STATE LICENSE
RequiredHawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Pr…
HRS §444-7 splits contracting into general engineering (A), general building (B) and specialty (C) branches. A general building contractor builds structures requiring more than two unrelated building trades or crafts. Under HAR §16-77-32(c) a B license automatically carries ten specialty classifications — including C-5 carpentry remodeling, C-6 framing, C-12 drywall, C-31a cement concrete and C-42a/C-42b metal and wood shingles — but nothing else.
A B license may not take a contract unless it requires more than two unrelated trades or the holder has the specialty (HAR §16-77-33(b)); Hawaii's Supreme Court applied this to bar a general contractor without C-37 from doing a project's plumbing. Licensure takes four years of supervisory experience in the last ten, the Business & Law and trade exams, liability and workers' compensation coverage, and Recovery Fund fees backing homeowner claims of up to $12,500 per contract.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Contractor licensing is exclusively state — the Hawaii Supreme Court held Honolulu's own electrical contractor licensing ordinance invalid because HRS ch. 444 is the exclusive legislation for contractors (52 Haw. 550, 1971, noted under HRS §444-1). The four counties (City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, Kauai) issue building permits and inspect; every permit applicant must list the license numbers of the contractor and all specialty contractors, which the county checks against the Board's list (HRS §444-9.1). Any job needing a permit loses the $1,500 exemption.
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.
A general building contractor may not act in any specialty it does not hold; electrical and plumbing must go to C-13 and C-37 contractors using licensed electricians and plumbers.
Home-improvement contracts must list license number and classifications, price, start date and duration, scope, subcontractors, lien rights and warranty — and be signed before work begins (HAR §16-77-80).
Hawaii has no reciprocity agreements: out-of-state contractors meet the same experience and exam requirements, and the principal RME must reside in Hawaii while the entity's license is in effect or a project is under construction (HAR §16-77-71).
A practical sequence for a new general contracting 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: 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.