11-05-2025
Kokua Line: What lei can I bring on the plane?
Question : My family wants me to bring fresh lei for my nephew's mainland wedding. Will HNL allow this through ? I am seeing conflicting information even on florists' websites.
Answer : It depends on the type of lei. The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits some common lei components from entering the continental United States to prevent the spread of plant disease. Before buying the lei, 'ask the seller to confirm that it does not include fresh botanical fruits, such as berries and pandanus fruit, or any of the following prohibited items : any citrus or citrus-related flowers, leaves, or other plant parts, as well as jade vine or Mauna Loa. Lei with these items cannot enter the U.S. mainland. Please be aware that citrus-related plant parts include mock orange flowers and leaves, which are sometimes used in making leis, ' the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says at.
Even lei that are allowed in outbound Hawaii passengers' checked or carry-on luggage must pass agricultural inspection at the airport first, and must be clean and free of berries, pests / insects and signs of disease to do so, according to APHIS. These are the lei for which florists may have differing shipping policies ; some ship to the mainland and some don't. None of the florists we checked were offering to ship lei made from prohibited flowers or plants.
Learn more about what flowers and plants airline passengers from Hawaii can bring along at, where you can also find the phone numbers for APHIS offices here, should you need more information before your flight.
Q : I recently moved to Oahu from the mainland. I have a Real ID driver's license from Arizona. When I apply for my Hawaii driver's license, will I automatically get a Hawaii Real ID driver's license ? Or will I have to provide the documentation again for the Real ID ?
A : You will have to provide documentation. 'The City and County of Honolulu's driver licensing system is not connected to the network of any other state. Given this reality, staff at our driver licensing centers cannot retrieve from other states information required to complete transactions, including an applicant's proof of legal presence and principal residence. For this reason, someone who was issued a Real ID credential in another state would not automatically get a Hawai 'i Real ID credential from a driver licensing center in the City and County of Honolulu. That out-of-state applicant would have to provide the documentation again to be able to obtain a Hawai 'i Real ID driver's license or identification card, ' Harold Nedd, spokesperson for Honolulu's Department of Customer Services, said in an email.
That means you'll need to bring original or certified copies of unexpired documents proving your legal name, date of birth, lawful U.S. presence and Hawaii principal residence. A U.S. passport, for example, would fulfill the first three requirements, plus you would need two documents proving you live in Hawaii, such as a current rental agreement and utility bill. Notarized copies or faxes are not acceptable, according to the Hawaii Department of Transportation website, which lists acceptable documents at. The DMV staff also will look up your Social Security number ; as of June 18, 2021, bringing in your Social Security card is optional.
Mahalo This past Sunday night toward midnight at Safeway Beretania, I drove my car over a parking curb and got stuck. Despite the late hour and some slight rain, kind Brian came over to help. He offered sound advice with assurance, and patiently guided my stuck car back to the level roadway. Mahalo Brian. I had my car serviced on Wednesday and had the underside inspected for damage : only cosmetic scrapes noted !—Grateful senior------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
