Hawaii alcohol laws

What it would do: Defines low alcohol by volume spirits beverages as containing no more than seven percent alcohol by volume, imposes a $0.93 per wine gallon tax on them, and increases production limits for small craft producer pub licensees.

What it would do: Replaces liquor tax categories with alcohol-by-volume categories effective July 1, 2026, and establishes new tax rates for beverages based on alcohol content, with a reduced rate for beer from small craft producer pub licensees.

What it would do: Allows manufacturers holding certain beer and distilled spirits licenses to obtain permits for direct shipment to consumers aged 21+ in Hawaii counties, limited to 24 cases of beer and 6 cases of distilled spirits per household annually, with reporting and tax requirements.

What it would do: Allows manufacturers holding certain beer and distilled spirits licenses and a general excise tax license to obtain a direct shipper permit and sell beer and distilled spirits directly to persons 21 years or older in Hawaii for personal use only, beginning July 1, 2025, subject to labeling, signature, reporting, and tax requirements.

What it would do: Increases the volume limits for small craft producer pub licensees to manufacture one hundred seventy-five thousand barrels of malt beverages, fifty thousand barrels of wine, or twenty thousand barrels of alcohol annually, and increases the container size limit for alcohol sales to 1.75 liters.

What it would do: Defines low alcohol by volume spirits beverages as alcoholic beverages containing no more than five percent alcohol by volume, and imposes a gallonage tax of $0.85 per wine gallon on such beverages, effective July 1, 2050.

What it would do: Allows beer and distilled spirits manufacturers holding appropriate licenses and a general excise tax license to obtain a direct shipper permit and sell directly to persons 21 or older in Hawaii for personal use only, subject to labeling, signature, reporting, and tax requirements.

What it would do: Requires advertisements for liquor to include cancer-risk warnings beginning January 1, 2027, with specific formatting requirements varying by advertisement type, and establishes penalties up to $10,000 per noncompliant advertisement for violations.

What it would do: Prohibits sale of cannabinoid drink products containing no more than 10 milligrams of hemp-derived cannabinoids and 0.3 percent THC to persons under 21 years old, requiring age verification for apparent purchasers under 27, with fines up to $2,000 for sellers and $10-$50 or 48-72 hours community service for underage purchasers.

What it would do: Establishes lower tax rates for class 18 small craft producer pub licensees beginning July 1, 2026, and increases manufacturing limits for malt beverages, wine, cooler beverages, and low alcohol spirits beverages they may produce annually.

What it would do: Increases Hawaii's liquor gallonage tax rates effective July 1, 2026, approximately doubling rates from 1998 levels, and requires annual adjustments thereafter using the Consumer Price Index for Honolulu.

What it would do: Amends Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 281-39 to allow persons to apply for permits to act as solicitors or representatives of wineries, brewpubs, and small craft producer pubs in any county, expanding beyond the current authorization limited to manufacturers and wholesale dealers.

What it would do: Amends Hawaii liquor license law to allow liquor sold under a class 10 special license to be consumed on or off premises, and permits nonprofits, political candidates, and political parties to auction liquor at fundraising events without certain requirements.

What it would do: Defines 'low alcohol by volume spirits beverage' as alcoholic beverages containing not more than ten percent alcohol by volume and establishes a tax rate of $1.10 per wine gallon for such beverages, effective July 1, 2025.

What it would do: Establishes lower tax rates for class 18 small craft producer pub licensees on distilled spirits, wine, beer, and other liquor categories effective July 1, 2025, and increases production limits for these licensees from 70,000 to 175,000 barrels of malt beverages annually.

What it would do: Amends Hawaii Revised Statutes section 281-39.5 to apply restrictions on liquor licenses near schools or parks to both new license issuances and renewals of existing licenses, allowing communities to protest license renewals.

What it would do: Authorizes unannounced inspections of liquor licensees during regular business hours, removes a category of Class 5 dispenser licenses involving compensated employee-patron sitting, removes the food service requirement for cabaret licenses, and allows reasonable force entry to licensed premises.

What it would do: Adds a surcharge on liquor tax beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2028, with the surcharge amount per drink to be determined, depositing proceeds into the general fund.

What it would do: Establishes escalating penalties for liquor law violations by licensees in counties with populations of 500,000 or more, including fines up to $8,000 for repeated violations within twelve months, license suspension for fourth violations, and revocation for fifth violations.

What it would do: Amends Hawaii liquor license renewal law to allow the commission to deny or withhold renewal if noise from patrons or premises disturbs residents or exceeds noise codes, and to deny renewal if the applicant violated any provision of the liquor chapter three times in the preceding twelve months.

What it would do: Amends Hawaii law to exempt officers, directors, and board members of publicly-traded companies and nonprofit organizations from criminal history record check requirements for liquor licenses, unless they are designated as primary decision-makers regarding liquor sales or purchases.

What it would do: Amends cabaret license requirements to prohibit issuance for premises located within an apartment mixed use subprecinct within a special district or special improvement district.

What it would do: Permits hemp processors to sell edible gummies containing less than one milligram of THC per dose and beverages, and to manufacture and sell hemp products exceeding THC limits for interstate commerce. Establishes packaging, labeling, and enforcement requirements with penalties up to $10,000 per violation.

What it would do: Allows beer and distilled spirits manufacturers holding appropriate state or out-of-state licenses to obtain a direct shipper permit and sell directly to consumers age 21+ in Hawaii for personal use beginning July 1, 2025, subject to labeling, signature, reporting, and tax requirements.

What it would do: Amends Hawaii liquor license law to require that temporary licensees restrict the sale and consumption of liquor to confined, demarcated areas not located on any public road, street, sidewalk, or pedestrian walkway.