The terminal, the paperwork and the appointment window all change once the car is the one leaving the island.
The extra step eastbound adds
Pasha Hawaii's vehicles FAQ, read from pashahawaii.com on 2026-08-31, names the reason directly: “It is Hawaii State Law (Statute 286-57 Unlawful removal of motor vehicle from State) that all privately owned vehicles shipping from Hawaii to the mainland United States are required to abide by.” A car sailing to Hawaii from California never triggers this section of the FAQ. A car sailing away from Hawaii does.
| Document or step | What the FAQ requires |
|---|---|
| Booking agreement | Signed by the registered owner |
| Registration | A copy of current registration through the shipping date; a company-owned vehicle needs a letter from an officer authorizing the drop-off |
| Title or bill of sale | Must match the VIN number on the booking, or a lien authorization letter in its place |
| Owner presence | All registered owners are required to be present for the vehicle drop-off |
The FAQ adds one more line worth reading before assuming a family member can hand the keys over on your behalf: it also accepts a Military ID as verification for service members, which is the one substitution the document set allows.
Three Hawaii terminals, not the ones you landed at
A car that arrived in Hawaii came through a Ro/Ro pier. A car leaving Hawaii is dropped at one of three separate Off Dock terminals, one per island Pasha Hawaii serves, all read from pashahawaii.com on 2026-08-31.
| Terminal | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu Off Dock | 938 Kohou Street, Honolulu, HI 96817 | Mon–Fri, 8:00am–4:00pm |
| Kahului Off Dock | 80 Hansen Road, Kahului, HI 96732 | Mon–Fri, 8:00am–11:00am and 1:00pm–3:00pm |
| Hilo Off Dock | 32A Pohaku Street, Hilo, HI 96720 | Mon–Fri, 8:00am–11:30am and 1:00pm–3:30pm |
Kahului and Hilo also sail on the two-week cycle documented on our general Hawaii vehicle guide, so a missed appointment window on Maui or the Big Island costs more calendar time than the same slip in Honolulu. Plan the Off Dock appointment around the sailing, not the other way around.
Booking opens 30 days before the ship sails
Pasha Hawaii's vehicles FAQ states the appointment rule in one line: “Drop off appointments scheduling is not available until 30 days prior to vessel sailing.” Calling the terminal earlier than that will not put an appointment on the calendar, even though the underlying booking with Pasha Hawaii can be arranged before the 30 day mark opens.
That gap between booking and appointment is easy to miss on a first move off the island. Get the vehicle booking done as soon as a moving date is set, then put a reminder on the calendar for the 30-day mark to call back and lock the actual drop-off appointment, rather than assuming one booking call covers both steps.
No posted rate here either
Pasha Hawaii's Ship a Vehicle overview page, read 2026-08-31, carries no dollar figure for the eastbound leg any more than it does for the westbound one. Pricing runs through its own booking tool or a call to (866) 363-7485, the same as documented on our general Hawaii vehicle guide for the inbound direction. What the page does publish are the flat fees that apply regardless of which way the vehicle is moving: 500.00 USD per vehicle for a car that cannot drive on and off under its own power, and 25.00 USD per day for storage past the free window.
Matson also runs a regular Ro/Ro vehicle service between Hawaii and the mainland, and its rate page is the one we used to document the westbound Seattle lane. We could not reach matson.com to check its eastbound terms while researching this page on 2026-08-31, so this page makes no claim about what Matson publishes for this direction. Call Matson directly or check its site before assuming either carrier's inbound rate applies in reverse.
The box you empty out before it ships
Both directions share one rule: the car has to be empty. Pasha Hawaii's preparation guide bars personal items from the vehicle whichever way it is traveling, so whatever rides in the trunk on the way to the Off Dock terminal becomes an ordinary parcel headed to wherever you are actually moving. We ran an 18 × 14 × 12 in, 25 lb carton of clothing, tools and personal items from Honolulu, HI 96813 to Los Angeles, CA 90731 against production on 2026-08-31.
| Carrier | Service | Price | Estimated transit |
|---|---|---|---|
| FedEx | 2Day | $61.03 | 2-3 business days |
| UPS | Ground | $73.64 | 3-4 business days |
| USPS | Ground Advantage | $92.27 | 3-4 business days |
| FedEx | Standard Overnight | $93.27 | 1 business day |
| UPS | 2nd Day Air | $112.07 | 2-3 business days |
The order is worth a second look: FedEx 2Day came back cheapest and faster than both ground options on this lane, which is not how the mainland-to-Hawaii cartons on our general vehicle guide sorted. Do not assume ground is the cheap choice out of Hawaii before checking the actual options for your own box.
What SMKlog does with a request like this
Our checkout sells United States domestic parcel labels, sized for boxes rather than a car on a ship's deck. SMKlog sells parcel labels only and does not arrange pallet or freight shipments. See our general vehicle-to-Hawaii guide for the inbound preparation rules and port schedule, and our Seattle-to-Hawaii guide for the one carrier that does post a westbound rate card.
Where these figures come from
- Pasha Hawaii, Vehicles FAQ — the Hawaii Statute 286-57 citation, the eastbound document list, owner-presence requirement, and the 30-day drop-off appointment window. Read 2026-08-31.
- Pasha Hawaii, Vehicle Dropoff terminal locator — the Honolulu, Kahului and Hilo Off Dock addresses, hours and appointment requirement. Read 2026-08-31.
- Pasha Hawaii, Ship a Vehicle overview — the absence of a published dollar rate, and the in-op and storage fees. Read 2026-08-31.
- Matson, matson.com — attempted 2026-08-31 for its eastbound Hawaii-to-mainland vehicle terms; the site did not return usable content on any of the pages tried, so no Matson figures appear on this page.
- Prices: our own capture of one carton against production on 2026-08-31, Honolulu, HI 96813 to Los Angeles, CA 90731.
Ocean carriers revise booking terms and terminal rules without notice. Treat the figures above as what Pasha Hawaii published on the date shown, and confirm current terms with whichever carrier is actually booking your vehicle.
Hawaii vehicle shipping, answered
How much does it cost to ship a car from Hawaii to the mainland?
Pasha Hawaii's own vehicle overview page, read 2026-08-31, publishes no dollar figure for either direction. It names a booking tool and a customer service line instead, and prices each vehicle individually once a booking is underway. Matson's site could not be reached to check its eastbound terms as of this date, so this page states only what Pasha Hawaii itself publishes.
Why does the paperwork change once the car is leaving Hawaii?
Pasha Hawaii's vehicles FAQ, read 2026-08-31, cites Hawaii Statute 286-57, unlawful removal of a motor vehicle from the state, as the reason eastbound bookings carry their own document set: a booking agreement signed by the registered owner, a copy of current registration through the shipping date, title or bill of sale matching the VIN, and every registered owner present in person at drop-off. None of that is asked of a vehicle arriving in Hawaii.
Where do I drop the car off on the way out?
Pasha Hawaii runs three Hawaii-side Off Dock terminals, all appointment required and automobiles and motorcycles only: Honolulu at 938 Kohou Street, Kahului at 80 Hansen Road on Maui, and Hilo at 32A Pohaku Street on the Big Island. None of them is the terminal a car uses when it arrives from the mainland.
How far ahead do I need to book the drop-off?
Pasha Hawaii's vehicles FAQ states that drop-off appointment scheduling is not available until 30 days prior to vessel sailing. Calling earlier than that will not get an appointment on the books; the booking itself can be arranged sooner, but the appointment slot opens on that 30 day clock.
What can SMKlog actually price on this move?
The box of belongings pulled out of the car before it goes to the terminal, since Pasha Hawaii's preparation rules bar personal items from the vehicle in both directions. An 18 x 14 x 12 in, 25 lb carton went from Honolulu, HI 96813 to Los Angeles, CA 90731 for 61.03 dollars on FedEx 2Day, quoted against production on 2026-08-31.