Hawaii Concrete Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Regulatory Body

This license is issued and enforced by Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board (DCCA CLB) pursuant to HRS ch. 444; HAR ch. 16-77. The Contractors License Board licenses the statewide C-31a Cement concrete contractor classification; county authorities administer project permits and inspections.

Official portal: https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/contractor/
Address: 335 Merchant Street, Room 301, Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 586-3000

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Check the current application for identification and tax-number requirements. Use the cited state or local route for business-entity, identity, and residency requirements.

See the official sources for this guide

Good moral character

Use the current application for the selected concrete route; this guide does not add a separate concrete character standard.

Background investigation

Follow the actual issuing authority’s current application and disclosure rules; no universal concrete-specific fingerprint rule is stated here.

Experience and Education

Plan to substantiate Four years of C-31a classification-specific supervisory experience in the last 10 years. The Board recognizes supervisory work at the journeyman, foreman, supervisor, or contractor level with on-site supervision/direction of employees. with hard records. Payroll, tax, project logs, and supervisor verification are what the board relies on when it reviews the claim.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Current contractor/RME application and tax clearance
At least three notarized experience certificates from qualified people with direct knowledge
Chronological History of Projects for C-31a Cement concrete supervisory work
Financial statement, credit report, and entity/RME documents required by the current application

Exam Requirements

The cited state materials do not require a written state trade examination for this credential. The controlling process is: PSI Services, LLC, after Contractors License Board approval.

Examination fee: The Board requires the examination for the appropriate C-31a classification; PSI controls current scheduling, testing, and retest fees.

Retake policy: Failing to pass within six months of examination eligibility requires a new application; the full process remains subject to the one-year abandonment rule.

Insurance and Bonds

See the official sources for this guide

The cited materials impose no contractor license bond for this credential. Bear in mind that specific contracts, permits, or public works can still require their own bonds.

General liability

A licensed C-31a contractor must continuously maintain comprehensive personal-injury and property-damage liability insurance. The cited statute does not set one universal C-31a dollar limit.

Workers' compensation

Maintain workers’ compensation unless an applicable statutory/Board exclusion applies; loss of required coverage causes forfeiture.

Additional financial requirements

The current application requires a financial statement and credit report. A bond is required only if imposed by the Board under HRS §444-16.5.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$50
Initial license	$260
Renewal (every 2 years)	$338

See the official sources for this guide

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Hawaii concrete contractor.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Renewal of the Hawaii C-31a Cement Concrete Contractor — DCCA Contractors License Board comes due every 2 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $338. Active entity/sole-proprietor renewal is $338; RME and inactive-status fees differ. Renew by September 30 of every even-numbered year with current matching DOTAX tax clearance.

Reciprocity

See the official sources for this guide

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by Hawaii for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

Confirm any current Hawaii recognition process with the Contractors License Board; no C-31a automatic reciprocity is stated here.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Concrete Contractor license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Concrete Contractor Licensing in Other States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Hawaii's requirements against the states most often compared against it before committing to an application:

California Concrete Contractor License Requirements — California Class C-8 — Concrete Contractor
Washington Concrete Contractor License Requirements — Washington Concrete Specialty Contractor Registration
Oregon Concrete Contractor License Requirements — Oregon Construction Contractor License — No Separate Concrete Classification
Nevada Concrete Contractor License Requirements — Nevada C-5 Concrete Contracting License

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Identify the governing concrete route. Use the C-31a Cement concrete contractor classification when its official scope matches the work; C-31 Masonry is a different classification.
Use the official application materials. Confirm the current classification, threshold, coverage, entity, fee, and qualifying-party requirements in the cited official materials.
Obtain project approvals. Complete the local permit, plan-review, inspection, and separately regulated-trade requirements before starting work.
Assemble the project-specific file. Keep the classification or registration record, insurance or bond evidence, contract scope, and the documents required by Hawaii's permitting authority together before applying for a permit or beginning work.
Keep state authority and project approval aligned. Do not let a broad contractor credential, registration, or specialty label substitute for the actual project permit, plan review, inspection, or separately licensed trade requirement.

Application Checklist

The most critical documents or confirmations the applicant should have in hand before filing with DCCA CLB:

Match the actual concrete scope, project type, and value to the cited state or local route
Complete the current business, registration, classification, bond, insurance, or qualifying-party requirements that apply
Confirm local permits, plans, inspections, and any separately regulated work before bidding
Project scope, value, and work location matched to the actual state route
Permit, inspection, zoning, right-of-way, and separately regulated-trade requirements confirmed

Common Filing Mistakes

Working from the cited board instructions, here are the snags most likely to trip up a Hawaii Concrete Contractor filing.

Using a different contractor classification

Concrete, paving, and broader contractor classifications can have different scopes. Use the official scope for the actual work.

Skipping the local project authority

State registration or a state classification does not replace local permits, inspections, or project-specific approval requirements.

Bidding outside the actual concrete scope

A classification, registration, or exemption must match the particular concrete scope and project facts; it is not blanket authority for unrelated or separately regulated work.

Study and Reference Materials

These are the preparation and reference materials tied to this credential — cited by the regulator or widely used by applicants. CLR earns nothing from listing them.

Hawaii DCCA — Description of Contractor License Classifications — Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board. Use this primary source to confirm the current concrete route and project-specific requirements.
Hawaii DCCA — Contractors License Board — Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board. Use this primary source to confirm the current concrete route and project-specific requirements.
Hawaii DCCA — Contractor Application Requirements — Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board. Use this primary source to confirm the current concrete route and project-specific requirements.
HRS chapter 444 — contractor licensing — Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board. Use this primary source to confirm the current concrete route and project-specific requirements.

Other Hawaii Trade Licenses

If the Concrete Contractor license is not the right fit, the following published Hawaii trade guides are also covered by CLR:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Hawaii have a separate concrete contractor license?

Hawaii uses a dedicated concrete classification for this trade. The Hawaii Contractors License Board recognizes C-31a Cement concrete contractor as the concrete-specific specialty classification.

What route applies to this concrete project?

Use the C-31a Cement concrete contractor classification when its official scope matches the work; C-31 Masonry is a different classification.

Do permits still matter?

Yes. Confirm the project jurisdiction’s permit, plan-review, inspection, and separately regulated-trade requirements.

Does the statewide route replace local concrete permits or approvals?

No. The statewide route described here is separate from the permit, inspection, zoning, right-of-way, and project-specific contractor requirements set by Hawaii's permitting authority.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-08 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-07

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.