Hawaii Corporation

You can get an EIN directly from the IRS. The application is free, and most businesses can apply online. However, if you don’t have a social security number, you’ll need to submit a paper application form. Can’t bear to fill out yet another application? Hire Northwest to get your EIN for you. Just add on EIN service during checkout when you sign up for our incorporation service.

Corporate bylaws cover basic policies and procedures for issues such as company finances and management. Bylaws should cover a range of topics, answering key questions like those below:

• Meetings: When and where will meetings for shareholders and directors be held? How many attendees are required to transact business? What are the procedures for voting or proxy voting? How do you call a special meeting? What actions can be taken without a meeting?

• Stock: How are stock certificates issued and transferred? How is voting affected by issues such as corporate stock owners or fractional shares?

• Directors and officers: How many directors must there be? Which officer positions are required? What powers do they have? How do you fill a vacancy or remove a director or officer?

• Finances: What are the procedures for retaining profits, issuing dividends, and paying bills? Who can withdraw money from the corporate bank account or sign checks?

• Records: Where is the corporate book to be kept? What information will be maintained? How are requests for review or access honored? Can records or copies be kept or distributed digitally?

• Amendments and emergencies: Who can amend bylaws and how? Can emergency bylaws be adopted in the case of disaster?

Hawaii bylaws can make other provisions as well, assuming additions are in accordance with state law. For example, § 414-192 (2019) states that Hawaii bylaws can specify the qualifications required for corporate officers.

Creating bylaws can be overwhelming—where do you start? Northwest can help. We give you free corporate bylaws when you hire us to form your Hawaii corporation. We know what kinds of topics and questions corporations need to address, and we’ve spent years refining and improving our forms. We offer many other free corporate forms as well, including templates for resolutions and meeting minutes.

At least $13.50. You must pay a $12.50 filing fee when submitting a Hawaii Annual Report online. Filing by mail has a $15 fee. In either case, you’ll also pay an extra $1 for the State Archive fee.

The day your Annual Report must be submitted depends on when you registered your business. The Annual Report is due on the last day of the quarter the business was originally registered. The quarters are January 1 to March 31, April 1 to June 30, July 1 to September 30 and October 1 to December 31. So, for example a business registered on July 26 would have to file an annual report by September 30 the following year.

These filings can be easy to forget—which is why we send our clients automatic reminders for your Hawaii Annual Report filings. Or better yet, let us file for you. With our business renewal service, we can complete and submit your annual report for you for $100 plus the state fee.

Hawaii corporations have two more major taxes to contend with: a corporate net income tax and the General Excise Tax.

The corporate income tax rate has three tiers. Income under $25,000 is taxed at 4.4%. Companies with income greater than $25,000 but less than $100,000 are taxed at 5.4%. And companies making $100,000 or more are taxed at 6.4%.

Hawaii has no sales tax, but the state does use a gross receipts tax, the General Excise Tax (GET) that taxes businesses at 4% for most products and services. Counties can add a surcharge to the GET, making the average rate 4.413%. Since most businesses pass the GET on to customers, it tends to work much like a sales tax.

Yes, if you conduct business in Hawaii, you’re required to register with the Department of Taxation for a Hawaii Tax Identification Number. You can register via Hawaii Tax Online or by filing a Hawaii Basic Business Application. You’ll need your EIN before you can register, and you will also need to pay a $20 fee.

At least $51. The base filing fee is $50, plus a $1 State Archive Fee. An additional $25 is needed for expedited processing, and a certified copy of the Articles of Incorporation requires an extra $10 plus 25¢ per page. Filing online? There’s an additional online processing fee of $2.50.

Hire us for a one-time fee of $278.50 ($301 expedited) including the state filing fees, a year of registered agent service, a business address and more.

Expedited processing takes up to 3 business days. Have some time and want to save on extra fees? Forgo expediting and receive your approval in about 5 to 7 business days.

While not officially a business license, a GET license is required for doing business in Hawaii. You can get this license when you file your Basic Business Application with the Department of Taxation. In addition, some cities and counties in Hawaii may require licenses for specific business activities. For example, running a second-hand store in Honolulu requires a $10 license.

For some license applications you may need an EIN or a certified copy of your Articles of Incorporation. At Northwest, we can streamline the process and get these for you—simply add on these items during checkout.

A corporation formed outside of Hawaii—but which conducts business in the state—is considered a foreign Hawaii corporation. For example, if you incorporated in California but decide to open a storefront in Hawaii, you would be a foreign Hawaii corporation. This also means you would need to register with the state by filing a Certificate of Authority for Foreign Corporation with the Business Registration Division. Foreign corporations are required to file the Hawaii Annual Report each year as well.

Absolutely! We’re happy to start a nonprofit corporation for you. Hawaii nonprofit corporations follow most of the same steps and pay the same fee for filing Articles of Incorporation as for-profit ones do, but pay a lower fee for filing the Hawaii Annual Report ($2.50 online or $5 for a paper form).

It’s a conundrum: you need a local number to display on your website and give to customers, but you don’t want to make your personal number quite so…public. We get it. And we’ve got you covered with Northwest Phone Service. We can provide you with a virtual phone number in any state—plus unlimited call forwarding and tons of easy-to-use features. You can try Phone Service free for 60 days when you hire us to form your corporation, and maintaining service is just $9 monthly after that. No contract required.