Kapolei Hale City Hall

One star. For the Air conditioning, and for the fact that unless you are taking a driving test… the lines seem to move pretty fast. A lot of people gripe about the parking, but I am always able to get a close parking spot so I dont know what’s up with that.
Anyways, the workers. Wow. Attitude problem much? Especially the one lady with terrible highlights. She was unpleasant to deal with. No customer service skills, hated answering questions, and took the next person before I was done getting the information we (my husband and I) needed.
I’ve experienced nicer people at Waianae’s satellite DMV!

Expected the long wait, as I was a walk-​in, that was not the problem. The problem was Ms. Kelly. She provided the most undesired customer service I’ve ever experienced. She shook her at at me, made sarcastic remarks and was so NON-​helpful. I was in disbelief. Granted, I was just the «help» trying to get the permit started. I simply wanted to know what was wrong with the plans so that I could relay the corrections that needed to be made. All I got was a vague «you need to correct it, there’s things wrong with it. I’m not approving it.» then told me «I’m going to take the next number.» Guess it’s somehow my fault I don’t work with plans for a living. I could have taken notes instead of having to guess, but she had no desire to help. She did provide two pieces of advice to her less than part credit. Sorry that she brought down your stars, but management needs to speak with her asap!

Went to renew registration at 12pm and waited 1 hour in line until I was seen. They need to have more clerks. It’s crazy. If you plan on coming here make sure you plan ahead because you going to end up waiting in a long ass line.

This review is for the building /​permitting department a Kapolei Hale only.
Quick note before I start on my official review for DPP. Sometimes I feel as if people write these reviews to complain about how long the wait is. Well, sorry to break it to you but like any other office, it will be busy and lines will be long. Granted, there are some lucky days were the lines are non existent.
On to my review. I work for a solar company and have been processing PV permits for 2 years. When I first started there were three clerks processing walk in permits. Now, there’s one clerk processing walk in permits, one clerk taking payment and one clerk doing scheduled appointments. They don’t have control on how they take clients, if «higher up» says to change how to process clients then so be it. That being said, if you come here WITHOUT a schedule appointment you WILL be here for hours waiting for your number to be called. Always plan (no pun intended lol) ahead and make your appointment accordingly. Appointments are as far out as to a week or two.
Clerks:
I love all the DPP clerks here! They’re all super efficient and will go out of their way to help you with whatever building /​permitting questions or concerns you have. You might think they’re picking on you and trying to make your life hard but it’s not that at all. It’s better to be thorough and get all the mistakes now then get a building violation because your building or whatever isn’t up to code.
Overall:
I deducted one star being how they little clerks they have to take walk in permits. I fee like Kapolei is a rapidly growing City and they might need as many clerks as the DPP Honolulu soon.

Came to the DMV on Friday March 4^th because UH didn’t have any classes for students and I’m a full time student. I have classes Mon-​Friday 7:30 — 3:20 on most days and I have no time whatsoever on the week days to go to the DMV.
So I use this ONE free day I have to go to the DMV at 4AM for a walk in road test. It was freezing cold and I didn’t know that I should’ve brought a chair and a blanket to stand in line for the next 3 hours. Since the DMV didn’t open for the next 3 hours we waited outside of the building from the side walk outside of the DMV on the right side (if you’re standing directly in front of the building). There were at least 15 – 18 people in line and I was at least the 8^th person. My sister and I sat on a blanket on the ground freezing while everyone sat on chairs or reserved their spot in line with their chairs and went back into their car to relax and sleep.
The DMV finally opened at 7:45 and the security guard walked us all into the building to sit us on the bench in front of the office. They open the doors and there’s a sign that says «There is a shortage of staff». A man from behind the counter tells us that there’s a lot of workers that called in sick that day and they ONLY TOOK ONE WALK IN THAT DAY. And he suggested us to go to Koolaus DMV if we really wanted to get a road test that day. So at least 18 of us walked out of the line, went home and went to the DMV for nothing. How unreal is that.
A few tips if you’re going in for a walk in road test
* The line starts on the side walk outside of the DMV on the right side (if you’re standing directly in front of the building).
*bring a chair and a blanket because it gets super cold when you’re there early in the morning and you’ll be waiting there for more than 3 hours
*bring all the correct documents and the paperwork for your car
*don’t expect to get a walk in road test because this might happen to you as well. This was the last thing I thought that would’ve happened to me at the DMV. I really thought they would’ve taken at least 7 walk ins.
*Bring snacks and a drink because you might get hungry/​thirsty waiting in line for hours before the DMV and its snack shop opens.

Came here today to pay my car registration. I had contacted them via phone earlier this week since I didnt receive notice about my car registration payment as I recently moved so the lady told me just to bring my old registration with me and provide them with my new address. She actually gave me the payment on the phone which I forgot which was very nice of her.
Anyway got to Kapolei Satellite City Hall at 937 AM, was told to go in earlier to avoid long lines and a wait. There were 8 people on front of me with 2 cashiers working. At least there are signs to indicate where you should stand and wait. The a/​c works well so at least it’s cold. The wait wasn’t too bad and only stood in line for 10 minutes. I told ghe cashier I didnt receive my notice so she just looked at my old registration and gave me my total again. She asks for your phone number that she writes on the check. The cashier’s are pretty quick too.
They only take cash or check for payments!

Great Service! No Hassle! Thank you for getting done what Pearl City could never do with a smile. If I could give you 10 stars I would. Thank you Kapolei Hale City Hall!. Will do all my future work there.

Going through some renovations, and the new set up already seems to be working more efficiently. When I came in, they had more than 5 windows open, and the line was really moving. Also, theres an express line to handle fast transactions like a simple payment for your registration, etc. All in all, a very pleasant experience.

I had to stop by here one morning before work to update a permit for one of our projects. I was surprised to find parking easily. Being the first time, I walked into the correct office but within 10 minutes discovered that I had been waiting in the wrong line. I had to pull a number and wait in a different area. They were serving #4 and I was #14. They service appointments and take walk-​ins in between.
The wait went quickly because Kapolei Hale was decorated with trees, a replica of a Rail car, a large lit tree, larger than life decorations on the lawn and large cut outs in front of an entrance. There were at least 60 kids walking amongst the trees on a field trip, taking pictures in front of the trees.
I went back in and they were servicing #11. The guy fixed my permit issue quickly and easily. He and the employees I observed were polite and happy. It may be worth the drive to Kapolei when you don’t have to wait too long and receive quick friendly service.

Stopped in to change the address on my drivers license and renew my vehicle registration. Two different offices and one person in front of me at each. To change your address or renew your license, make sure u have ur docs! Name and address on at least two docs (insurance and bank statements work)!! And when you get your registration, CASH and CHECK ONLY! There’s an ATM outside that I used, thank God it actually worked! Fantabulous!

There was not a long line but the people who work inside have attitudes or at least the lady who helped me. Not sure why I was polite even After her nasty attitude.

I came here on a Wednesday at 2pm to transfer my out-​of-​state license before it expired. The license side was not busy at all-​the registration side looked much busier but not too bad. It took a total of maybe 35−40mins to get everything completed-​including the written exam & a temporary ID printed! The ladies at the counter were very kind, proficient in their work and had great attention to detail! (Most people spell my name wrong on the first try, but they nailed it!) It helped that I was prepared with all the required documents, but this was the quickest, most painless dmv visit I’ve ever had!

Vehicle registration-​transfer title: Came in at 3:15pm, 5 min wait time, very easy, if everything is current on the vehicle you bought, you only pay $ 10. If expired, you pay the back taxes at time of registration

DMV, License (I got a license renewal)
*6:14 am arrived. 7 people in front of me.
*7:09 am line is a at 13 total
*8:09 am finish with my license renewed and finished
The staff is really nice and you must provide all documents required!
Pay off all tickets if any!
Bring a chair if you want to come that early and park right in front of the line so you can put your chair away.
Staff was polite, but there is a lot of people that will blame their issues on them, so take note that they are just regular human beings too.
At the end of it all, this is my favorite DMV spot in Oahu!

Come prepared! Full names on ALL documents MUST BE THE SAME!!! No exceptions. Ugh.
Anyway, this DMV is located in the Kapolei Hale. Very clean, restrooms around the corner (very clean, too!), and even a snack bar.
The lines on Friday afternoon are SHORT! I came in around 2:45pm. Last written test issued at 3:30pm.

I wasn’t expecting a five star experience because of the bad ratings. I always seem to find parking, the place is clean, service is friendly and never had to wait in line. Maybe I’ve been coming here an hour before it closes? I suggest going before it closes to avoid the crowd. Good luck!

Recently moving back from living off island I am beginning to realize that island life also means SLOW AS MOLASSES, but with a mainland façade. Nice, beautifully built building but super crappy slow process inside. Completely forgot why so many move off this island in the first place. Only 3 windows available at 2:15pm. By the time I got to the counter (3:28pm) I was told I wouldn’t make it to the testing line. So I basically stood in line for no apparent reason except my paper work was processed. The straw that broke the camels back for me was even after having my paperwork processed and enter I still didn’t get some kind of slip so I could just SKIP the service line completely and head to cashier line. So again I stood in line for 1h15mins just to come back and have to stand in line again? Oh but I was told I wouldn’t have to do my paper processing (10mins). Yay.
Unfortunately, it isn’t the people at the window helping the public that are at fault it is the damn State and Government. Perhaps, part of our tax money should be going to staffing these DMV’s. State budget cuts meshed State ID process in with Drivers License process BUT decided adding more staff to help ease the crowds wouldn’t fit the budge cuts. Lose money! I thought mainland DMV’s were horrendous. Hawaii’s got the worst traffic and the worst DMV.

I was very blessed to have an amazing experience at this DMV. Got there before they opened, line can seem intimidating but it was moving super smooth. I was able to provide all the documents to get an out of state transfer license (proof of legal presence, 2 proofs of residence, social security card, and proper form filled out). You have to stand in separate lines for everything but all went by fast, I took the test and passed it, 30 questions and pretty much straight out of the 171 questions on the Driver’s manual book, so please READ. If you fail the test you must return one week and retake it. Overall awesome people working there and with knowledge of the questions, proper paperwork it will go great for you too!

I have come to verify the other posters stories.
1. Yes, the wait will be long
2. Make sure you bring all the appropriate documents
3. Wear some comfortable shoes
4. Have something to do while waiting (i.e. book, Kindle, IPOD, portable PS, anything)
5. Parking maybe hard to find if you come at the «wrong» time. You never know when the right time is.
6. Use the bathroom before you stand in line or phone a friend. You don’t want to lose your spot.
7. You will stand in line twice. Once for documents and then to pay. The pay line is much quicker.
I came in on a Tuesday at 0905 and left at 1121. That is 2 hours and sixteen minutes. That included waiting in line and taking the Driver’s license written test (no longer than 10 – 15 minutes)
I can see myself starting a business of having «people» wait in line for you while you handle other matters and then call you in when they are near the front of the line. Darn it, I think people are already doing that!
As for the driving test, I saw more than a few people leave upset at their results. The practice questions in the driving book help you with about 75% of the questions on the test, possible more. Read it.
I believe the problem with this location is that the clerks who handle your paperwork are also trained on performing the actual riding test so you will see the clerks stand up and go outside. It is considered a promotion according to one of the clerks. Not all are certified but at least three of the clerks I saw where dual hatted. One old man with his fishing cap was the only one that stood at his station the entire time. I would not want to visit this location or any again for a long time but if I have to I at least know what to expect. You been forewarned.

This is for the DMV part of the Kapolei Hale.
First off, parking is ROUGH. The parking lot is very full, so expect to circle around for parking or look for street parking (even that is full too). I got lucky with parking, but add that in to your wait time. There are several stalls marked «reserved for road test», but honestly I doubt they ever tow people who illegally park there.
Timing when you arrive is crucial. I highly suggest lining up before they even open or as close to opening time as possible (7:45 AM). I made the mistake of getting there at 10 AM to get my license renewed. Line out the door and the entire process took me 2 hours. The problem with going in line at that time, is that at 11 AM the workers start going on their lunch breaks. Which means that there might be only 1 – 2 people processing the ENTIRE LINE. Get there early and get done BEFORE anyone goes to lunch at 11. The problem with going later in the afternoon (post-​lunch), is that if you are not at the help window by 4 PM they will send you home. So even if you are super close to getting helped, they are very strict that they completely shut everything down at 4 PM. It’s not like the post office where if you’re inside the building by closing they will still help you. If you are disabled/​elder/​for whatever reason can’t stand for long periods of time I suggest bringing a portable chair. You might get stuck standing in line for 2 hours and that will not be pleasant for you. Ideally, if you can bring someone with you so you can take turn standing in lines, keep each other company, hold your spot while you run to grab something/​go to the bathroom – that is ideal. I went by my lonesome. =/​
Make sure you bring all of the necessary documents. The ones most missed are the «legal presence» documents. «You are required to provide original or certified documents proving legal name, date of birth, legal presence, social security number and 2 forms of proof of your principal residence address in Hawaii, no longer than every 16 years. Names must be the same on all documents. If you have a name change and the names on your documents are not the same, you must also submit the original document that verifies your name change. (Marriage Certificate, Divorce Decree, Court Documents).»
My suggestion is to bring MORE documents than you need. I saw several people get sent home for not having enough documents, or the documents they did bring were not valid somehow (had the wrong address, etc.). Save yourself the time and hassle and make sure you bring everything.
Do bring entertainment: books, iPad, Kindle, HEADPHONES (can’t believe I never thought to bring headphones until I was already in line), etc. I was in line for 2 hours and would have really liked to have had my headphones to watch Netflix from my phone. –_​_​– Also, if you end up getting stuck in line for 2 hours and never got a chance to eat breakfast (like me) bring a snack, because you will get even grumpier than you would normally be because you’re hungry and hypoglycemic.
I got these tips from the government website:
— Avoid Mondays and Fridays, the best day to visit the office is mid-​week.
— Avoid the hours between 11:30 and 2:00 pm. as they tend to be busy due to the lunch break.
— We recommend that you come in 1 hour before our stated closing time to assure proper service. (For Kapolei I would come in at least 2 hours before closing)
— Avoid the first and last day of the month.
— Avoid the day after a holiday.
— This is my own tip, but the reason I think it was so busy was because all the kids are off of school for summer vacation. If it is summer, spring, fall, or winter break for the local high schools – BEWARE. They will all be coming with their parents to get their permits and/​or take their road test.
I think I’ll try the Wahiawa DMV next time.