Honolulu County Traffic Court Records

Honolulu County traffic court records are maintained by the Hawaii State Judiciary through the First Circuit, the busiest judicial district in the state. The county covers the entire island of Oahu and operates five District Court locations to handle traffic citations, hearings, and record requests. If you need to search a traffic case, get a certified traffic abstract, or find out the status of a citation filed on Oahu, this guide explains where to go, what to bring, and how the system works both online and in person.

First Circuit District Courts in Honolulu County

Honolulu County is served by five District Court locations spread across Oahu. Each serves a specific geographic division of the island. Traffic citations issued anywhere on Oahu are filed with the First Circuit and processed through the appropriate divisional court. Office hours at all locations are 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except state holidays. Counter hours for traffic matters run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The full contact list is on the First Circuit Oahu contact page.

The First Circuit contact page shows current phone numbers, fax lines, and email addresses for every division including Family Court and the Legal Documents Branch.

The page covers every unit within the First Circuit, from the Traffic Violations Bureau to the Circuit Court Legal Documents Branch.

How to Search Honolulu County Traffic Court Records

eCourt Kokua is the main online tool for searching Honolulu County traffic court records. It is free to use and available 24 hours a day. You can search by party name, case number, or citation number. Results show case status, hearing dates, docket entries, and financial assessments. The system covers traffic cases filed in all five First Circuit District Courts. Visit the Hawaii Judiciary court records search page to run an online search. For civil cases filed in Circuit or Family Court, use the Ho'ohiki portal, which is a separate system available through the same judiciary website.

Public access computer terminals are also available at each First Circuit courthouse location. These terminals let you view case records on-screen at no charge. You only pay if you want printed copies. The Kauikeaouli Hale terminal in Honolulu is open from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Legal Documents is on the third floor. If a case cannot be found online or documents are not in PDF form, call (808) 538-5629 before visiting. At Kaneohe District Court, the terminal is in the main entrance lobby on the right side before the security station, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Wahiawa terminal is in the lobby near the courtroom. Waianae at Kapolei has its terminal in the Legal Documents Records Room on the first floor.

For mail requests for District Court records, send to: Legal Documents Branch Files and Services, Kauikeaouli Hale, 1111 Alakea Street, Honolulu, HI 96813-2801. Phone for mail requests is (808) 538-5149. Email: LDB2.1DC@courts.hawaii.gov. Circuit Court mail requests go to: Legal Documents Branch, Kaahumanu Hale, 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, phone (808) 539-4300, email HoohikiHelp@courts.hawaii.gov.

The public access terminals page lists exact locations and hours for every First Circuit courthouse terminal where you can view records at no cost.

The page also notes what to do when case documents are not yet in digital form and how to arrange a visit to access older records stored off-site.

Traffic Citations and the Honolulu Police Department

Most traffic court records in Honolulu County begin with a citation issued by the Honolulu Police Department (HPD). HPD is the primary law enforcement agency for the county and handles traffic enforcement across Oahu. Citations issued by HPD are filed with the First Circuit District Courts, not with the police department itself. If you received a ticket on Oahu, the court handles everything from that point forward. HPD does not process payments or handle court appearances.

The Honolulu Police Department website posts daily arrest logs, which can be useful if you are looking for information about arrests related to traffic crimes such as driving under the influence. For inmate information, call (808) 832-1777. The HPD's citations and citation books policy page explains the department's procedures for issuing traffic citations. For collision-related reports, the motor vehicle collisions policy page covers how HPD handles crash reports.

Traffic crimes such as DUI, reckless driving, and driving without a license are prosecuted as criminal cases in the First Circuit District Courts. These cases require a court appearance, unlike civil infractions that can be resolved by payment alone.

The First Circuit District Courts serve specific geographic divisions of Oahu. The Legal Navigator Hawaii First Circuit page describes exactly which areas each courthouse serves.

The Legal Navigator resource also covers what types of cases the District Courts can hear, including traffic violations, misdemeanors, and small claims matters.

Oahu District Court Divisions and Traffic Jurisdiction

Each of the five District Courts in Honolulu County covers a specific part of Oahu. Knowing which court handles your area helps you go to the right place. The Honolulu District Court at Kauikeaouli Hale covers the Honolulu Division, which runs from Red Hill to Hawaii Kai. This includes downtown Honolulu, Waikiki, and east Oahu communities. The Ewa District Court at 870 Fourth Street in Pearl City covers the Ewa Division, which runs from Halawa to Makakilo. This includes Pearl City, Waipahu, Ewa Beach, Ocean Pointe, Makakilo, and Ewa Gentry.

The Kaneohe District Court at Abner Paki Hale serves two windward divisions. The Koolaupoko Division covers Waimanalo to Kualoa, including Kailua and Kaneohe. The Koolauloa Division covers Kauloa to Waimea on the North Shore. The Wahiawa District Court handles two divisions: Wahiawa (Poamoho to Kipapa Gulch, including Mililani Town, Mililani Mauka, Schofield Barracks, and Royal Kunia) and Waialua (Nanakuli to Kaena Point and zip code 96707). The Waianae District Court at Kapolei covers the Waianae Division from Maili to Kaena Point, including all west Oahu coastal communities.

If you are unsure which court serves your area, the Legal Navigator Hawaii First Circuit page lists the boundaries for each division and the courthouse address that handles each area.

The Access to Justice Room at Kauikeaouli Hale provides free short-term legal consultations staffed by attorneys and AmeriCorps Advocates. This is available during regular court hours for people who need help understanding their traffic case or navigating the court process.

Traffic Abstracts at Honolulu County District Courts

Certified traffic abstracts are available at the Traffic Violations Bureau at Kauikeaouli Hale and at all other First Circuit District Court locations. The fee is $20 per abstract. Under HRS Section 287-3, the abstract must contain all alleged moving violations and any resulting convictions, along with administrative license revocations. It does not include parking or equipment violations. You must provide your full name, date of birth, and driver license number. If only a name is given and multiple records exist, you may need to purchase all of them to find the right one.

Mail requests are accepted. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope and a money order or cashier's check for $20 made out to "District Court." Personal checks are not accepted for mail requests. For an in-person traffic court report (complete abstract), which includes parking and equipment citations, the cost is $1.00 for the first page and 50 cents for each additional page. This report is only available in person with a valid photo ID and cannot be ordered by mail.

The fee schedule for other record copies at the First Circuit Clerk's office is: $5 per name search, $1 for the first page of plain copies, 50 cents per additional page, $2 per document for certification, and $10 for expedited processing.

The traffic abstracts and court reports page covers the full process for requesting both types of certified documents and what information you need to provide.

Both the online search through eCourt Kokua and the certified abstract serve different purposes, so it helps to know which one meets your specific need before going to the courthouse.

Cities in Honolulu County

All cities and communities on Oahu file traffic cases with the First Circuit District Courts in Honolulu County. Select a city below for specific courthouse and resource information for that area.

Other Hawaii Counties

Traffic cases filed outside Honolulu County are handled by other judicial circuits. Select a county below to find the courts and resources for that area.