Renovation permits and contractor licences in Hawaii

Trades that need a licence in Hawaii

• General contracting and renovation

  The two triggers for a contractor licence are worth remembering together: the value of labour and material, and whether the job needs a permit. If your project needs a building, electrical or plumbing permit at all, the person doing it must be a licensed contractor regardless of how small the bill is.

  Sources:Hawaii DCCA – Hire a licensed contractor⁠(opens in a new tab)

• Electrical work

  A licensed electrical contractor is not the same as a licensed electrician, and Hawaii requires both. The Department states that electrical contractors must employ licensed electricians to perform the actual electrical work, so ask who will be on site, not only whose name is on the contract.

  Sources:Hawaii DCCA – Hire a licensed contractor⁠(opens in a new tab)

• Plumbing

  The same split applies to plumbing: plumbing contractors must employ licensed plumbers to do the actual plumbing work. Licences renew on a three-year cycle, and a licence not renewed by its expiration date is no longer valid, so check the expiry date and not just the number.

  Sources:Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers⁠(opens in a new tab)

• Consumer protection

  Verify the licence yourself rather than accepting a card. The Department publishes a free online licence search where you can see the original licence date, expiration date, licence status and any disciplinary action, and it also takes licence checks by phone.

  Sources:Hawaii DCCA – Hire a licensed contractor⁠(opens in a new tab)Hawaii Contractors License Board⁠(opens in a new tab)

• New-home building and warranty

  The code that applies to your house is your county's, not the state's directly. The Council adopts the statewide codes and the counties then amend and adopt them for their own jurisdiction, so check with your county's building department which edition and which local amendments are in force before design work starts.

  Sources:Hawaii State Building Code Council – Building code rules⁠(opens in a new tab)Hawaii State Building Code Council⁠(opens in a new tab)

Before you hire a contractor in Hawaii

Practical checks you can do yourself, using official tools where they exist.

1. 1

   Check the contractor's licence in Hawaii's free online licence search, including its status and expiration date.

   Official lookup: Hawaii DCCA – Hire a licensed contractor⁠(opens in a new tab)

2. 2

   Confirm that the work is within the classification on the contractor's licence.

   Official lookup: Hawaii Contractors License Board⁠(opens in a new tab)

3. 3

   For electrical or plumbing work, ask that the licensed electrician or plumber doing the work be named, not only the contracting firm.

   Official lookup: Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers⁠(opens in a new tab)

4. 4

   Ask your county building department which edition of the state code and which local amendments apply to your project.

   Official lookup: Hawaii State Building Code Council – Building code rules⁠(opens in a new tab)

5. 5

   Apply for the county building permit before work starts, and check whether your scope qualifies for an online permit.

   Official lookup: Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting – Permitting⁠(opens in a new tab)

6. 6

   Hire only a contractor who is licensed and insured, check the licence with your state or county, and get the scope, materials, price and dates in writing before work starts.

   Official lookup: FTC – How to avoid a home improvement scam⁠(opens in a new tab)