Cash is getting the boot from Oʻahu’s neighborhood satellite city halls for real property tax payments, but not overnight. The city says those offices will stop taking cash on July 1, 2026, with the upcoming January property-tax billing cycle set to be the last time you can pay in person with bills and coins at those counters. Cash will still be welcome at Honolulu Hale’s Treasury cashier’s office on the ground floor.
According to KITV, the Department of Customer Services is shifting satellite city halls to a cashless setup for real property tax, keeping in-person payments there limited to credit card or check. Paying a property tax bill at a satellite city hall will still not require an appointment, and the new rules will only kick in after the January billing cycle. The station also reports that the change is limited to what happens at the satellite counters and does not affect online options or services at the Treasury Division.
What Will Change At Neighborhood Windows
The City’s Treasury Division notes that credit-card transactions are processed with a convenience surcharge, currently 2.35%, and property owners can also pay online or by phone through the city’s rphnlpay portal. The Treasury Division lists a 24-hour curbside dropbox, mail and check options for taxpayers who would rather not use a card. Those alternatives are available year-round while cash handling for real property taxes will be centralized at Honolulu Hale.
City Frames Move As Modernization
In comments reported by KITV, Department of Customer Services director Kimberly M. Hashiro said the shift is meant to “modernize services, enhance security and reduce wait times” for routine transactions. City officials told KITV they expect the streamlined approach to free up staff and shorten lines at neighborhood satellite windows when tax season crowds show up.
Where You Can Still Pay With Cash
The Treasury Division’s payment guidance makes it clear that cash payments will continue to be accepted at Honolulu Hale’s Division of Treasury, and that the downtown office maintains a 24-hour curbside dropbox for check payments. The Treasury Division remains the city’s designated in-person cash location for real property taxes going forward.
How To Get Ready For The Switch
If you prefer to pay in cash, you will want to plan a trip to the downtown Treasury office before the January billing deadline or be ready to use checks at the satellite windows instead. Otherwise, you can set up a one-time card payment at a satellite office, use the online portal, or pay by mail, and keep your receipts or confirmations to avoid any penalties. If anything is unclear about accepted payment methods or due dates, the city’s treasury and customer service phone lines are available to walk you through it…