Hawaii Contractor Licensing Services

Requirements for a Hawaii General Contractors License

When Do You Need a Contractor License in Hawaii?

Hawaii requires all general engineering, general building, and specialty contractors to hold licenses in their specific field. A Hawaii general contractor’s license is required for any project that costs $2500 or more. Anyone who offers to, claims to be able to, or contracts to perform residential, commercial, or public works of construction, alteration, or improvements must hold a contractor license. It is necessary to have a license before offering oneself up as a contractor.

It is not required to have a Hawaii general contractors license when only supplying material or equipment, though a license is required to bid to or to perform any installation work, even if the installation work is subcontracted to a licensed contractor.

Individuals may work on their own property without a license but if there is any electrical engineering or plumbing work, there must be a licensed contractor involved. After an individual has done work on his or her home, it may not be put up for sale or lease for at least one year.

What Types of Contractor Licenses Are There?

There are three major classifications for licensure. The first is a general engineering contractors license for fixed work projects, such as highways, tunnels, bridges, harbors, drainage, and water power. The second is general building contractors license for the construction of structures involving more than two unrelated building trades. The third are speciality contractors license which include:

• Acoustical and insulation
• Aluminum shingles
• Asbestos
• Asphalt concrete patching, sealing, and striping
• Asphalt paving and surfacing
• Awnings and patio coverings
• Boiler, hot water heating, and steam fitting
• Building, moving and wrecking
• Cabinet, millwork, carpentry remodeling and repairs
• Carpentry framing
• Carpet laying
• Cement and clay tile
• Cement concrete
• Cesspool
• Classified specialist
• Concrete and clay tile
• Concrete cutting, drilling, sawing, coring, and pressure grouting
• Conveyor systems
• Cultured marble
• Dry chemical fire suppressant systems
• Drywall
• Electrical
• Electronic systems
• Elevators
• Excavating, grading, and trenching
• Fire and burglar alarm
• Fire protection
• Flooring
• Fuel dispensing
• Garage door
• Glass tinting
• Glazing and tinting
• Gunite
• Gutters
• High voltage electrical
• Hot tubs and pools
• Hydro mulching
• Injection well
• Institutional and commercial equipment
• Irrigation and lawn sprinkler systems
• Landscaping
• Lathing
• Masonry
• Mechanical insulation
• Ornamental, guardrail, or fencing
• Painting and decorating
• Pile driving, drilling, and foundation
• Pole
• Pole and line
• Plastering
• Play court surfacing
• Plumbing
• Post tensioning
• Prefabricated refrigerator panels
• Pumps installation
• Reconditioning, repairing pipeline
• Refractory
• Refrigeration
• Reinforcing steel
• Roof coatings
• Roofing
• Scaffolding
• Sewer sewage disposal, drain, and pipe laying
• Sheet metal
• Siding application
• Sign contractor
• Soil stabilization
• Solar energy systems
• Solar heating and cooling systems
• Solar hot water systems
• Solar power systems
• Steel door installation
• Stone masonry
• Structural steel
• Surface treatment
• Swimming pool installation
• Swimming pool servicing
• Taping
• Terrazo
• Tiling
• Treatment and pumping facilities
• Tree trimming and removal
• Tuckpointing and caulking
• Urethane foam
• Wall coverings
• Water chlorination
• Waterproofing
• Welding
• Well installation and repair
• Wood and vinyl fencing
• Wood shingles and shakes
• Vacuum and air systems
• Ventilation, air conditioning

What Do I Need To Get a License?

To get a Hawaii general contractor’s license, the contractor must hold the following:

• Proof of worker’s compensation insurance
• Bodily injury liability of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 each occurrence
• Property damage liability of $50,000 per single occurrence
• An actual place of business in the state of Hawaii – a post office box will not suffice.
• The passing of an examination that covers business, law, and trade

Each entity that intends to complete contractor work must have a principle responsible managing employee (RME) in their employee before a contractor license can be issued. If the RME is not already licensed, he or she must complete a separate application.

Each applying individual is required to have completed four years of full-time supervisory work experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervisor, or contractor within the last ten years. It is appropriate to use technical or business administration training for up to one year of work experience so long as it is approved by the Contractor’s License Board.

Steps to Getting a License

To apply for a Hawaii general contractors license, a contractor should contact the Contractor’s License Board, which is part of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Applications for licensure must be submitted to the Contractor’s License Board by the 20th of the month in order to be reviewed the following month. The Contractor’s License Board does not meet or review applications throughout the month of December. Once the Contractor’s License Board has approved the applying individual, he or she must complete the appropriate licensing examinations. After passing the examination, the applicant must submit all license fees as well as proof of liability insurance and worker’s compensation insurance.

What are the Licensing Fees?

There are several fees associated with getting and maintaining a contractor’s license. These include:

• Application fee: $50 – This is the fee for each application. An individual may apply for more than one classification in a single application. However, each contracting entity must complete a separate application.
• Examination fee: $75 – This is the fee for each part of the application. Most classifications require the completion of two parts, Part 1 covers business and law, Part 2 covers trade.
• License fee for contracting entities (e.g. corporations): For licenses acquired between October 1 of an even-numbered year and September 30 of an odd-numbered year, the fee is $545. For licenses acquired between October 1 or an odd-numbered year and September 30 of an even-numbered year, the fee is $415.
• License fee for responsible managing employee (RME): For licenses acquired between October 1 of an even-numbered year and September 30 of an odd-numbered year, the fee is $335. For licenses acquired between October 1 or an odd-numbered year and September 30 of an even-numbered year, the fee is $255.
• Renewal fees: $275 for contracting entities and $160 for RMEs

Completing the process of getting a Hawaii general contractors license can be very complicated. In order to prevent delays so you can get to work as soon as possible, it may be advantageous to contact an experienced group to help guide you through the process.

Call Us to Learn How to Get a Hawaii General Contractors License

Getting a contractor’s license can be a pretty complex process, especially as every state has different files and forms to fill out. At A1 Contractors Service, we help you get a contractor’s license the right way. Give us a call at (916) 394-1601 to speak to an expert on how to get a Hawaii general contractors license.