How Can I Find Official Hawaiʻi Information Instead of Rumors Online?

1. Start With Hawaii.gov

Hawaii.gov is the official State of Hawaiʻi website and provides links to state services, departments, legal resources, transportation and emergency information.

Use it as a directory when you are unsure which state agency handles the issue.

2. Use the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary for Court Information

The Judiciary website provides court locations, self-help resources, case-search access and official forms.

Do not rely on a social-media comment for a court date, filing requirement or courthouse location.

3. Use the Correct County Website

Waikīkī is within the City and County of Honolulu. Police, fire, ambulance, permitting and many local services may be managed at the county level rather than by the State.

Confirm that the page applies to Honolulu rather than another island or county.

4. Verify Police Information Through HPD

Use the Honolulu Police Department’s official site for department contacts, reports, policies and public information.

A news story or community post may describe an incident but cannot replace official case documents or direct agency confirmation.

5. Use Official Health Sources

For public-health information, use the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the treating medical provider.

Check dates carefully because health guidance can change.

6. Use Official Transportation Sources

For airports, highways and state transportation matters, use the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation. For airline consumer rights, use the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Airline-specific rules should be confirmed directly with the airline or ticketing provider.

7. Check Emergency Information at the Source

For statewide emergency management, use the Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency and official county emergency channels.

During fast-moving events, note the time of each update and follow evacuation or safety instructions from the responsible authority.

8. Recognize Official Web Addresses

Official U.S. government sites commonly use .gov. Hawaiʻi state agencies may also appear within hawaii.gov, while the Judiciary uses courts.state.hi.us.

Watch for misspellings, added words, unofficial subdomains and sponsored advertisements that imitate agency names.

9. Check the Publication or Updated Date

An official page can still be outdated. Look for an updated date, current contact information and notices that a program or form has changed.

Do not assume the first search result is the newest.

10. Separate Rules From Commentary

Official pages may provide statutes, rules, forms, agency guidance or instructions. Blogs, forums and social posts provide interpretation or personal experience.

Personal experience can be useful context, but it should not be treated as authority for your specific case.

11. Confirm Deadlines by Telephone

When a deadline or appearance is important, call the number on the official agency page or document. Record the employee name, time and information provided.

Do not use a telephone number copied from an unverified post.

12. Save the Official Information You Used

Save a PDF, screenshot or printout showing the page address and date accessed when the information affects an important decision.

Keep it with the related court, police, medical, insurance or travel documents.

Official Hawaiʻi Starting Points