Hawaii Administrative Rules › Title 17 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Department of Human Services › Chapter 675 - ASSETS › Subchapter 7 - EVALUATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES › Section 17-675-58 - Evaluation of non-income producing licensed motor vehicles in the food stamp program

Current through June, 2024
(a) All licensed
				  vehicles, except boats, not excluded under section
				  17-675-57
				  shall individually be evaluated for fair market value, as discussed in
				  subsection (d). That portion of the value of an individual vehicle which
				  exceeds $4,650 shall be attributed in full toward the household's resource
				  level, regardless of any encumbrances on the vehicle, unless the vehicle has
				  both fair market value and equity value. The value of two or more vehicles
				  shall not be added together to obtain a total fair market value in excess of
				  $4,650. For example, a household may own a car with a fair market value of
				  $5,500. Since the value of the car is in excess of $4,650, the amount in
				  excess, $850, shall be added to the household's resource level. A household may
				  own two cars and no other resource. One car has a fair market value of $3,000
				  and the other $4,000. If both cars are exempt for equity value, then the
				  household has no resource according to the fair market value test.
(b) All non-income producing licensed
				  vehicles shall be individually evaluated for the equity value except for the
				  vehicles exempted in section
				  17-675-57.
(c) If a licensed vehicle is assigned both a
				  fair market value in excess of $4,650, as in subsection (a), and an equity
				  value, only the greater of the two amounts shall be counted as a resource. For
				  example, a household has two cars. The second car is not used for commuting to
				  work. The fair market value is $5,000 and the household has paid $1,000 on the
				  loan. The excess fair market value is $450 and the equity value is $1,000. The
				  $1,000 which is the greater of the two shall be counted towards the household's
				  resource level and the $450 excess fair market value shall not be
				  counted.
(d) The fair market value
				  of licensed automobiles, trucks, and vans shall be determined by the wholesale
				  value of those vehicles as listed in publications written for the purpose of
				  providing guidance to automobile dealers and loan companies.
Publications listing the value of vehicles are usually
					 referred to as "blue books." The blue book shall be used and updated every six
					 months.
(1) The branch shall assign
				  the wholesale value to vehicles. If the term "wholesale value" is not used in a
				  particular blue book, the branch shall assign the listed value which is
				  comparable to the wholesale value. The basic value of a vehicle shall not be
				  increased by adding the low mileage, or other factors such as optional
				  equipment. A household may indicate that for some reason, such as body damge or
				  inoperability, a vehicle is in less than average condition. Any household which
				  claims that the blue book value does not apply to its vehicle shall be given
				  the opportunity to acquire verification of the true value from a reliable
				  source such as a used car dealer.
(2) Households shall be asked to acquire
				  verification of the value of licensed antique, custom made, or classic
				  vehicles, if the branch is unable to make an accurate appraisal.
(3) If a vehicle is specially equipped with
				  apparatus for the handicapped, the apparatus shall not increase the value of
				  the vehicle. The blue book value shall be assigned as if the vehicle was not so
				  equipped.
(4) If a vehicle is no
				  longer listed in the blue book, the household's estimate of the value of the
				  vehicle shall be accepted, unless the branch has reason to believe that the
				  estimate is incorrect. If it appears that the vehicle's value will affect
				  eligibility, the household shall obtain an appraisal or produce other evidence
				  of its value, such as a tax assessment or a newspaper advertisement indicating
				  the sale price of similar vehicles.
(5) If a new vehicle is not yet listed in the
				  blue book, the branch shall determine the wholesale value through some other
				  means such as contacting a new car dealer which sells that make of
				  vehicle.