Hawaii Recon Information, Q&A Thread

Kelson · Jun 22, 2010

i think this would be a good sticky to have, since most people don't know much about this rediculous law. this would be a good place to share info and tips on passing.

Thread on ForumsHawaii with topics regarding Recon: http://forumshawaii.net/vbb/forumdisplay.php?f=241

this is some basic information on the Reconstruction Permit

from http://forumshawaii.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=309267

recon # 733-2542

the recon fee is $15, exact change! no credit cards

M-F by APPOINTMENT ONLY

alignment --you need an alignment printout, dated within 30 days of recon appt. and must be within manufacturers' specs.

yes, they will test your tint (BE LEGAL 35% +/- 6% )
tint on windshield--illegal
SUVs, trucks, vans, can have as dark tint as they want rearward of the driver's and passenger's front side windows, as long as it is NOT opaque

affidavits for rims and exhaust no longer required

recon required for rim sized 1-1/2" over stock.

body kits are not a recon item
spoilers are not a recon item
no recon required for EXHAUST ONLY
battery must be secured
air intake must be secured
timing gears must be covered

the decal plates for safety check stickers and recon stickers are illegal if mounted on or attached to the license plate

no clear-corner lenses, blue lights, or license plate covers allowed

while this is outdated, this is the only online document available regarding recon:

http://www.state.hi.us/dot/highways/...024%201986.pdf

there have been many many changes since this was printed so it is best to call 733-2542 during business hours if you have questions. or post questions here.
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Quote:

Originally Posted by crj341
I've heard a lot of contradictory information from friends, etc, so I decided to go to the source and call the recon office. I talked to Kevin down at the recon office about what mods you can and cant do, and of those which ones require recon. I hope this will clear up the misinformation that you might have heard and help you plan your next or current project and not be dissappointed cuz you didn't pass.

Do I need to get recon for a turbo/supercharger?
No. Whether it comes as a kit or you put it together yourself, you can legally put a turbo/supercharger on your car and DO NOT have to get recon. However if you have to get recon for one of the reasons below, just make a note of the turbo/supercharger.

Are engine swaps legal, and do I need to get recon for it?
That depends. Yes engine swaps are legal, but that does not necessessarily mean you have to get recon. If the engine you are swapping in has the same number of cylinders as the one it is replacing, recon is NOT required. It doesn't matter if the engine you are swapping in is turbocharged. For instance, you want to swap a SR20DET into your 240sx. This does not require recon. However, if you want to swap a RB26DETT into your 240sx, you WILL need recon.

Can I put on rims bigger than 1.5" compared with stock?
Yes, but you will have to get recon. You can go as big as you want to, but the wheels have to be able to turn and not rub the fenders or wheel well when turned.

Do I have to get recon for my headers/exhaust/intake?
No. These are not recon items. And even if you did, any intake/exhaust will likely pass as long as the exhaust isn't too loud (they don't have any DB meters down there, they just listen to it). If your car is fitted with a catalytic converter, you will still need a cat, but you can use an aftermarket high flow type and still not need recon.

Can body kits/panels/hoods be installed?
Yes, and you don't need recon. One caveat here though, if your fiberglass/carbon fiber hood does not have provisions for windshield washer nozzels and you don't put them in, you would not pass safety, let alone recon.

Are coilovers/lowering springs legal?
That depends. Any time you have suspension work done to your car, you will have to get recon. You will need to have an alignment done within 30 days prior to your recon inspection. Make sure you bring a copy of the alignment sheet with you. Your suspension must be able to be aligned within stock specifications. Your car will also be subjected to a "bounce test" to check for adequate suspension travel. They typically test this at a front corner by pushing down on the bumper. You need to have VISIBLE (not necessarily 2 inches) of suspension travel. If your springs are too stiff, you will likely not pass.

Are headlight/tail light swaps/conversions legal?
Yes, as long as it says DOT on them. Simply doing a headlight/tail light swap does not require you to get recon. If you modify the donor headlight, then it is no longer DOT legal. Aftermarket HID's are also legal, though you may need recon for this. They have a light meter to make sure it's not too bright.

Are clear corner lights legal?
No. The lights MUST have an orange reflector at the front corners and corresponding red reflectors at the rear. This is a FEDERAL LAW. Simply putting in an orange bulb DOES NOT make it legal. Most of these aftermarket lights do not have DOT on them, and therefore would not pass anyway. If you modify a DOT corner light by taking the orange reflector out, it is NO LONGER DOT legal.

Can I run nitrous?
No, and it can't be made legal by going through recon. If you did have to get recon for suspension mods, and they happened to find a nitrous line or bottle, you will fail.

Can I change my car from front wheel drive to rear wheel drive?
Yes, but you will need to go through recon as this will require modification of the vehicle's suspension. If you did a hack job with the conversion and the inspector deems your car unsafe, then you won't pass.

If there's a version of the car with a different drivetrain, can I use it?
Yes. If the car came from the factory with the option of a manual or automatic transmission, you can swap one for the other without getting recon. You could also do a 4 wheel drive conversion on your 2 wheel drive truck if there was a 4 wheel drive version of your truck from the factory, provided the parts bolt in without requiring custom fabrication. If custom suspension mounts need to be made, or you use aftermarket suspension components, then you need recon.

Are intake manifolds/cams, pistons, etc legal?
Yes, and you don't need recon. There's no smog testing in Hawaii, so you don't need an affadavit showing that the part is 50 state legal. But be aware that if it says "off road use only" on any of the parts, and the inspector sees it, you will likely not pass recon even if you were trying to get it for something else.

Do I need an affadavit for all of my modifications?
No. Affadavits are no longer required.

Is there a headlight/liscense plate height requirement?
Yes. Headlights must be at least 22" off the ground to the center of the headlight housings. You must have a front liscense plate which must be at least 12" off the ground.

Do I have to get a recon inspection every year?
No. It's a one time only thing UNLESS you mod your car again. If you do, then you need to get another inspection. If you return your car to stock again, you no longer need the recon sticker.

If a cop pulls me over saying I need to get recon even though I don't have any recon items on my car, what happens?
If you got pulled over for a non recon item, you can contest the ticket in court and you will win. Kevin says many of the cops don't have a good handle on the recon law themselves. Keep in mind though, if you already have recon and do another mod to your car that requires recon, then you need to get another recon inspection. If the cop nails you on something you just installed, then you're SOL.

Hopefully this will clear up a lot of the BS that has been floating around. If anyone has any questions about a modification, it is in your best interest to call the recon office (733-2542) and speak to an inspector BEFORE you spend the time and money. As you can see, you can do a lot of mods to your car and not need recon. But if your mod requires it, make sure your mod will be able to pass by reading the thread.
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supremetaco2 · Jun 23, 2010

very good post. ^^

Kelson · Jun 23, 2010

some of this information is a bit outdated though, but its the most complete i know of at the moment.

Is there a headlight/liscense plate height requirement?
Yes. Headlights must be at least 22" off the ground to the center of the headlight housings. You must have a front liscense plate which must be at least 12" off the ground.
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supposedly now there is no license plate height requirement anymore. story is something like a lawyer had a lotus elise and did suspension work, and tried to get recon, and failed because his license plate was too low. the thing is though that the license plate on a stock lotus is too low to pass, so he went to court, and apparently won. from what i hear the headlight height requirement is still there though.

Poke Tako · Jun 29, 2010

Great post Kelson. This will be very helpful when I ship my Taco when I move back home in the near future. Mahalo!!!

pinktaco808 · Aug 26, 2010

gotta update for sure

pinktaco808 · Sep 4, 2010

anyone have the djm installed from hawaii that passed???

pinktaco808 · Jan 14, 2011

recon required for rim sized 1-1/2" over stock.
no need recon for rims now as long as it doesnt stick out from the fender

supremetaco2 · Feb 9, 2011

someone told me that they are going to do away with the recon law after this year or something? i highly doubted him.... lol anyone can confirm?

Kelson · Feb 9, 2011

supremetaco2 said: ↑

someone told me that they are going to do away with the recon law after this year or something? i highly doubted him.... lol anyone can confirm?
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haven't heard anything about that...lol that be wonderful tho

rendog · Feb 10, 2011

do outer islands need recon too? seen some killa trucks big island sky high kine. recon is gay

tanks for posting dis found my answer about taking off the amber lens from my headlights. guess its a no go

no way they would do away with this dumb law cuz state would lose money fricken crooks

Kelson · Feb 10, 2011

rendog said: ↑

do outer islands need recon too? seen some killa trucks big island sky high kine. recon is gay

tanks for posting dis found my answer about taking off the amber lens from my headlights. guess its a no go

no way they would do away with this dumb law cuz state would lose money fricken crooks
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negative. only oahu..it's the only place in the WORLD with this kinda law...

island808 · Mar 1, 2011

I would VERY much doubt recon would go away (other than budget constraints). Its expanding elsewhere. You're looking at it as a bad thing. You don't understand the other states...

Oahu is NOT the only place in the world with recon laws at all. Not at all. No..
Almost all states have some amount of them. Some are just like here. Others are not.

They call them different things so its a bit hard to easily search. The huge difference is, in hawaii they actually let you get inspected and drive on the road. Most other places it's just flat illegal. As a matter of fact. Technically speaking, its illegal in hawaii. Hawaii just ignores federal law. (like a lot of states do for a lot of things)

Probably just more noticeable because of the extra sticker and very dense population of kids that like to modify cars. I guess when housing is so expensive you can never think of buying anything, living with your extended family, etc. Got more money to play. Ironic considering that driving sucks so bad.

mixplatexr · Mar 1, 2011

hedlesbrmstkbass said: ↑

some of this information is a bit outdated though, but its the most complete i know of at the moment.

supposedly now there is no license plate height requirement anymore. story is something like a lawyer had a lotus elise and did suspension work, and tried to get recon, and failed because his license plate was too low. the thing is though that the license plate on a stock lotus is too low to pass, so he went to court, and apparently won. from what i hear the headlight height requirement is still there though.
Click to expand...

just in case anyone is wondering, there still is a 12 inch requirement for your license plate. My friend got a nice little 70 dollar ticket for it.

raycie · Mar 6, 2011

The interesting thing is how many trucks that " should" have recon, don't. So either they know someone or someplace, or they switch everything out just or the safety check.

Just driving down into kapolei today, saw a handful of trucks that should have recon. Look for the sticker and nothing... Either they know someone, know someplace, switch out for safety, or just got their lift. We are talking 6" and more.. Huge tires sticking way out... Everything imaginable.... Am I a little pissed, yes and no.. (no) I got away with crap for years with my high school rice-burner... No recon... (yes) I don't have "privileges" any more.... Lol.....

island808 · Mar 6, 2011

I haven't seen but one or 2 modified trucks that can pass a recon. So how could they have a sticker.

Thing is, they do revoke a lot of licenses for inspection around, but you just get a license in your cousin's name, then his cousin, not to mention there's only like 3 cops that do that stuff, Guaranty they're paid off and related to everyone.

Was getting a ride home with a "friend"'s mother in law at work who's married to a local filippino family. Lady got pulled over, driving drunk, doing 80, bike cop comes to the window, she just starts yelling at him "do you know who my nephew is!".. over and over
Nephew is just a frikkin pos patrolman, got fired right after that, But the bike cop walked away.

Why is having a family member on the county payroll, or being a cop license to be a criminal.
I work for the federal government, lot fewer people lying, cheating and stealing based on the fact that they think it's their right, but every once in a while I do hear it. Cops in the south, they're all crooked. Its a shame.

supremetaco2 · Mar 7, 2011

lol had to file a MVC report today and the cop is like what does the recon paper look like? i was like ummmm here you go........ lol

pinktaco808 · Mar 17, 2011

well gonna try and get it soon

ShaydenandDiezel · May 1, 2011

No need recon if you go taller tires. You need recon if you go wider tires and rims. If the stick out past the fenders at all, you need fender flares. And they must cover all of the area of the tire that is sticking out. Also you need mud flaps behind your rear tires only. I just got my SuperDuty done.

Tigahshark · Aug 17, 2011

The one thing that i noticed that REALLY sucks is that they can site you for a list of things then you go back home to fix them, and when you come back they can site you for more things, it has happen to me before and i was like WHAT!? the guy told me well either you did something after you left or the guy who checked it neva check um good, i ended up going back 3 TIMES for different stuff, how bogus is that AND they got some wierd operational hours. This was some years ago and i hope they got there act together. Had a pretty chic in front of me and they neva even look at her car they just gave her a sticker, so what it really comees down to is how they feel that day and how pretty you look!

StaticTaco · Oct 18, 2011

Anyone get recon with lift spindles? I'm thinking of getting some camburg 4" spindles but since they kick out the wheel I'm wondering if they're gonna say something about the front and rear not matching (widthwise).

I'd run spacers for the rear but don't know if those are reconable.

Thanks for any info.

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