HONOLULU — License plates featuring the shaka symbol were launched on Thursday as part of the Shaka License Plate Program. HONOLULU — License plates featuring the shaka symbol were launched on Thursday as part of the Shaka License Plate Program. Established by the nonprofit ID8, the program aims to “preserve aloha on Hawai‘i roadways by reducing road rage and infusing aloha into both locals and visitors alike,” according to a statement.
The shaka license plates will be available statewide at any Department of Motor Vehicle satellite office. Each plate has an initial fee of $30.50, with a subsequent annual renewal fee of $25 added to vehicle registration fees.
Of the renewal fee, $20 will go to ID8, which specializes in ideation and self-expression skills to create positive impacts in the community, according to Chair Steve Sue. “This is about sharing the aloha spirit on the highways,” Sue said. “Keep the road rage down and the aloha up.
” Sue said this effort has been two years in the making, working with all five counties in the state. Kim Hashiro, DMV customer service director, said the shaka license plate is the first organizational plate since the 2018 Hawai‘i Says No More plate, an effort created by a nonprofit aimed at ending domestic violence and sexual assault. The shaka is not a decal that can be added to an existing plate; it is a special plate that a vehicle owner must register as a new plate.
The letters and numbers on the plate are not custom.