A road usage charge, or RUC, is a new way to pay for roads. RUC has been studied across the United States and in several countries as a way to replace gas taxes as vehicles become more fuel efficient or transition to electricity or alternative fuels.

Hawaiʻi first began looking at a RUC in 2016. Since then, the Hawaiʻi Road Usage Charge Demonstration Project gathered feedback and input from the participation of community residents, industry stakeholders, Legislators, and government planners.

A road usage charge (RUC) was found to be a viable way to fund the maintenance of roads and bridges. Feedback from the community shaped how the program works! The transition starts by applying the RUC to electric vehicles on July 1, 2025. The state is targeting to extend RUC to all light-duty vehicles by 2033.

Learn more about the 2016-2022 Hawaiʻi Road Usage Charge Demonstration Project.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, as more vehicles become hybrid, electric, or fuel-efficient, Hawaiʻi needs to ensure there is fair and sustainable funding to maintain our roads and bridges.

Starting July 1, 2028, all EV drivers will shift to paying the state per-mile RUC. 

As part of the original RUC legislation passed in 2023 (Act 222), the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation submitted a Long-Term Transition Plan to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature at the end of 2025 on how to transition all vehicles in Hawaiʻi to the HiRUC Program no later than 2033.