Event Planning Permit Requirements in Hilo, HI

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if operating as a business entity (LLC or corporation) or if you have employees. Free from the IRS. You will need an EIN to open a business bank account and sign vendor contracts professionally.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Hawaii Business Registration (DCCA BREG)

   Event planning businesses must register with the DCCA Business Registration Division (BREG) if operating as an LLC, corporation or partnership. Sole proprietors trading under a name other than the owner's must file a trade name registration with BREG as well — Hawaii has no county clerk and no county-level DBA filing. An LLC provides personal liability protection, which matters when coordinating large events.

   Official government source

   $50 to file Articles of Organization for a domestic LLC (Form LLC-1), plus $25 for expedited service; certified copies are $10 plus $0.25 per page. Trade name registration is filed separately with BREG.·1–7 business days for standard processing; expedited service is available for the additional $25 fee

   $50 to file Articles of Organization for a domestic LLC (Form LLC-1), plus $25 for expedited service; certified copies are $10 plus $0.25 per page. Trade name registration is filed separately with BREG.

   1–7 business days for standard processing; expedited service is available for the additional $25 fee

2. Hawaii General Excise Tax (GET) License

   Hawaii has no sales tax. Event planning businesses must register for a General Excise Tax (GET) license with the Hawaii Department of Taxation using Form BB-1 and pay GET on gross business income — coordination and service fees are taxed, not just sales of decorations or supplies. The state rate is 4% for most activities, and every county now adds a 0.5% surcharge, so the effective rate on Oahu and Hawaii Island is 4.5%.

   Official government source

   $20 one-time registration fee (Form BB-1)·Hawaii Tax ID issued immediately in person, in about 5–7 days online via Hawaii Tax Online, or 4–6 weeks by mail

   $20 one-time registration fee (Form BB-1)

   Hawaii Tax ID issued immediately in person, in about 5–7 days online via Hawaii Tax Online, or 4–6 weeks by mail

1. Hawaii General Excise Tax (GET) License

   Hawaii County issues no general business license; hawaiicounty.gov/business is a business-development resource page, not a licensing portal. Event planning businesses in Hilo need the statewide General Excise Tax license from the Department of Taxation plus any activity-specific approvals, such as a park use permit for events on county parkland.

   Official government source

   $20 one-time registration fee (Form BB-1) — there is no county business license fee·Hawaii Tax ID issued immediately in person, in about 5–7 days online via Hawaii Tax Online, or 4–6 weeks by mail

   $20 one-time registration fee (Form BB-1) — there is no county business license fee

   Hawaii Tax ID issued immediately in person, in about 5–7 days online via Hawaii Tax Online, or 4–6 weeks by mail

2. Hawaii County Event Permits (Parks, Streets and Public Venues)

   Hawaii County has no single "Hilo Special Event Permit." Events on county parkland, pavilions or recreation facilities are permitted by the Department of Parks and Recreation; street or sidewalk closures go through the Department of Public Works with police coordination; and events on state land or beaches need state approval. Organizers are generally asked for event details, attendance estimates and proof of liability insurance, and an event planner often pulls these on the client's behalf.

   Official government source

   Charged per the county's park facility and pavilion rental schedule and any street-closure costs; no single county-wide event fee schedule is published online·Reserve county facilities well ahead of the event date; street closures need additional lead time for public works and police review

   Charged per the county's park facility and pavilion rental schedule and any street-closure costs; no single county-wide event fee schedule is published online

   Reserve county facilities well ahead of the event date; street closures need additional lead time for public works and police review

3. Hawaii County Planning Department — Use Permit for Large Outdoor Events

   Hawaii has no incorporated cities, so there are no city limits on Hawaii Island to fall outside and no separate city permit sitting behind a county one — Hilo is a community within the County of Hawaii, not a city. A large outdoor event on private property is handled through the County of Hawaii Planning Department under the county zoning code, with a site plan, proof of insurance and sanitation provisions for large gatherings. An event held in a county park runs on a Parks and Recreation facility permit instead.

   Official government source

   Charged under the Planning Department's use permit schedule; no flat special-event fee is published online, and county park facilities are charged separately under the Parks and Recreation rental schedule·Apply well ahead of the event date — a use permit goes through Planning Department review rather than being issued over the counter

   Charged under the Planning Department's use permit schedule; no flat special-event fee is published online, and county park facilities are charged separately under the Parks and Recreation rental schedule

   Apply well ahead of the event date — a use permit goes through Planning Department review rather than being issued over the counter

Official Sources

• Hilo Business Licensing
• Hawaii Secretary of State — Business Registration
• IRS EIN Application

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