Honolulu County Licensed Trades: Peddler (Food Truck), Pawnbroker, Secondhand Dealer, Scrap Dealer and Firearms Dealer Licenses

Getting a Honolulu food truck license in Hawaii takes more than one approval. You need a city peddler license from the Department of Customer Services, a state General Excise Tax (GET) license, and a food permit from the state Department of Health. The same city department also issues licenses for pawnbrokers, secondhand dealers, scrap dealers and firearms dealers. This guide explains what each one involves, in the order most applicants should handle them.

Informational notice: This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Fees and procedures change, and some figures below must be confirmed on the agency page before you pay. For a complex setup, such as a firearms business, a multi-location operation, or a business with employees, talk with a qualified attorney or CPA before you file.

Which License Covers Your Business

Hawaii has no general statewide business license, and Honolulu has no general county business license. Registering an LLC or a trade name is a filing, not a license. Honolulu licenses by trade, so match your activity to the right license.

Your Business Activity	Honolulu License	Also Needed
Food truck selling food on the street	Peddler (confirm the category that fits)	GET license and Department of Health food permit
Lending money against personal property	Pawnbroker	GET license
Reselling used goods	Secondhand dealer	GET license
Buying scrap material	Scrap dealer	GET license
Selling firearms	Firearms dealer	GET license and separate federal firearms requirements

Every business doing business in Hawaii needs a GET license, so treat it as a baseline requirement for all five trades.

What to Gather Before You Apply

• Your legal business name and entity type. If you will operate under a different name, plan a trade name registration.
• A Hawaii Tax Online account, or a completed Form BB-1, for your GET license.
• The application packet from the Customer Services office (see the peddler steps below).
• A food operation plan covering your menu, prep location, equipment, and food handling. The Department of Health will need this for your food permit.
• A parking and route plan that matches the city's rules for trucks.
• If you plan to form an LLC, a registered agent with a Hawaii street address. The agent must be physically present in the state.

Steps to Get a Honolulu Food Truck License in Hawaii

1. Choose your business name and structure. If you form an LLC, the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) carry a $50 filing fee. The name must include the words Limited Liability Company, L.L.C., or LLC, and it cannot be substantially identical to a name already registered. Search the name for free with the BREG business name search before you file. An LLC cannot be its own registered agent. If you will operate under a name other than your legal name, register it on Form T-1 for $50 plus a $1 State Archives fee. A trade name registration is valid for five years, and the Department does not send renewal notices, so set your own reminder. File through Hawaii Business Express, which BREG describes as the most efficient method.
2. Register for the General Excise Tax license. Every business in Hawaii needs a GET license from the Department of Taxation. It is a one-time $20 fee, applied for on Form BB-1 or through Hawaii Tax Online. The license stays active until you close it, surrender it, or it is revoked. Processing is immediate in person, 5 to 7 business days through Hawaii Tax Online, and 4 to 6 weeks by mail. GET is levied on your gross receipts, not on your customer, so build it into your pricing. Confirm with the Department of Taxation which rate applies to your sales. License holders must file periodic and annual returns even in a period with no income.
3. Obtain a Department of Health food permit. Hawaii has no county health department, so the state Department of Health issues your food permit. Contact the Department before you buy equipment, because the permit depends on how you handle food and what your truck contains. This article does not list a verified fee or inspection schedule for the food permit, so confirm those directly with the Department of Health.
4. Apply for the Honolulu peddler license. Packets are available in person at the Kapalama Driver Licensing Center, 925 Dillingham Blvd, window 17, phone (808) 768-9700. Ask which peddler category fits your operation: merchandise, parade, or fee exempt. Check the Department of Customer Services business license page for current fees, which differ by license type. Complete every field, attach the documents the packet requires, and keep copies of everything you submit.
5. Plan where you can legally park and sell. Under Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (ROH) chapter 29, article 6, a truck may park for the posted time limit, or for three hours where no limit is posted. Peddling is not allowed in the Waikiki Special Design District, in city parks and on beaches unless you hold a concession, permit, or license, or in school zones while school is in session. Walk each proposed spot and read the signs before you commit to a route.
6. Calendar your ongoing obligations. Keep GET returns on schedule, check the renewal terms for your peddler license on the Customer Services page, and, if you formed an LLC, file its annual report on time.

Steps for Pawnbroker, Secondhand Dealer, Scrap Dealer and Firearms Dealer Licenses

1. Confirm the license category with Customer Services. Each of these trades is its own license in the Department of Customer Services program. Ask which one matches your activity. Wrecking or salvage is a separate category, so do not assume a scrap dealer license covers it.
2. Get the application packet and complete it. Pick it up at the Kapalama Driver Licensing Center, window 17. Ask Customer Services what records, inspections, or other documents apply to your trade, because the requirements differ by license.
3. Pay the fee for your license type. Fees differ by license type, so verify the amount on the Customer Services page before you submit payment.
4. Register for the GET license. Follow step 2 in the food truck steps above. Every trade in this guide requires it.
5. For firearms, add federal licensing. A Honolulu firearms dealer license does not replace federal licensing through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Confirm those requirements with ATF and an attorney before you sell.

If You Operate Outside Honolulu

Hawaii has four counties, and each handles licensing differently. Maui County licenses through its motor vehicle licensing division in Kahului. Hawaii County pawnbrokers go through the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Division. Do not assume the Honolulu process applies on another island. Confirm current requirements with the county before you apply.

Costs at a Glance

Item	Cost	Where to Confirm
GET license	$20, one time	Department of Taxation
LLC filing (Form LLC-1)	$50	BREG
LLC annual report	$12.50 per year	BREG
Trade name registration (Form T-1)	$50 plus $1 State Archives fee	BREG
Honolulu peddler and other Customer Services licenses	Varies by license type	Department of Customer Services business license page
Department of Health food permit	Not listed here	Department of Health

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming the peddler license lets you park anywhere. ROH chapter 29, article 6 limits where trucks may park and where peddling is allowed.
• Treating "no sales tax" as "no tax." Hawaii has no sales tax, but GET applies to your gross receipts. If you show GET as a separate charge to customers, the maximum rate you can pass on is 4.7120 percent.
• Missing the LLC annual report. It is due by the end of the calendar quarter in which the LLC registered. No report is required in the year of registration.
• Naming the LLC as its own registered agent. An LLC cannot serve as its own agent.
• Counting on expedited processing. BREG states that expedited processing is not available at this time following its July 6, 2026 move to a new registration system.
• Assuming the Honolulu license works on other islands. Each county has its own process.

Tips for a Smoother Application

• Call Customer Services before you buy a truck. The license category and fee affect your startup budget.
• Finalize your Department of Health plan before you buy equipment.
• For planning help, the Hawaii Small Business Development Center and the SBA Hawaii district page are useful starting points.
• If you plan to hire, employers must follow the Prepaid Health Care Act. Review that obligation before your first hire.

What to Expect After You Apply

Once your licenses are issued, you may be able to begin peddling on permitted routes. Timing depends on how each agency processes its part of your file. BREG does not publish a standard turnaround time, and you should confirm timelines for the Department of Health and Customer Services directly with each agency. Sales, foot traffic, and profitability vary widely by location, menu, and season, and no license guarantees any level of revenue. Treat these licenses as the cost of entry, not a promise of results.

For complex situations, such as forming an LLC with employees or adding a firearms line, consult a qualified attorney or CPA before you file.