Hawaii County DUI Records

Hawaii County DUI records are maintained by the Hawaii Police Department and the Third Circuit Court on the Big Island. If you need to search arrest records, get a copy of a police report, or look up court case information related to an OVUII charge, this page covers the key sources, contacts, fees, and steps to help you find what you need.

Hawaii Police Department DUI Records

The Hawaii Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for Hawaii County. It handles all DUI and OVUII arrests on the Big Island and keeps the official arrest records. The department has stations across the island in Hilo, Kona, Waimea, Pahoa, Honoka'a, Laupahoehoe, Ka'u, and Kapa'au. If you need to reach someone about an arrest or want general information, several direct lines are available depending on what you need.

The Hawaii Police Department official DUI statistics page tracks OVUII arrest data by district and year, giving a detailed picture of DUI enforcement across the island.

This page is updated regularly and breaks down arrests by district, making it useful for tracking enforcement trends in specific parts of the Big Island.

How to Get a Police Report in Hawaii County

You can request a police report from the Hawaii Police Department in person, by phone, or by mail. Written requests go to the Records and Identification Section at 349 Kapi'olani Street, Hilo, HI 96720. Once your report is ready, the department will call you. You can then pick it up at any district station. Reports are not available until a case is closed, adjudicated, or the statute of limitations has passed. There is an exception for victims who need partial reports for insurance purposes before a case closes.

The fee is $1 for the first page and 10 cents for each additional page. The department accepts cash only. No checks or cards. Plan for a response time of up to 10 business days. If someone else will pick up the report for you, they will need a letter of authorization from you. Redacted copies are available and will have personal information blacked out, including names, home addresses, emails, phone numbers, dates of birth, and other identifying data. The requester's own information stays visible.

The Hawaii Police Department guide on how to obtain police reports walks through the full process, including the three report types and what conditions must be met before a report can be released.

Knowing which type of report you need before you call or visit will save time, as each type has different availability rules based on case status.

Note: District station hours vary, so call ahead before making a trip to pick up your report.

District Station Hours and Contacts

Each station handles its own records during business hours. Hours differ slightly between east and west side stations.

Third Circuit Court - DUI Records and Traffic Cases

DUI cases in Hawaii County go through the Third Circuit Court. The court handles criminal cases, including OVUII charges filed under Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 291E-61. The Third Circuit has multiple courthouses across the island. Each handles different geographic areas of Hawaii County. Traffic case records and court filings can be accessed at these locations.

You can also look up traffic cases online through the Hawaii State Judiciary website. The traffic case records search portal lets you find case details using a case number or defendant name. For certified court documents or traffic abstracts, the court charges a fee. Traffic abstracts can be requested at any district court location or through the official traffic abstracts page. The Administrative Driver's License Revocation Office, or ADLRO, handles license suspension cases that run parallel to criminal DUI proceedings.

Note: Driver history records are available for purchase at district court locations and can show prior OVUII convictions on a driving record.

Criminal Abstracts and Fingerprinting

Criminal abstracts are background checks that show whether someone has been charged with a crime in Hawaii, including DUI or OVUII offenses. The Hawaii Police Department offers this service, but only at two locations: the Hilo Records and Identification Section and the Kona Police Station. You cannot get a criminal abstract at other district stations. The abstract shows charges on record; it cannot be photographed or copied by the person requesting it. You view it on-site.

Fingerprinting is available at all stations island-wide. The fee for a fingerprint card (both hands) or a copy of a criminal abstract is $25.00. The department does not accept cash or personal checks for this service. Only cashier's checks or money orders are accepted, made payable to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC). Plan ahead if you need this service, as the payment method is strict and walk-ins without correct payment will be turned away.

The Hawaii Police Department fingerprinting and criminal abstracts page has full details on what documents you need and where to go.

The Hilo location is open Monday through Friday from 7:45am to 3:30pm. Kona runs Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm. Both require the same payment method and fee.

Hawaii County DUI Statistics

Hawaii County sees a high volume of DUI arrests each year. The Hawaii Police Department tracks these numbers by district and releases them publicly. The data gives a clear view of where most OVUII enforcement activity takes place and how totals shift year to year. Kona consistently leads all districts in DUI arrests, followed by Hilo and Puna.

In 2024, the department made 964 DUI arrests across the island, up slightly from 955 in 2023, a 0.94% increase. The 2024 breakdown by district: South Hilo led with 290 arrests, Kona followed with 347, Puna had 196, South Kohala 71, North Kohala 24, Ka'u 25, North Hilo 7, and Hamakua 4. Of those 964 arrests, 277 drivers were involved in traffic collisions and 71 drivers were under age 21. The under-21 figure is notable from a public safety standpoint. Through the last week of December 2025, year-to-date arrests totaled 894 compared to 955 for the same period in 2024, a 6.39% decrease.

The 2023 numbers showed 955 total DUI arrests. South Hilo had 229, Kona 357, Puna 232, South Kohala 84, North Kohala 34, and Ka'u 8. In that year, 254 drivers arrested for DUI were involved in traffic accidents, up 18.1% from 215 the year before. Sixty-five drivers under age 21 were arrested in 2023, down 23.5% from the prior year. There were 843 major accidents in 2023, with 14 fatal crashes and 15 fatalities. That fatality count was down 54.8% from 2022, which was a significant drop.

The Hawaii Police Department annual DUI statistics for 2023 provides the full breakdown of that year's data, including district-by-district comparisons and trends in accident involvement.

These stats are compiled by the Traffic Services Section. For questions about the data, contact Program Manager Torey D. Keltner at (808) 961-2305.

Hawaii County's DUI conviction rate sits at 69%, according to ACLU Hawaii data. That is lower than Maui (87%) and Kauai (73%) but higher than Honolulu (57%). The difference may reflect how cases are prosecuted and resolved at the local level. Hawaii County has three Prosecuting Attorney offices: Hilo at 655 Kilauea Avenue (808) 961-0466, Kona at 81-980 Halekii Street Suite 150 in Kealakekua (808) 322-2552, and Waimea at 64-1067 Mamalahoa Hwy, Kamuela (808) 887-3014.

HCJDC Criminal History Records

The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, known as HCJDC, manages statewide criminal history records. If you need a comprehensive background check that covers more than just Hawaii County, the HCJDC is the right place to go. This is especially true if someone has lived in multiple counties or if you need a statewide criminal history rather than just local records from the Hawaii Police Department.

The HCJDC is located in Honolulu at 465 South King Street, Room 102, Honolulu, HI 96813. Their main phone number is (808) 587-3100. You can also start a criminal history check online through eCrim, the Hawaii electronic criminal records system. The HCJDC also has a criminal history records check page through the Attorney General's office that explains the process, fees, and what the resulting record will show. HCJDC records can include DUI and OVUII charges from any county in the state.

Cities in Hawaii County

Hilo is the county seat and the largest city on the Big Island. It is also the main hub for court and police records access in east Hawaii.

Nearby Counties

Hawaii is one of four counties in the state. The others each have their own courts and police departments handling DUI records separately.