The Oahu Newcomer's Contact List: Who to Call to Make Your New Home Feel Manageable
Moving to Oahu is exciting. It also comes with a long list of small tasks: getting the lights turned on, booking a DMV-style appointment, and working out which bus actually goes to your new neighborhood. The good news is that most of it gets easier once you know who handles what.
We put this list together for the newcomers we work with every week: home buyers, long-term renters, and families relocating from the mainland and overseas. Save it to your phone, print it for the fridge, or share it with whoever is moving with you.
Numbers and websites were checked against each organization's official site in October 2026. Hours and procedures change, so confirm details before you go.
Emergencies & Safety
911: Police, fire, or ambulance for any life-threatening emergency.
Honolulu Police Department, non-emergency: Noise complaints, minor incidents, or anything that needs an officer but isn't urgent. Call (808) 529-3111. honolulupd.org
Poison Help: Free, confidential, and available 24/7 if someone swallows or touches something harmful. Call 1-800-222-1222. If the person has collapsed or isn't breathing, call 911 instead. hipoisoncenter.org
HNL Alert: The City and County of Honolulu's official emergency alert system for tsunamis, hurricanes, flash floods, and other urgent notices. It replaced the old HNL.Info alerts in 2025. Sign up at hnlalert.gov, or text HNLALERT to 888777 for urgent alerts only. Do this in your first week.
Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency (HI-EMA): Statewide preparedness guides, plus alert sign-up links for every county. ready.hawaii.gov
Utilities Setup
Start these before move-in day if you can. Your lease or closing paperwork usually tells you which accounts are yours to open.
Hawaiian Electric (electricity): Start, stop, or move service online. Customer service is (808) 548-7311, weekdays 7:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m. For outages or downed power lines, call the 24/7 trouble line at 1-855-304-1212 or check the Oahu outage map. If a situation is life-threatening, call 911. hawaiianelectric.com
Board of Water Supply (water): To start or stop service, use the online moving portal or call (808) 748-5000, option 3. For water outages or emergencies, call (808) 748-5000, option 1. Questions about the sewer portion of your bill go to the City's Department of Environmental Services at (808) 768-3330. boardofwatersupply.com
Hawaii Gas: Many Oahu condos and homes use gas for cooking, water heaters, or dryers. Oʻahu customer service is (808) 535-5933 (8 a.m.–4 p.m.). If you smell gas, leave the area and call the 24-hour emergency hotline at (808) 526-0066. hawaiigas.com
Internet: Two common home internet providers on Oahu are Hawaiian Telcom (fiber internet, TV, and phone; customer service 808-643-3456, available 24/7; hawaiiantel.com) and Spectrum (internet, TV, and mobile, with stores around the island; spectrum.com). Check which one serves your address, and book installation early, because move-in weeks fill up fast.
Trash & bulky items (ʻŌpala): The City's Department of Environmental Services handles refuse collection. Bulky-item pickup (old furniture, mattresses, appliances) is by appointment only. Schedule online or call (808) 768-3200. Set items out no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before your appointment. Condo and apartment residents should ask their building manager about trash and recycling. honolulu.gov/opala
Getting Official
Driver license (out-of-state transfer): Book an appointment at a Driver Licensing Center through AlohaQ. Bring documents proving your legal name, date of birth, legal presence, Social Security number, and two proofs of Hawaiʻi residence. Expect an eye test and fingerprinting. The road test may be waived. Check the City's checklist before you go. alohaq.org · Procedures
Hawaiʻi State ID: This is voluntary, but useful for non-drivers. Book through AlohaQ. You get a temporary paper ID, and the card arrives by mail in about 4–5 weeks. honolulu.gov/csd/state-id
Shipped your car? Register it. Within 30 days of your vehicle arriving on Oahu, get either an out-of-state permit or Hawaiʻi registration. The order matters: take the car to a safety inspection station first (it will fail because it isn't registered yet). Then bring that failed certificate, your out-of-state registration or title, and the Bill of Lading showing the VIN to the City. Once registered, go back to the inspection station within 30 days. Motor vehicle registration
Satellite City Halls: There are nine offices around the island for motor vehicle registration and other City services, often closer to home than downtown. Locations
Voter registration: With a Hawaiʻi driver license or State ID and your Social Security number, you can register online. Applying for a license or ID also registers you automatically. olvr.hawaii.gov
Hawaiʻi Department of Taxation: Hawaiʻi has its own income tax and General Excise Tax. Call (808) 587-4242 or toll-free 1-800-222-3229 (Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.). tax.hawaii.gov
Bought a home? File your home exemption. The City's Real Property Assessment Division handles the property-tax home exemption for owner-occupied principal residences. Claims filed by September 30 and approved take effect the following tax year. You don't need to refile unless something changes. Call (808) 768-3799. realproperty.honolulu.gov
Getting Around
TheBus: Oahu's island-wide bus system. Call (808) 848-5555 and press 2 for routes and schedules (daily 5:30 a.m.–10 p.m.), or press 5 for customer service. thebus.org
Skyline (rail): Uses the same fare structure as TheBus. Call (808) 848-5555, option 4, or email skyline@honolulu.gov. Skyline fares
HOLO card: One reloadable card for both TheBus and Skyline. It includes transfers, and fare capping means frequent riders stop paying once they hit the cap. HOLO helpline: (808) 768-4656. holocard.net
Biki: Honolulu's bike share, with stations around town. It's handy for short trips once you learn your neighborhood. gobiki.org
Family, Pets & Health
Hawaiʻi public schools (DOE): Use the School Locator to find your designated school by address. To enroll, you'll need the enrollment form, a Home Language Survey, a parent photo ID, proof of residency (a lease or utility bill works), and your child's birth certificate. Main line: (808) 784-6200. How to enroll
School health requirements: State law requires a completed Student's Health Record covering a TB clearance, a physical exam (completed within one year before first attending school in Hawaiʻi), and required immunizations. Start early, since gathering records and a TB clearance can take time. Health requirements
Hawaiʻi State Department of Health: Official information on TB clearance, immunizations, and other public health programs. health.hawaii.gov
Bringing a pet? Start months ahead. Hawaiʻi is rabies-free, so dogs and cats arriving from the mainland must meet the State's quarantine rules. The "5-Day-or-Less" program allows direct release at the airport, but qualifying an adult pet takes at least four months of preparation. Contact the Animal Quarantine Station at (808) 483-7151; email (rabiesfree@hawaii.gov) is the preferred way to reach them. dab.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs
Hawaiian Humane Society: Lost and found pets, adoptions, and community pet resources. General inquiries: (808) 356-2200. Animal rescues and emergencies: (808) 356-2250. hawaiianhumane.org
Everyday Living
HNL 311: The City's app and website for reporting potholes, broken streetlights, damaged sidewalks, clogged storm drains, and similar problems. You can track your request until it's resolved. hnl311.com
Aloha United Way 211: A free, confidential helpline for finding local resources such as housing help, childcare, food, and health services. Dial 211 from Hawaiʻi (7 a.m.–10 p.m. daily), text (877) 275-6569, or search online. auw211.org
Hawaiʻi State Public Library System: Apply online, then bring a photo ID and proof of mailing address to any branch. The first card is free for Hawaiʻi residents and military. It's one of the best free perks of living here. librarieshawaii.org
Your First Two Weeks Checklist
Sign up for HNL Alert and save 911, HPD non-emergency, and Poison Help in your phone.
Confirm electricity, water, gas, and internet are in your name (or included in your lease).
Book installation for internet and any bulky-item pickup you need after unpacking.
Book an AlohaQ appointment for your driver license transfer or State ID.
If you shipped a car: get the safety inspection, then register it within 30 days of arrival.
Find your designated school and gather the TB clearance, physical exam, and immunization records.
Get a HOLO card and download the HNL 311 app.
Homeowners: put September 30 (the home exemption deadline) on your calendar.
Get your library card. Then go enjoy the beach. You've earned it.
Already bought a home? See also our Essential Contacts Every New Homeowner in Oahu Should Have.
Let Us Help You Find Home
Hawaii Fine Living helps newcomers find the right home or long-term rental on Oahu. We know the neighborhoods, the buildings, and the move-in details that the listings don't mention. Whether you're buying, renting, or still deciding which side of the island fits your family, we're happy to talk it through, in English or Chinese (我們也提供中文服務).
I-Hsiang (Rex) Tsai, Hawaii Fine Living / Prospect Unlimited LLC
Phone: (808) 392-8393 · Email: hawaiihomepro@gmail.com · WeChat: tianruo1978
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