On July 5th, Hawaii became the 1st state in the US that signed a mandatory distance-based road user charge (RUC) program into law.
From July 2025 all EVs are subject to a state RUC and the $50 annual state registration surcharge will be eliminated. However, until 2028 EV owners still have the choice between RUC and surcharge.
The charge is regulated at 0.8 cents/mile (which is the average amount gas-powered vehicles pay in gas tax) and capped at $50/year (the amount the average vehicle pays in gas tax per year).
The charge will be collected annually based on the odometer reading taken at the mandatory annual safety check, which is required to renew vehicle registration. This was the preferred reporting method (87%) during the previous pilots.
By the end of 2025, the DOT shall further develop a long-term RUC implementation plan that includes findings, recommendations, implementation phase schedules, and proposed legislation for deployment of a state mileage-based road usage charge program to encompass all vehicles and light duty trucks by December 31, 2033.
https://hiruc.org
