Updated October 15, 2026. Data: U.S. Census Bureau, through September 2026. Next update: after Census posts the October numbers in mid-November.
Hawaii logged 14,053 new business applications from January through September 2026, 7% fewer than the same months of 2025. It’s still 25% more than in 2019, but Hawaii is going against the national trend: applications across the U.S. rose 15% over the same period.
A business application here means someone asked the IRS for an employer ID number (EIN) for a new business with a Hawaii address. Not every application turns into an operating business. Some are side projects, and some never open. But the count is the fastest public signal of how many people are starting something, and Census publishes it every month.
The trend, month by month
Five of the nine months came in below 2025, with the biggest drops in March, April and May. January, February, June and September were slightly higher. About 29% of this year’s applications were what Census calls high-propensity: ones that show signs of becoming a business with employees, such as planned payroll or a corporate filing. Those were down 9% from last year. The first nine months of 2025 were Hawaii’s second-busiest on record, just behind 2021, so part of this year’s drop is a comparison with an unusually busy year.
| Month | 2019 | 2025 | 2026 | 2026 vs 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,613 | 1,639 | 1,746 | +7% |
| Feb | 1,394 | 1,471 | 1,634 | +11% |
| Mar | 1,448 | 1,934 | 1,590 | -18% |
| Apr | 1,157 | 2,290 | 1,823 | -20% |
| May | 1,342 | 1,690 | 1,350 | -20% |
| Jun | 1,041 | 1,470 | 1,513 | +3% |
| Jul | 977 | 1,698 | 1,569 | -8% |
| Aug | 1,253 | 1,403 | 1,251 | -11% |
| Sep | 1,049 | 1,532 | 1,577 | +3% |
| Jan–Sep | 11,274 | 15,127 | 14,053 | -7% |
Which industries are opening new businesses
Census doesn’t break the monthly application counts out by industry for each state. A second Census data set does count new employer locations, meaning a business site with at least one paid employee opening for the first time, by industry. The latest year is 2023, when Hawaii saw 2,759 open, 7% more than in 2019. These are the industries with the most openings:
| Industry | 2019 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants, bars and hotels | 371 | 415 | +12% |
| Professional services (legal, accounting, design, consulting) | 280 | 324 | +16% |
| Retail stores | 243 | 283 | +16% |
| Construction | 268 | 282 | +5% |
| Repair, personal care and other services | 299 | 255 | -15% |
| Health care and social assistance | 227 | 240 | +6% |
| Office support, cleaning and landscaping services | 207 | 229 | +11% |
| Real estate and rental | 177 | 187 | +6% |
| All industries | 2,567 | 2,759 | +7% |
New employer locations only. Most new applications are for businesses with no employees, so this table shows a different, smaller slice than the monthly counts above.
What forming an LLC costs in Hawaii
Many new owners set up a limited liability company (LLC) to keep business debts separate from personal savings. Filing a Hawaii LLC costs $50, or $51 with the archives fee, plus an annual report of $12.50 online each year after that. For the full breakdown and filing steps, see how much a Hawaii LLC costs.
| State fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (DCCA Business Registration Division) | $50 |
| State Archives fee, if charged at checkout | $1 |
| Annual report, each year after the year you form | $12.50 online, $15 on paper |
| Expedited review (optional) | +$25 |
State fees are only part of the startup bill. If you need money for equipment, a lease or your first hires, compare your options in our guide to Hawaii business loans.
Download the data
Download the CSV with the monthly counts for 2019, 2025 and 2026 and the new-employer-location counts by industry. Free to use with credit to StartBusinessByState.
Source: StartBusinessByState analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data, https://startbusinessbystate.com/hawaii-business-startups/
How we counted
- Applications: the business applications series from the Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics, monthly, not seasonally adjusted, Hawaii only. We added up January through September for each year so the comparison is like for like. Data were downloaded October 15, 2026.
- What counts: EIN applications for new businesses. Census leaves out tax liens, estates, trusts, some financial filings and a few other types. One person can file more than one application.
- High-propensity applications: the Census subset with features linked to later hiring, such as planned wages or a corporate filing.
- Industries: establishment openings from Census’s Business Dynamics Statistics, 2019 and 2023 (latest available). Industry names are shortened.
- LLC fees: taken from our Hawaii LLC guide, which cites the state’s own fee schedule. Fees can change; check with the state before you file.
FAQ
How many businesses started in Hawaii in 2026?
Census counted 14,053 new business applications in Hawaii from January through September 2026, down 7% from the same months of 2025. Not every application becomes an operating business.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Hawaii?
Filing a Hawaii LLC costs $50, or $51 with the archives fee, plus an annual report of $12.50 online each year after that.
Where does this data come from?
The U.S. Census Bureau’s Business Formation Statistics, which count applications for employer ID numbers (EINs) each month, and its Business Dynamics Statistics for new employer locations by industry.
Last updated October 15, 2026 by StartBusinessByState.