Hawaii Expungement Form: How to Complete HCJDC Form 159(b)

The HCJDC Form 159(b) is the standard application for adult expungement in Hawaii. It looks simple, but the rejection rate on self-filed applications is high because the form itself gives you almost no guidance on what to attach, how to format dates, or which boxes apply to your specific case type.

Here's what the form actually requires and how to avoid the common mistakes that cost you time and a $10 non-refundable fee.

Where to Get the Form

Form HCJDC 159(b) is available from the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, which operates under the Department of the Attorney General. You can request it by mail or pick it up in person at 465 S. King Street, Room 102, Honolulu. The HCJDC website also provides downloadable versions.

There are multiple form variants in the 159 series — make sure you're using 159(b), the adult administrative expungement application, not a different version designed for juvenile records or record challenges.

Required Information on the Form

The application asks for:

• Full legal name and any aliases — include every name variation that appears in the arrest record
• Date of birth and Social Security Number — the SSN field is optional; you can leave it blank without affecting processing
• Contact details — home and mailing addresses, phone number, and email
• Signature and date — sign and date the completed application

Required Attachments

The form alone isn't enough. You need to include:

Certified court dispositions showing the final outcome of each case you're requesting expungement for. Get these from the circuit court clerk's office where the case was prosecuted — not from eCourt Kōkua printouts, which aren't certified documents. The cost is $3 for the first 30 pages per document, then $0.10 per additional page.

Identification and return envelope. Include a copy of valid government-issued photo ID and a self-addressed stamped envelope with the application.

Payment of $35 for a first-time application or $50 for subsequent filings. The HCJDC accepts only certified checks or money orders payable to the "State of Hawaii." No personal checks, no credit cards, no cash.

Common Rejection Causes

The HCJDC enforces rigid technical standards. Any of these will get your application returned:

Filing too early for deferred acceptance cases. If your case was resolved through a DAG or DANC plea under HRS § 853-1, you must wait exactly one year from the date of the written discharge and dismissal order. File one day early and the application is rejected.

Missing or incorrect dispositions. If the certified disposition doesn't match the HCJDC's records — common when county police databases haven't been updated — the application stalls until the discrepancy is resolved.

Wrong form version. Using an outdated form or the wrong variant in the 159 series triggers an automatic rejection.

Missing identification or return envelope. The current application instructions require a copy of valid government-issued photo ID and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

On any rejection, the HCJDC retains $10 as a non-refundable administrative fee and returns the remainder of your payment.

Where to Submit

Mail the completed application with all attachments and payment to:

Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center
Department of the Attorney General
465 S. King Street, Room 102
Honolulu, HI 96813

Processing takes up to 120 days. Once approved, the HCJDC issues an expungement certificate and — since July 2025 — automatically transmits it to the judiciary for court-record sealing on eCourt Kōkua.

What If You're on a Different Island

If you live on Maui, the Big Island, or Kauai, the application still goes to the Honolulu HCJDC office. But you'll need to obtain your certified court dispositions from the courthouse in the circuit where your case was prosecuted — which may require inter-island coordination by mail if you can't travel.

The Hawaii Expungement & Record Sealing Guide maps out the complete form-filling process with field-by-field instructions, including how to handle multi-charge cases and the inter-island document coordination that trips up most outer-island applicants.

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