Hawaii Concrete Contractor License Requirements (2026)

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. The statewide rule answers only the starting licensing question. Before signing a concrete contract, match the exact scope, project type, value, permits, and any separately regulated work to the authority identified in the sources below.

Who Issues the Hawaii Concrete Contractor License?

Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board (DCCA CLB) issues and enforces the Hawaii concrete contractor license. 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: Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board
Address: 335 Merchant Street, Room 301, Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 586-3000

Hawaii Concrete Contractor License 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.

Good moral character

Use the current application for the selected concrete route; it sets any character or disclosure requirements, and there is no separate concrete-specific standard.

Background investigation

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

How Much Experience Do You Need for a Hawaii Concrete Contractor License?

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. Keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records for every period you claim; DCCA CLB can ask for them when it reviews the application.

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

Hawaii Concrete Contractor Exam Requirements

The examination requirement has not been established in this record. Confirm it with the authority before applying. Provider or process notes: 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.

Hawaii Concrete Contractor Insurance and Bond Requirements

The cited sources do not require a license surety bond for the Hawaii concrete contractor license, but a permit, contract, or public-works bond can still apply to a given job, so confirm bonding before you bid.

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.

How Much Does a Hawaii Concrete Contractor License Cost?

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

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.

Hawaii Concrete Contractor License Renewal and Continuing Education

The Hawaii concrete contractor license renews every 2 years. The renewal fee is $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.

Does Hawaii Accept Out-of-State Concrete Contractor Licenses?

Hawaii does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for the Hawaii concrete contractor license.

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 published Concrete Contractor license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

How to Get a Hawaii Concrete Contractor License, Step by Step

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

Have each of these ready before you file 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

These are the problems most likely to delay or derail a Hawaii Concrete Contractor application, drawn from the instructions of DCCA CLB and the other sources cited on this page.

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 references are cited in the Hawaii sources for this guide or commonly used to prepare for concrete work; CLR receives no compensation for 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.

Concrete Contractor Pay and Employment in Hawaii

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 650 cement masons and concrete finishers work in Hawaii, earning a median of $95,890 a year ($46.10 an hour). That is 68% above the national median of $57,020, ranking 1st of 51 jurisdictions BLS published. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $49,030 and the top 10% earn over $110,230. The trade makes up a smaller share of Hawaii's workforce than it does nationally (location quotient 0.78).

Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers wages, Hawaii compared with the United States, May 2025
Measure	Hawaii	United States
Median annual wage	$95,890	$57,020
Median hourly wage	$46.10	$27.41
10th–90th percentile	$49,030–$110,230	$39,190–$85,480
Employment	650	206,170

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 47-2051 (Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers). Figures cover wage and salary employees and exclude self-employed owners.

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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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

More guides for Hawaii contractors

Other Hawaii Trade Licenses

CLR also publishes these Hawaii licensing guides for other trades: