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How to elope in Hawaiʻi: the steps and the official costs
Eloping in Hawaiʻi takes four things: a marriage licence, a licensed officiant, a place you are allowed to hold the ceremony, and a permit if that place is a public beach or park. There is no waiting period and no residency rule.
The official costs
| Item | Published cost | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage licence | $65 | Hawaiʻi Department of Health |
| State beach permit | 10 cents per square foot, $20 minimum | Department of Land and Natural Resources |
| State park ceremony | Special Use Permit; no wedding fee published | Hawaiʻi State Parks |
| Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park ceremony | $150 application fee | National Park Service |
Your officiant, photographer, flowers and travel are on top of these and are priced by whoever you hire.
The steps
- Pick the island and the kind of place. A public beach is the least expensive and the simplest. A resort or estate gives you privacy, chairs and music. On the Big Island, start with beach ceremony sites or venues with their published prices.
- Apply for the licence online at emrs.ehawaii.gov, then meet a licence agent together in person within 30 days before the ceremony. Licence steps.
- Book a licensed officiant. Anyone performing a marriage in Hawaiʻi must hold a state licence to do so.
- Make sure someone holds the permit. On a state beach, one professional holds the permit and the insurance for the event. Permit rules.
- Plan around the two-hour limit if you are on a state beach, and around sunset if you want that light.
What a beach elopement cannot include
On a state beach permit: no arch, no rows of chairs, no tent, no amplified music and no alcohol. If any of those matter to you, choose a private venue.
Renewing your vows
A vow renewal is a ceremony between two people who are already married. The Department of Health's marriage licence pages do not mention vow renewals. The permit rules for the place still apply.