STATE LICENSE
RequiredHawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Pr…
Classification C-13 covers placing, installing or connecting electrical wires, fixtures, appliances, conduits and raceways that carry less than 600 volts phase to phase, and includes the C-15 electronic systems and C-60 solar power scopes; C-63 covers high voltage. The Board's application warns that an electrician's license does not allow contracting — a ch. 444 contractor license is required to contract.
The work itself must be done by individuals licensed under HRS ch. 448E: journey worker electrician (five years and at least 10,000 hours plus 240 hours of approved coursework), supervising electrician (four years as a licensed journey worker), and specialty, industrial and maintenance tracks. Electrician licenses renew every three years with a National Electrical Code update course.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Both contractor and electrician licensing are exclusively state. The Hawaii Supreme Court struck down Honolulu's own electrical contractor licensing ordinance as preempted by HRS ch. 444 (52 Haw. 550, 1971). Counties issue electrical permits and inspect, and every permit application lists the license numbers of the contractors involved (HRS §444-9.1).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Hawaii county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
The C-13 license lets the business contract; the 448E license lets a person do the work. A C-13 contractor who is not a licensed electrician must employ one.
Electrician licenses renew on or before June 30 of each triennium year, with proof of a National Electrical Code update course for all but maintenance electricians.
Hawaii licenses specialty trades most states leave alone — painting, flooring, landscaping. The same $50 application, Business & Law exam, insurance minimums and fund fees apply whether you hang drywall or wire panels.
A practical sequence for a new electrical contractor in Hawaii. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Acting, assuming to act, or advertising as a contractor without a license; on a third or later offense, when a separate citation or suit exists, tools and materials used are subject to forfeiture.
A licensee who contracts outside the scope of the classification held.
A person who contracted without first obtaining the required license cannot recover for work or materials in a civil action.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu County Honolulu (consolidated gov.) | City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) ↗ | HNL Build ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Which NEC edition the current electrician exam and update course use (the 2018-dated FAQ cites the 2008 NEC for exams and the 2017 NEC for the 2020 update course) · Current PSI exam fee for electrician and plumber exams (the 2018 FAQ lists $95; the 2026 application directs candidates to PSI without stating an amount) · The Contractors License Board FAQ (dated 7/9/18, still linked from the Board page) states the handyman exemption as $1,000; HRS §444-2(4) as amended by Act 283 (2019) sets $1,500 — the statute is used here · Current contractor license, renewal and fund fees are taken from form CT-36 (rev. 10/25) and the Board FAQ; the fee schedule in HAR ch. 16-53 itself was not retrieved, and the $353 entity / $208 RME biennial renewal amounts come only from the 2018-dated FAQ · Current Prometric exam fees (the 2018 Board FAQ lists $75 per part; form CT-36 directs candidates to pay the testing agency directly without stating an amount) · How the Board decides whether to require a bond under HRS §444-16.5 for a given applicant (the statute sets only a $5,000 floor and directs the Board to weigh financial condition and experience)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.