As Hawaii begins to ease travel restrictions, a viral post surfaced on Facebook claiming the state will no longer accept out-of-state driver’s licenses starting in 2023.<\/p>\n
“Starting 2023, Hawaii will no longer recognize out-of-state driver’s licenses,” reads a June 15\u00a0\u00a0post with more than 2,000 shares. “A vast majority of accidents occurring on Hawaii’s roads are caused by people that didn’t learn to drive here.”<\/p>\n
The post criticizes\u00a0drivers from other states, including California, Florida and New York, claiming they are\u00a0responsible for many speeding tickets issued in Hawaii.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The post says those who wish to drive in Hawaii will be required to apply for a driving test\u00a0at one of the purportedly\u00a0new DMV offices at state airports\u00a0before they are allowed to rent a vehicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the post is wrong.\u00a0Hawaii has no plans to stop accepting out-of-state licenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While the post comes from a Facebook page labeled\u00a0“State Of Hawaii,” the account defines itself as an “Entertainment Website” and\u00a0is not affiliated with the state’s government.\u00a0<\/p>\n
USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook page behind the post for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fact check:<\/strong>Photos of Hawaii lighthouse don’t disprove sea-level rise<\/span><\/p>\n A\u00a0spokesperson for Hawaii’s Department of Transportation said Hawaii will continue to accept driver’s licenses from other states.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not true,\u201d\u00a0Shelly Kunishige, communications manager for the Hawaii Department of Transportation, told USA TODAY via email.\u00a0“Reciprocal licensing privileges are codified under Hawaii Revised Statutes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n A search of Hawaii’s official state website, Hawaii Gov. David Ige’s site and his verified Facebook and Twitter accounts\u00a0shows no announcements about new rules regarding out-of-state driver’s licenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n Additionally, there is no new law on Hawaii’s state Legislature site that says driver’s licenses from other states will not be allowed starting in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n There is no evidence that visitors are required to complete a driving test in Hawaii in order to rent a vehicle. Requirements to rent a car in the state include having a credit card, a valid driver’s license from the U.S. or most foreign countries, and being 21 years of age, according to Hawaii Car Rentals.<\/p>\n Public data on\u00a0traffic incidents in Honolulu does not include information on where drivers were licensed.<\/p>\n Fact check:<\/strong> Image shows art exhibition in Thailand, not giant skeleton<\/span><\/p>\n The claim that\u00a0Hawaii will stop recognizing\u00a0out-of-state driver’s licenses starting in 2023\u00a0is FALSE, based on our research. There is no evidence\u00a0Hawaii plans to ban out-of-state driver’s licenses. A DOT spokesperson said the claim is not true. The claim originates from a Facebook page that defines itself as an entertainment website, but\u00a0there is no disclaimer on the post that indicates it\u00a0is a joke.<\/p>\nNo evidence of out-of-state license ban in Hawaii<\/h2>\n
Our rating: False<\/h2>\n
Our fact-check sources:\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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