Sales tax in Hawaii

Hawaii does not have a state sales tax. Instead, it imposes a General Excise Tax (GET) on businesses. The statewide GET rate is 4.0%, although many counties have an additional county surcharge, making the effective rate 4.5% in most counties (Honolulu, Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui). Businesses often pass this tax on to customers as a separately stated charge.

For coins and paper currency:

• Numismatic (collector) coins and paper currency: Generally subject to Hawaii's GET when sold by a dealer, so you will typically see 4.5% added to the purchase price in counties with the surcharge.
• Bullion coins and precious metal bullion (gold, silver, platinum, etc.): As of July 2026, Hawaii has not enacted a general exemption for precious metal bullion. Bills proposing such an exemption have been introduced several times but have not become law. Therefore, bullion sales are generally also subject to the GET.