How to get a contractor license in Hawaii through the Contractors License Board (DCCA)
Hawaii licenses general contractors at the state level. Hawaii licenses contractors statewide through the Contractors License Board, which must approve an application before the applicant may register with PSI for the business-and-law and trade examinations.
- Licensing level
- state
- Exam vendor
- PSI
- Verified
- Official source
Hawaii contractor licenses at a glance
| License | Issued by | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| General Engineering (A) | Contractors License Board, DCCA | Board approval of the application (experience, financial and insurance requirements), then the PSI business and law exam and trade exam. |
| General Building (B) | Contractors License Board, DCCA | The general contractor license for buildings; same approval-then-exam path. The Board must approve you before PSI will register you to test. |
| Specialty (C) | Contractors License Board, DCCA | Trade classifications (plumbing, electrical, roofing and others); same path. |
Start at the source
Contractors License Board, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) is the official authority. Its site, cca.hawaii.gov, carries the current requirements, applications and any candidate bulletin. Everything on this page routes back to it, because requirements change and the agency's version is the one that counts.
The path, wherever you are
- Confirm the licensing level above with the authority, then pull the current application checklist from its site.
- Where a trade exam is required, get the candidate bulletin: it names the exam vendor, the topics, and the exact reference editions allowed on the table.
- Buy the referenced code books in the exact editions listed, and tab them yourself within whatever marking the bulletin permits.
- Train the lookup, not just the knowledge: contractor trade exams are commonly open book, which makes finding the governing section fast the actual tested skill.
- Expect a separate business and law exam in many jurisdictions, with its own reference book.
Why open book changes your prep
An open-book exam gives you the answers and takes away the time to find them. The candidates who fail are rarely the ones who knew the least; they are the ones who found things slowest. That lookup skill is what this site trains:the free timed drill shows you your seconds-per-lookup in two minutes.
Not sure whether you need a contractor license or an ICC inspector certification? The two are issued by different bodies and scored differently: seeinspector certification vs contractor licenseand why the ICC passing score is a scaled 75.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a Hawaii general contractor license?
File the application with the Contractors License Board at DCCA's Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, documenting your experience and meeting the financial and insurance requirements. Once the Board approves the application, register with PSI for the business and law exam and the General Building trade exam, pass both, and the Board issues the license. The Board's site lists application deadlines and exam dates.
What is the Hawaii State Contractors Board?
The Contractors License Board, part of the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. It licenses every contractor classification in the state, approves applicants to sit the PSI exams, and runs the license lookup for verifying a contractor.
Does Hawaii require a state contractor license?
Hawaii licenses general contractors at the state level. Hawaii licenses contractors statewide through the Contractors License Board, which must approve an application before the applicant may register with PSI for the business-and-law and trade examinations.
Who do I contact to get licensed in Hawaii?
Contractors License Board, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) is the state authority. Its official site carries the current application requirements.
Is the Hawaii contractor exam open book?
Where Hawaii or its localities require a trade exam, contractor trade exams are commonly open book against the adopted code and reference list, administered by PSI. The candidate bulletin for your specific exam is the authority, and it names the exact editions allowed on the table.
Sources
- cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/contractor
- cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/contractor/application-deadline-examination-dates
- test-takers.psiexams.com/hitrade
Other states
| Connecticut | state |
| Delaware | hybrid |
| Florida | state |
| Georgia | state |
| Idaho | hybrid |
| Illinois | local |
| Indiana | local |
| Iowa | hybrid |
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