According to the Hawaiʻi State Department of Transportation, an error was discovered on Driver’s Licenses, and State Identification Cards printed and distributed in February 2023. A total of 2,450 cards were misprinted, with 353 belonging to Hawaiʻi Island residents. The County of Hawaiʻi Vehicle Registration and Licensing Division will inform those affected through a direct mailing with further instructions for card replacement.

The error is the incorrect printing of the large “Hawaiʻi” text on the front of the cards, which was caused by a hardware change by the card vendor, Thales. The error has been corrected, but Hawaiʻi residents who received a Hawaiʻi Driver’s License or State Identification Card in February 2023 are encouraged to check their cards to see if they have a misprinted credential.

Hawaiʻi Island residents who received the misprinted credentials will need to exchange their card at a specified Driver’s Licensing Office based on the location of the address listed on their card. Those who received a misprinted credential and did not get a letter detailing the process to exchange their cards by March 20, 2023, or those who received the letter and have questions should call 808-961-2335 for assistance.

Residents needing to exchange their misprinted credentials will not need to make an appointment.

The County of Hawaiʻi apologizes for the inconvenience and will continue to work with the State to ensure similar issues are mitigated in the future.