carry proof of insurance; driving uninsured carries fines and license suspension.

Headlights are required from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise and whenever visibility is reduced by weather; headlights must also be used when windshield wipers are in continuous use.

Seat belts are required for the driver and all passengers; in Hawaii the driver can be cited for an unbelted passenger, and every occupant of a moving vehicle must be restrained.

Vehicle equipment standards: tires must have sufficient tread depth, brakes must be in working order, and mirrors, horn, windshield wipers, and lighting must function; a vehicle that fails a safety inspection cannot be legally operated.

Skid control: if the rear of the vehicle skids, steer in the direction of the skid (where the rear is going) and ease off the accelerator; do not brake hard, which worsens the skid.

Night driving: reduce speed so you can stop within the distance illuminated by headlights, avoid looking directly at oncoming headlights, and use high beams only when no other vehicle is within 500 feet ahead or 300 feet oncoming.

Mountain and steep-grade driving: downshift to a lower gear before descending a long grade to use engine braking; riding the brakes continuously can cause brake fade and loss of stopping power.

Work zone rules: obey reduced speed limits and flagger instructions, merge early, and increase following distance; fines are increased for moving violations in construction zones when workers are present.

Parking on a hill: set the parking brake, turn the wheels toward the curb when facing downhill and away from the curb when facing uphill, and shift an automatic transmission into Park or a manual into a gear.

Hawaii driver's licenses are issued by the county DMV (City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai); a Hawaii instruction permit requires a written knowledge test and vision screening, and the permit is valid for one year from issuance.

Real ID-compliant Hawaii licenses require proof of legal presence (U.S. passport, birth certificate, or valid immigration documents), proof of Social Security number, and two proofs of Hawaii principal residence; a non-compliant limited-purpose license does not satisfy federal Real ID use.

Hawaii's graduated licensing system: a driver under 18 must hold an instruction permit for at least 180 days, complete 50 hours of supervised driving (10 at night), and pass the road test before a provisional license; nighttime and passenger restrictions apply to provisional holders under 18.

Hawaii's zero tolerance law sets a 0.02% blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers under 21; a first violation results in license suspension and mandatory substance abuse assessment, not merely a fine.

Hawaii's implied consent law: refusing a breath, blood, or urine test after a lawful arrest for OVUII (operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant) triggers administrative license revocation of at least one year, independent of criminal penalties.

Hawaii's Move Over law requires drivers approaching a stopped emergency or authorized vehicle with flashing lights to change lanes away or, if unable, slow to a safe speed; the rule extends to tow trucks and highway workers.

Hawaii's child passenger restraint law requires a child under 4 to ride in an approved child safety seat; children 4 through 7 must use a child restraint or booster seat, and all rear-seat passengers under 18 must be restrained.

Hawaii's hand-held device law: drivers may not use a hand-held mobile phone or text while driving; drivers under 18 are barred from all mobile phone use, including hands-free, except for emergency calls.

Sign shape conveys meaning: octagon = STOP, inverted triangle = YIELD, diamond = warning, pennant = no-passing zone, round = railroad advance warning, and horizontal rectangle = regulatory or guide information.

Sign color conveys meaning: red = stop/prohibition, yellow = warning, fluorescent yellow-green = pedestrian and school crossings, orange = construction/work zone, blue = services and disabled parking, and green = distance/direction guidance.

A flashing red signal is treated as a STOP sign: come to a full stop, yield, then proceed when clear; a flashing yellow signal means slow down and proceed with caution without a required stop.

A steady yellow light means the signal is changing to red; a driver who has not entered the intersection must stop if it can be done safely, and entering on red is a violation.

Solid white lines separate traffic moving in the same direction and mark the right edge of the roadway; solid yellow lines separate traffic moving in opposite directions and mark the left edge of divided highways.

A double solid yellow line means no passing or crossing in either direction; a broken yellow line on your side permits passing when safe, and a broken line on the other side means that direction may pass.

A shared center left-turn lane (two-way left-turn lane) is bordered by solid yellow lines with broken yellow inner lines; it is used only for left turns in either direction, not for travel or passing.

A white stop line or crosswalk at an intersection marks where vehicles must stop for a red light or stop sign; stopping beyond the line or in the crosswalk is a violation.

Hawaii's basic speed rule requires a speed reasonable and prudent for conditions regardless of the posted limit; the limit is a maximum for ideal conditions, and reduced visibility or wet pavement requires slowing below it.

Following distance rule: use at least a three-second gap in good conditions and four or more seconds when road, weather, or visibility is poor, or when following large vehicles that block forward view.

Right-of-way at an uncontrolled intersection: the vehicle on the right has the right of way, and a vehicle turning left must yield to oncoming traffic going straight or turning right.

Pedestrian rules: drivers must yield to pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk, may not pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk, and must stop for a pedestrian who has stepped into the roadway.

Hawaii's crosswalk law requires drivers to stop for a pedestrian crossing in a crosswalk and to yield at intersections when a pedestrian is approaching; passing a vehicle that is stopped for a pedestrian is prohibited.

Passing a bicyclist: Hawaii law requires at least three feet of clearance when overtaking a cyclist; if the lane is too narrow to allow three feet, the driver must wait until it is safe to pass.

Railroad crossing procedure: slow, look both ways, listen, and never stop on the tracks; a driver must stop at least 15 feet from the nearest rail when a train is approaching or when crossing gates, lights, or a flagger signal a stop.

Hawaii's OVUII limit is 0.08% BAC for drivers 21 and older; alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time before legal limits are reached, and fatigue produces effects similar to alcohol impairment.

Hydroplaning occurs when tires ride on a film of water; it is avoided by reducing speed in rain, avoiding sudden braking or steering, and replacing tires with worn tread.

Hawaii requires liability insurance (minimum bodily injury and property damage coverage) for registered vehicles, and drivers must carry proof of insurance; driving uninsured carries fines and license suspension.

Headlights are required from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise and whenever visibility is reduced by weather; headlights must also be used when windshield wipers are in continuous use.

Seat belts are required for the driver and all passengers; in Hawaii the driver can be cited for an unbelted passenger, and every occupant of a moving vehicle must be restrained.

Vehicle equipment standards: tires must have sufficient tread depth, brakes must be in working order, and mirrors, horn, windshield wipers, and lighting must function; a vehicle that fails a safety inspection cannot be legally operated.

Skid control: if the rear of the vehicle skids, steer in the direction of the skid (where the rear is going) and ease off the accelerator; do not brake hard, which worsens the skid.

Night driving: reduce speed so you can stop within the distance illuminated by headlights, avoid looking directly at oncoming headlights, and use high beams only when no other vehicle is within 500 feet ahead or 300 feet oncoming.

Mountain and steep-grade driving: downshift to a lower gear before descending a long grade to use engine braking; riding the brakes continuously can cause brake fade and loss of stopping power.

Work zone rules: obey reduced speed limits and flagger instructions, merge early, and increase following distance; fines are increased for moving violations in construction zones when workers are present.

Parking on a hill: set the parking brake, turn the wheels toward the curb when facing downhill and away from the curb when facing uphill, and shift an automatic transmission into Park or a manual into a gear.