Commercial drivers get federal waiver after fire prompts Kauai DMV outage

LIHUE (HawaiiNewsNow) – Commercial drivers and their employers were granted a three-month waiver after a fire at the Lihue Civic Center prompted a pause in services.

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The Sept. 9 blaze at the Kapule Building knocked out dozens of county services, including Kauai County’s Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) operations.

The County of Kauai said Thursday that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration granted the waiver, which allows the state and Kauai DMV to extend commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and commercial learner’s permits (CPLs) that were due for renewal on or after Sept. 9.

The waiver also gives employers relief from required annual driving record reviews they could not complete because of the closure.

The county said the waiver covers:

The county said the waiver took effect Sept. 9 and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2026, or 14 days after DMV services are restored on Kauai.

Officials said the waiver does not cover drivers whose privileges were suspended or disqualified, drivers under a federal imminent hazard order, drivers barred from safety-sensitive duties under federal drug and alcohol rules and drivers without a valid medical examiner’s certificate.

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Kauai DMV reminds the public that under Gov. Josh Green’s supplemental emergency proclamation, residents who could not renew because of the closure have extra time and will not be penalized through Nov. 21.

It adds that renewals of driver’s licenses and state IDs are on hold until the county is reconnected to the state mainframe. County officials said no timeline has been set.

DMV staff are available at 808-241-1949. There is also a mobile trailer at the Lihue Civic Center parking lot and the Kapaa Armory weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Vehicle registration is available online at mvr.ehawaii.gov/renewals/kauai/lookup and at community kiosks in Hanapepe, Lihue, Kapaa and Princeville.

More information from the DMV is available by calling 808-241-1949, or online at [email protected], or visit www.kauai.gov/DMV.

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