PCSing Your POV to Hawaii

Got orders to PCS to Hawaii? Planning on bringing your car with you? Keep reading for everything you need to know to get the process of shipping your vehicle to O’ahu, plus our tips and tricks to make the process as seamless as possible.

You can also request a Free, 1-on-1 Hawai’i PCS Consultation with one of our PCS Pros and we’ll answer all your PCS questions – from TLA to importing your pets to housing.

What does POV stand for?

First, what does POV stand for? P.O.V. stands for Privately Owned Vehicle. In most cases, the government will pay for one vehicle to be shipped per family.

If you want the explanations for other basic PCS terms, check out our post on The 15 Basic PCS Terms You Need to Know.

How do I get started with shipping my car to Hawaii?

Step 1: Schedule turn-in at the closest VPC.

First, step one is to schedule you vehicle turn in and the closest VPC or Vehicle Processing Center. You can do this by going to: https://pcsmypov.com/TurnIn. To make the appointment, you will need the following information:

• Service Member’s name, email and phone number
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
• Vehicle destination
• Orders Number

Note, if the service member isn’t going to be the one turning the vehicle in, you will also need the following information:

• Spouse/POA’s (Power of Attorney’s) name, email and phone number

PCS Pro Tip: Don’t schedule your vehicle turn in the day before your PCS date. In the event that there are any issues at your appointment, you want to have time to remedy them before your flight. There is nothing worse than having to change your travel plans last minute because your car was turned away at the VPC.

Step 2: Get your paperwork ready.

Title or Bill of Sale

If you own your vehicle outright, you will need to bring either the title or Bill of Sale (if owned for less than 90 days as of turn-in date).

Note, if you don’t own your vehicle and are either leasing it or still paying it off, see Shipping Authorization Letter below.

Current Registration

Next, you must bring a copy of your current registration with you to your appointment. For more information on the process of registering your vehicle once it arrives in Hawaii, check out our post!

Valid Identification

You must bring a valid form of state or government-issued identification.

Note: Because Hawai’i is considered an OCONUS move, your driver’s license will need to be valid to register your vehicle. Not sure what OCONUS means? See our post on the 15 Basic PCS Terms You Need to Know.

Pre-Shipping/Storage Instruction Form

You can find this form here.

Shipper Acknowledgement Form

You can find this form here.

Evidence of No Active Recalls

You must bring proof of no active vehicle recalls. You can look this information up and print it here.

Marriage Certificate

If the spouse is turning in the vehicle without the service member, they will need to bring a copy of the marriage certificate in these instances:

• If you are not listed on the service member’s orders
• If your name is not listed on title as your name appears on the orders
• If your last name doesn’t match the service member’s
• If you (the spouse) are listed as the legal owner of the vehicle

We recommend bringing your marriage certificate to the appointment “just in case.” It’s better to be over-prepared than underprepared!

Letter of Authorization

If there are other names on title besides the service member’s, you will need to bring a Letter of Authorization. Click here for the example from the PCSmyPOV website.

Shipping Authorization Letter

If you do not own your vehicle outright, you must reach out to the lienholder (lender) or leaseholder for a Shipping Authorization Letter and current vehicle registration. The following criteria must be met:

• Must be on the lienholder/leaseholder’s letterhead
• Must include complete description of vehicle (including VIN)
• Must include lienholder/leaseholder’s name and phone number
• Must include lienholder/leaseholder’sORIGINAL signature (not a copy) + date
• Must include acknowledgement that shipping the vehicle back to the U.S. before your next PCS orders is a private matter between service member and lienholder/leaseholder’s

Power of Attorney (POA)

Finally, in the event that the service member may not be available to turn in their vehicle, and a non-spouse will be turning in their vehicle for them, whoever is turning in the vehicle will need to bring a Power or Attorney (POA) Letter or Special Power of Attorney (SPOA) Letter. Set up an appointment at your local Judge Advocate General’s (JAG’s) office, and they can help you decide which option is best for your situation, draft and notarize the documents for you.

PCS Pro Tip: We recommend emailing or turning in a copy of all your paperwork to the VPC in advance of your turn-in appointment and receiving confirmation that all your paperwork is in order. This will help minimize the possibility of getting turned away at the VPC on the day of turn in and having to reschedule your appointment.

Step 3: Getting your vehicle ready to turn in.

1. Make sure there are no active recalls.

You can use this link to check if there are any active recalls. If there are any active recalls, they will need to be addressed before you ship the vehicle. If there are no recalls, print and bring proof.

2. Make sure your car is completely empty.

Then, take everything out of your vehicle to prepare it to ship. You can read more on any exceptions by viewing section M (page 8) of this packet from US Transcom.

3. Make sure your vehicle is perfectly clean.

We recommend getting a professional detailing done. You cannot have any dirt, rocks, pet hair, debris, etc. If your vehicle does not mean cleanliness standards, they may turn you away at the VPC. You can read more on cleanliness standards here.

4. Remove any non-permanently mounted racks.

Permanently mounted roof racks may be allowed. You can read more on the topic at https://pcsmypov.com/TurnIn under “Vehicle Preparation” and “Roof Racks and Cargo Carriers.”

5. Address any potential safety issues.

Make sure your vehicle is in safe operating condition, including (but not limited to):

• Working brakes and parking brake
• No leaks
• No cracks in windshield (since Hawai’i is an OCONUS move, they are more strict)

6. Make sure you have a full set of keys to turn in.

This includes ignition keys, door keys, trunk keys, gas cap key and wheel lock. They will no accept Any fobs with cracks, taped, missing buttons, etc.

7. Make sure your fuel levels are at 1/4 tank or less.

This is very important and one of the main reasons people are turned away at the VPC.

Step 4: Turn in your vehicle.

Finally, on the day of your appointment, make sure you double check that you have all your paperwork with you and that your vehicle is 100% ready for the inspection. When you arrive at the VPC, you will check in, turn in all your paperwork, then they will inspect your car.

If they accept your car’s condition and your paperwork, they will have you sign off on any pre-existing damage they note (e.g. scratches, dents, stains, etc). Then, ta-da! You’re all set! Now you can focus on other aspects of your PCS.

PCS Pro Tip: Take a video of your vehicle at the turn-in station and detailed photos, documenting the current condition of your vehicle. In the event that there is any damage to your car in transit, having detailed photography and video evidence will make the claims process much easier!

What happens after my car arrives in Hawai’i?

Once your vehicle arrives in Hawai’i, you will need to schedule a pick-up with the VPC in Honolulu. From there, you will have 30 days to register your vehicle in Hawai’i or obtain an out-of-state permit. Check out our post on Registering Your Vehicle in Hawaii for more information!

Have questions about PCSing to Hawai’i? Need information on TLA, housing, importing your pets, etc? Request a 1-on-1 Hawai’i PCS consultation with one of our PCS pros!