Shaka license plates are available at all Hawaiʻi DMV offices, all islands, no appointment needed. Just visit any Hawai’i Satellite City Hall / DMV, take your existing plates off in the parking lot and walk in for over-the-counter exchange. Bring the following:

• Application: Complete form CS-L(MVR)211 (each island may have itʻs own form available over the counter at your DMV ~ Weʻre told Hawai’i Island has their own). Download Oahu Form »
• Screwdriver: Upon arrival at the DMV, remove your existing license plates.
• Certificate of Registration.
• Photo ID.
• Initial Fee $30.50: Payable by CC, check or cash. Subsequent renewal fee of $25/year will be added to vehicle registration fees.

Over-the-Counter Exchange: The DMV will immediately give you two new Shaka Plates and Certificate of Registration.

A petition has been started to begin a California Shaka Nonprofit License Plate program, similar to the Hawai’i Shaka Nonprofit Plate program.

In such programs, proceeds from annual registration surcharges are donated to the sponsoring 501C3 nonprofit. To gain approval in California, at least 7,500 plate holders must be ready to purchase the new plate.

We therefore offer the petition signup below for you to register your interest in purchasing a Shaka Plate once the program goes live. This petition is only a waiting list, not a purchasing opportunity.

Q: What do plate fees support?
A: $20 of your annual Shaka plate fee will go to ID8, the Honolulu-based Global Aloha nonprofit that fosters ideation and expression to create positive impacts. See ID8.org »

Q: Can I select custom characters?
A: No. There is no vanity plate option and characters are random.

Q: Can EV (Electric Vehicle) plates be exchanged?
A: Yes. EV plates can be exchanged for Shaka Plates.

Q: Can I support multiple nonprofits?
A: No. For example, if you currently have a Bishop Museum plate and also want to support Global Aloha, youʻll have to choose between one or the other.

Q: Are new vehicles eligible?
A: New vehicles are eligible however temporary paper plates cannot be exchanged for Shaka plates.  New vehicles MUST BE ASSIGNED and MUST WAIT for metal plates before such plates can be exchanged for Shaka plates.

Q: Are financed vehicles eligible?
A: Yes.

Q: Are motorcycles eligible?
A: No. Motorcycles are not eligible for this program due to limited space on plates.

“Share a Shaka” is designed to inspire, bring hope and unite people through sharing the aloha spirit. Key elements of the design include:

• An “Aloha ’aina” Frame: The monument is a frame that honors the location (land or sea) beyond. It’s actually an “un-monument” that’s counter to the tradition of monuments as barrier backdrops.
  Iconic & Timeless: The design is a genre-neutral, pure expression of the Shaka gesture that serves an asset to stand the test of time.
• An Interactive Experience: Most publix space design standards call for interactive experiences. “Share a Shaka” is designed as an ideal photo opportunity for both visitors and locals.
• Bronze Casting: A bronze foundry has been set up to cast, ship and install “Share a Shaka” monuments (including base, footings and dedication plaque). Bronze is available in a variety of colors and finishes.
• Custom Versions: Communities also have the option to collaborate with us to express the design in a version of their own local style. This may be an applied motif or graphic design to the surface of a bronze version, or contructing the monument using materials/processes of your choice. Trademark rights to the design will be extended to you upon the approval of your custom design.
• 8′ Tall: The recommended size of the monument is 8′ tall (not including the base) as this height is ideal as a background for selfie photos. This height makes climbing on it difficult and is a maximum size for a bronze casting that can ship in one piece in a cargo container.

Maintenance issues addressed by the design include:

• Vandal Resistant: Minimal surface area minimizes the threat of graffiti. Placing the monument in a highly public location will also reduce the threat of vandalism.
• Bird Resistant: Birds don’t like bright or hot objects, thus reflective metal such as bronze, installed in a sunny location, minimizes the threat of birds.
• Climbing Resistant: Height (8′ tall), shape, rounded edges and surface slickness discourage climbing. In the sun, the monument will conduct heat, making it uncomfortable to touch. A raised footing with surrounding shrubbery discourages viewers from getting close to the monument.

Steve Sue is the creator of the “Share a Shaka” monument, the Global Aloha Movement, the Global Aloha Shaka Logo and is the world’s leading expert on the Shaka gesture as the writer/producer of the film, “Shaka, A Story of Aloha.” He’s also the Founder/Chairman of ID8 (ide•ate), the Hawaii-based 501C3 nonprofit that produces Global Aloha and documentaries on the aloha spirit. Prior to ID8, Steve was a conceptual designer of global reach in live entertainment, casino-resort, theme park, foodservice, retail and corporate branding. His conceptual art was so well known that AutoDesk licensed his hand-drawing style for use in AutoCAD products. He holds degrees from UCLA (BA Design, glass sculpture & computer graphics) and UC Berkeley (JD Law).

CALL ME ≠ SHAKA

The CALL ME emoji was originally designed to suggest a phone call, but that meaning has become outdated. Today, most users of the emoji intend it to represent the SHAKA—Hawaiʻi’s iconic gesture of aloha, “hang loose,” all good, and go for it. Thus either it should be renamed to “SHAKA” or a new SHAKA EMOJI should be issued.

Handicap Accessibility Issues

Using the CALL ME emoji as a stand-in for SHAKA creates accessibility challenges for people who rely on screen readers and text-to-speech systems. Because these technologies typically announce an emoji by its official name, 🤙 may be read aloud as “CALL ME” even when the sender intends “SHAKA.” This can result in inaccurate and confusing communication, particularly for people who are blind or visually impaired, thus creating a Federal ADA violation.

Cultural Inaccuracy

The CALL ME emoji is in a horizontal orientation, implying an exaggerated “flying elbow,” which does not reflect the culturally-meaningful SHAKA “hang loose” gesture of Hawaiʻi. Some platforms even display the CALL ME emoji with the hand pointing downward, making it even less accurate.

The documentary Shaka, A Story of Aloha defines the historically authentic SHAKA gesture – a relaxed arm with the elbow pointing downward and hand upright, aka “Hang Loose,” mirroring how Hamana Kalili, the Native Hawaiian who popularized the gesture used it.

Even Emojipedia.com, a leading emoji reference site, acknowledges that CALL ME does not accurately represent SHAKA, stating it is “a similar gesture at a different orientation.”

Filmmaker Steve Sue, creator of Shaka, A Story of Aloha and applicant for the SHAKA emoji, explains:

“To force the SHAKA into the CALL ME emoji is disrespectful to Hawaiʻiʻs culture. The result is no different than ignoring Hawaiian language diacritics or failing to recognize and respect common cultural practices.”

A Global Symbol

In June 2024, Governor Josh Green officially designated the Shaka gesture as the Official Hawaiʻi State Gesture, reinforcing its deep cultural significance and global recognition. The Shaka is synonymous with the region of Hawaiʻi, extreme sports, and aloha spirit positivity values – values that resonate far beyond Hawaiʻi’s shores.

Sue has submitted SHAKA emoji applications numerous times, seeking to create an official SHAKA emoji for all people to use. Unicode continues to reject the application without explanation. Despite this, Unicode has previously approved a wide range of less globally recognized hand gestures, including:

• VULCAN Salute 🖖
• VICTORY Hand ✌️
• PINCHED FINGERS 🤌
• HORNS Gesture 🤘
• CROSSED Fingers 🤞
• FIST ✊

Given its global cultural importance, SHAKA rightfully deserves its place among these emojis.

We could use your support. Please consider writing a letter to Unicode in support of the creation of a SHAKA EMOJI. Feel free to cut & paste the following example letter of support:

[Your Name]
[Your Organization (if applicable)]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Your Email]
[Your Phone Number]
[Date]

Unicode Consortium
P.O. Box 391476
Mountain View, CA 94039
USA

Subject: Letter of Support for the SHAKA Emoji Proposal

Dear Unicode Emoji Subcommittee,

I am writing to express my strong support for the inclusion of an official SHAKA emoji in the Unicode Standard. The SHAKA is more than just a hand gesture—it is a globally recognized symbol of aloha, “hang loose,” good and go-for-it, deeply rooted in Hawaiʻiʻs culture and widely used across various communities worldwide.

Currently, many people repurpose the CALL ME emoji 🤙 to represent SHAKA, but this is both inaccurate and misleading. The CALL ME emoji was originally intended to suggest making a phone call, a meaning that has become outdated. Meanwhile, its horizontal orientation and exaggerated elbow position do not correctly represent the SHAKA’s authentic elbow down, hand up “hang loose” meaning — a defining aspect of the gesture as historically used by Hamana Kalili, the Native Hawaiian credited with popularizing it. Emojipedia, a recognized authority on emoji notes that CALL ME, while “commonly used as a shaka sign is a similar gesture at a different orientation.”

The lack of a dedicated SHAKA emoji also poses ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility challenges. Screen readers and text-to-speech systems pronounce emoji titles, thus CALL ME  used as a shaka (the overwhelming current day use) discriminates against visually impaired users as they are read “Call me.” The issue of inaccuracy extends to all people, such as in automobile hands-free communication systems which read text to drivers.

The SHAKA’s cultural and global significance cannot be overstated. In June 2024, Governor Josh Green officially designated the SHAKA as Hawaiʻi’s State Gesture, reinforcing its historical and social importance. The SHAKA is widely recognized in surfing, extreme sports, music, travel, and popular culture, symbolizing a universal message of relaxation, positivity, and camaraderie. Despite this, Unicode has approved various other hand gestures—including VULCAN Salute 🖖, VICTORY Hand ✌️, and PINCHED FINGERS 🤌—many of which are far less widely recognized or culturally significant than the SHAKA. SHAKA deserves a dedicated emoji as one of the most used symbols around the world.

I urge Unicode to approve this long-overdue request and grant the SHAKA its rightful place in the emoji lexicon. The SHAKA emoji deserves to be accurately represented to preserve its cultural integrity, provide digital accessibility, and reflect the modern global usage of this meaningful symbol.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your positive decision on this matter.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Organization (if applicable)]

Chapter 5 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes now reads: “The shaka is adopted, established, and designated as the official gesture of the State… While multiple origin theories exist, all theories have the shaka developing within the State. More importantly, while multiple Hawai’i ethnic cultures and resident groups have contributed varying layers of meaning to the shaka, there is a shared agreement in the shaka’s positive sentiments and usage toward sharing aloha, fostering connection, and being pono…

The legislature further finds that the shaka is a key brand symbol for the State, offering influential power to build the State’s economy, global brand, and resident pride.  As the shaka is now used around the world, this Act ensures that Hawai’i retains recognition as the birthplace of the shaka.

It is therefore appropriate that the shaka be honored as the official gesture of the State to secure recognition of Hawai’i as the shaka’s place of origin, to preserve the meaning of the shaka as originated in Hawai’i, to preserve Hawaii’s brand association with the gesture, and to share the aloha spirit around the world.”

The Shaka State Gesture Law began as a Bill written by Steve Sue, Chairperson of ID8, a Hawaiʻi-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Bill was then sponsored as SB3312 filed by Sen. Glenn Wakai along with companion bill HB2736 filed by Rep Sean Quinlan. Legislative Committees on the Senate and House sides were assigned to hear respective bills, SB3312 heard by Senate Committees and HB2736 by House Committees. 

Senate Committees were assigned included:

• TCA (Transportation, Culture & Arts, Chaired by Sen Chris Lee). Committee members included Sen Loraine Inouye Vice Chair, Sen Brandon Elefante, Sen Dru Mamo Kanuha and Sen Brenton Awa.

House Committees assigned were:

• CAI (Culture, Arts & International Affairs) chaired by Sen Adrian Tam, members including Rep Rose Martinez Vice Chair, Rep Andrew Takuya Garrett, Rep Jeanne Kapela, Rep Scot Z. Matayoshi, Rep Jackson D. Sayama and Rep David Alcos III.
• JHA (Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs) chaired by Rep David Tarnas), members including Rep Gregg Takayama Vice Chair, Rep Luke A. Evslin, Rep Sonny Ganaden, Rep Daniel Holt, Rep Linda Ichiyama, Rep Greggor Ilagan, Rep Sam Satoru Kong, Rep Tyson K. Miyake, Rep Kanani Souza. 

Public support and comments testimony were heard at committee meetings on the Senate side, passed in committees, passed in a Senate floor vote.

Following Senate approval, the Bill then “crossed over” to the House side of the Legislature to be heard at committee hearings, pass in committees and pass in a House floor vote.

Once the bill was approved on both sides of the Legislature, it then went to the Governorʻs desk for signature.

Governor Green signed the Bill into law on June 21, 2024.

The Bill was passed in a single legislative session through a unanimous approval on both sides of the Legislature. 

Steve Sue, author the Shaka Bill stated: “In December of 2023 I noted to Senator Glenn Wakai that Hawai’i should claim the Shaka as the official state gesture. He agreed but declined to write the legislation as he had other bills of greater import to administer. While noting support for a concept that had deep economic implications for the State of Hawaiʻi, he noted that voters want their legislators working on more obviously impactful issues. So he gave me a template, I wrote the bill, he sponsored the submission to the Legislature, and the rest is as they say, ʻhistory.ʻ”

While Senator Wakai sponsored the bill on the Senate side, Representative Sean Quinlan sponsored a companion bill in the House of Representatives. During the legislative session, Sue advocated the bill through multiple committees, successfully gaining rare unanimous approvals on both sides of the Legislature and culminating in the Governor signing the bill into law on June 21, 2024.

Sue, the producer and writer of a documentary on the shaka entitled, “Shaka, A Story of Aloha,” believed the shaka, as Hawaiiʻs state gesture, “memorializes Hawaiʻi as the place of the shakaʻs origin” and “protects the shaka as part of Hawaiʻiʻs cultural heritage.” Sue also believed that the shaka is an important economic asset for Hawaiʻi stating in committee hearing testimony, “I challenge anyone to walk into an ABC Store and try not seeing a shaka. The shaka is leveraged by many businesses and products, driving the tourism economy  and providing countless jobs in Hawai’i.” Sue continued, “This is not just a feel-good measure. Other states could make claims such as Nevada as the ‘ninth island,’ California with its state sport of surfing (Hawaiʻiʻs is canoeing), and Texas wanting a bigger longhorn symbol with an outstretched thumb rather than index finger.”

Senator Wakai noted, “This is a historic event that beat the odds. In any given legislative cycle, fewer than 7% of bills pass, most dying in committee. And of the ones that pass, most are multi-year bills. For this bill to pass on a year is a testament to grit and resourcefulness.” Wakai continues, “It’s a simple initiative, with a huge impact. The shaka captures the goodness of Hawai’i. It’s a ubiquitous gesture that is offered with the best of intentions.” Wakai added, “Since the shaka was born in Hawai’i it makes sense to claim it as our own. I bet you will see other states following Hawai’iʻs lead. Our world needs less hate and gunfire, and more Shakas!”