Hawaii Contractor License Lookup

Hawaii requires a Contractors License Board license for general and specialty contracting, including trade work, except jobs of $1,500 or less that need no building permit. Search contractors on the official site of the Hawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing), and see the rules for trades and the job price where each applies. Runs in your browser; nothing is stored.

Search Hawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing)

Hawaii rules checked against official sources on October 25, 2026.

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Labor and materials together, in dollars. Leave it blank to see the state's dollar limits.

Hawaii: Remodel, repair or home improvement

  • This state rule applies to jobs over $1,500. Credential: contractor license (general or specialty).

    A Contractors License Board license is required unless the total contract price for labor and materials is $1,500 or less. Trades such as electrical, plumbing and air conditioning are specialty contractor licenses. Source: HRS 444-2(4); 444-9

    Conditions and exceptions for this rule:

    • A license is required at any price if the job needs a building permit.
    • The exemption does not apply if the job is part of a larger project or is split into smaller contracts.

Look up a contractor on the official site

Search Hawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing)

Search by license number or by business or individual name.

What to check on the board's record

  • The name or business on the record matches the name on your contract or estimate.
  • The status is active, not expired, suspended or revoked.
  • The license type or class covers your kind of job.
  • The license number in the contractor's ads and contract is the same one.

This summarises state rules from official sources. Only the board's own record can confirm one contractor's license. Checked October 25, 2026.

How Hawaii licenses contractors

Hawaii requires a Contractors License Board license for general and specialty contracting, including trade work, except jobs of $1,500 or less that need no building permit. HRS 444-9; 444-2(4)

Rules by type of work

Home improvement, new homes, HVAC and roofing

  • contractor license (general or specialty): A Contractors License Board license is required unless the total contract price for labor and materials is $1,500 or less. Trades such as electrical, plumbing and air conditioning are specialty contractor licenses. Issued by Hawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing). HRS 444-2(4); 444-9
    • A license is required at any price if the job needs a building permit.
    • The exemption does not apply if the job is part of a larger project or is split into smaller contracts.

Electrical work and plumbing

  • contractor license (general or specialty): A Contractors License Board license is required unless the total contract price for labor and materials is $1,500 or less. Trades such as electrical, plumbing and air conditioning are specialty contractor licenses. Issued by Hawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing). HRS 444-2(4); 444-9
    • A license is required at any price if the job needs a building permit.
    • The exemption does not apply if the job is part of a larger project or is split into smaller contracts.
  • individual electrician or plumber license: The electricians and plumbers doing the work must also hold individual licenses from the Board of Electricians and Plumbers. Issued by Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing). HRS 448E-9(a)
    • A person may make limited emergency plumbing repairs in their own home that do not involve rearranging valves, pipes or fixtures.

Where to look up contractors in Hawaii

  • Hawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing): official license search. Search by license number or by business or individual name.
  • Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing): official license search

On the record, check that the name matches your contract, the status is active (not expired, suspended or revoked), the license type covers your job, and the license number matches the one the contractor gave you.

What this tool does not do

  • It does not check any one contractor. Only the board's own record shows whether a license is active and what it covers.
  • It covers state rules. Cities and counties can add their own licenses and permits, and the tool cannot list every local rule.
  • It does not decide whether a contractor broke the law or what you can recover. For a dispute, contact the board or a lawyer.
  • It does not cover every specialty trade a state licenses (for example pest control, elevators or well drilling).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up a contractor license in Hawaii?

Use the official online license search from the Hawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing). Search by the contractor's name, business name or license number, and check that the status is active and the license type covers your job. Other state boards on this page: the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing).

Do you need a contractor license for a small job in Hawaii?

A Contractors License Board license is required unless the total contract price for labor and materials is $1,500 or less. Trades such as electrical, plumbing and air conditioning are specialty contractor licenses. For jobs of $1,500 or less, this state rule generally does not apply, but the conditions and exceptions listed on this page can change that, and a city or county can require its own license.

Which trades need a state license in Hawaii?

Electrical: individual electrician or plumber license from the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing). Plumbing: individual electrician or plumber license from the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing). HVAC: covered by the contractor license (general or specialty) from the Hawaii Contractors License Board (DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing) (more than $1,500).

Sources

Checked against official Hawaii sources on October 25, 2026.

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