Starting tonight, Honolulu's three satellite city halls located in malls will remain open until 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through the end of June.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann announced the extended hours as a pilot project that he said could become permanent if customer demand warrants. He said the extended hours are expected to cost an additional $53,000 for the rest of this fiscal year, which ends June 30.

The three satellite city halls affected are at Ala Moana Center, Pearlridge Center and Windward Mall. Until now, all three were open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

O'ahu's 10 satellite city halls handle more than 821,000 transactions each year ranging from vehicle registration and parking permits for the disabled, to dog licenses and paying for bus passes, property taxes and water bills.

Hannemann made a campaign promise last year that he would try to offer some city services beyond usual business hours to make things more convenient for working people.

He said the extension was made possible by working with city employees and their union, the Hawai'i Government Employees Association.

Customers at the Ala Moana satellite city hall yesterday welcomed the extended hours. Joslyn Kaawa, of Makiki, said even one night of longer hours should help ease the lines.

"That should work good," she said. "The lines are always long."

But Kaawa said the city should also take a look at how to shorten the lines for driver's license renewals and tests, which tend to be long.

"That's the bigger issue that needs to get addressed," she said.

Kaawa was at the satellite city hall to transfer car ownership. City Customer Services Department records show that about three out of four transactions at the satellites have to do with vehicles.

And Daryl Mason, of Waikiki, said he likes the evening hours "because people won't have to rush" to try to make it during business hours or at lunch.

"These people who work 9 to 5, it will give them time," he said.

Hannemann said the city wanted to start the new hours in time for the busy holiday shopping season.

"I recognized long ago that many working men and women cannot get to satellite city halls to conduct vehicle registration and other city transactions during normal business hours," he said.

Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.