Question: Are they going to reopen the driver’s license renewal office at the Windward City Satellite City Hall? They had it there before, then transferred it to the Koolau station at Temple Valley. I believe if they restored it at Windward City, the lines would be shorter at the other site.
Answer: Moving the license renewal operations to the Koolau office was meant to be temporary, but there are no immediate plans to re-establish it at Windward City.
Doing so “is not out of consideration,” said Sheri Kajiwara, director of the city Department of Customer Services. “Balancing sufficient personnel with the areas of greatest need is key.”
She said the current administration has made “front-line staffing a high priority,” so she is looking to fill several of those positions to increase service efficiency.
Once the new staff is hired and trained, Kajiwara said, she plans on doing an islandwide review of driver’s licensing operations.
“We will then be in a better position to evaluate and address the driver license needs in the Windward area,” she said.
Question: Around two years ago I renewed my driver’s license. After moving to my new address in Waikiki, I went to the satellite city hall at Ala Moana and was told that I would have to wait until my present license expires in 2015 to change the address shown. Is there someone in the city who knows if that’s true?
Answer: Whoever told you that was wrong.
You not only can update your address before your license expires, you are required by state law to notify the licensing examiner of a name or address change, within 30 days in writing.
Under Section 286.116.5 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the penalty for not doing so is a maximum $25 fine.
To update your address, you can send a letter with your name, old address, new address, Social Security number, date of birth and signature to Driver License Section, P.O. Box 30340, Honolulu, HI 96820-0340; or fax it to 832-2904.
The city will update your address in its computer database.
Although your information is required to be updated in the driver’s license computer files, you are not required to obtain a duplicate license noting the address change, city licensing officials said.
But if you want an updated license, you may simultaneously notify the city of the address change (in writing) and apply for a duplicate license with the new information.
To do so, go to any driver’s licensing station with the required written information and apply for a duplicate. The fee for a duplicate license is $6.
You can also obtain a duplicate license (or renew one) at three satellite city halls: Hawaii Kai, Fort Street Mall and Pearlridge. Take note that the Ala Moana Satellite City Hall is one of seven satellite offices that do not handle any driver’s licensing or state ID card transactions.
MAHALO
To the soldier at the Schofield Barracks commissary who paid the rest of the bill for my 94-year-old mother when she found herself a few dollars short of cash at the checkout counter March 4. Our soldiers are not just patriots, they are compassionate! God bless them, every one. — Arlene
AUWE
To the driver of a van who cut in front of me on Lunalilo Street about 2 p.m. March 5. I tooted my horn, as I could have hit you. You looked in your mirror and made a gesture with your shoulder as if saying, “What?” I said, “Say thank you.” Instead, you started yelling obscenities, then jumped out of your van, trying to intimidate me with your “big body” stature and scaring my 85-year-old mother and 3-year-old granddaughter sitting in the back seat. Learn to keep your cool, braddah, or you going have one stroke! — Concerned Grandma
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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
