Hawaii Electrician License Requirements (2026)

Hawaii licenses individual electricians through the DCCA-PVL Board of Electricians and Plumbers under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 448E, and licenses electrical contracting businesses through the Contractors License Board as Class C-13 Electrical Contractors under HRS Chapter 444. An individual works up through Journey Worker Electrician, Supervising Electrician, and then (if self-employed) obtains the C-13 Electrical Contractor license with a Supervising Electrician designated as the responsible managing employee. Every C-13 contractor must post a $5,000 bond.

Regulatory Oversight

Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs — Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Contractors License Board (DCCA-PVL) administers and enforces this credential under the authority of Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 444; Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 16 Chapter 77. The Contractors License Board licenses Class A General Engineering, Class B General Building, and Class C Specialty contractors statewide. The DCCA-PVL Board of Electricians and Plumbers separately licenses individual electricians and plumbers.

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

Who May Apply

At a minimum the applicant has to be 18 years old and supply a valid Social Security Number. No Hawaii residency requirement. Hawaii GET license required for the contractor license.

Good moral character

Both boards review every applicant for good reputation for honesty, truthfulness, and fair dealing.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on both the individual and contractor applications.

Required Experience and Education

Plan to substantiate four years (8,000 hours) of practical electrical experience for the Journey Worker Electrician exam; one additional year (2,000 hours) as a Journey Worker for the Supervising Electrician exam; four years of supervisory experience for the C-13 Electrical Contractor license 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

Affidavit of Work Experience signed by each supervising licensed electrician
W-2 statements, payroll records, or 1099s covering the qualifying period
Approved electrical apprenticeship completion certificate (where applicable)

Education substitution

Completion of a registered electrical apprenticeship or an accredited electrical engineering degree substitutes for portions of the hour requirement under HAR 16-78.

Examination Requirements

Examinations are administered by PSI Services LLC (under contract to DCCA). The applicant must pass the following examination parts before the license can issue:

Hawaii Journey Worker Electrician Examination — NEC and Hawaii rules — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 75%
Hawaii Supervising Electrician Examination — 100 questions, 300 minutes, passing score 75%
Hawaii C-13 Business and Law Examination (for contractor license) — 60 questions, 135 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: $75 per examination part paid to PSI.

Retake policy: Failed examinations may be re-taken by paying a new $75 fee per part.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

Licensure is conditioned on filing a $5,000 contractor license surety bond with the DCCA-PVL.

General liability

C-13 contractors must carry general liability insurance adequate for the scope of work at application.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory under HRS Chapter 386 for any contractor with one or more employees.

Additional financial requirements

The qualifying individual must demonstrate financial solvency including working capital of at least $1,000 per HAR 16-77-35.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$50
Examination	$150
Initial license	$351
Renewal (every 3 years)	$351

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Hawaii C-13 Electrical Contractor and Supervising Electrician comes due every 3 years. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $351. Individual electrician licenses renew every three years on June 30. C-13 contractor licenses renew every two years on September 30 of even-numbered years.

Continuing education: Hawaii does not currently mandate continuing education for electrician license renewal.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Hawaii Electrician License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

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

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
California	C-10 waiver considered	Case-by-case by the Board of Electricians and Plumbers.
Nevada	C-2 waiver considered	Case-by-case.

Hawaii does not have formal electrical reciprocity. The Board of Electricians and Plumbers may credit out-of-state experience toward the hour requirement.

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

Application Process, Step by Step

Complete 8,000 hours as an apprentice electrician. Four years of practical experience under a licensed Supervising Electrician, typically through a registered apprenticeship.
Pass the PSI Journey Worker Electrician exam. Score 75% or better on the 80-question NEC-based exam.
Work one year as a Journey Worker. Accumulate 2,000 additional hours as a licensed Journey Worker Electrician.
Pass the PSI Supervising Electrician exam. Score 75% or better on the 100-question supervising exam.
Document four years of supervisory experience. Required for the C-13 Electrical Contractor license.
Submit the C-13 contractor application. File with DCCA Contractors License Board with the $50 application fee.
Pass the Business and Law exam. Score 75% or better on the 60-question business and law exam.
Post the $5,000 bond and pay the license fees. File the surety bond, insurance certificates, and Recovery Fund fee. DCCA issues the C-13 license.

Recommended References

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.

National Electrical Code (Hawaii-adopted edition) — NFPA. Primary technical reference. Open-book at the PSI test center.
Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 448E and HAR 16-78 — State of Hawaii. Electrician licensing law and rules.
NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — Hawaii edition — NASCLA. For the C-13 business and law exam.

Frequent Application Errors

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

Skipping the Journey Worker step

Supervising Electrician requires an active Journey Worker credential and 2,000 additional hours. No direct entry.

Confusing the two boards

Individual licenses come from the Board of Electricians and Plumbers. Contractor licenses come from the Contractors License Board. Both are required to run an electrical contracting business.

Unverifiable hours

All hours must be signed off by a licensed Supervising Electrician or employer. Self-certification is rejected.

Missing the GET license

No contractor license is issued without a Hawaii General Excise Tax license on file.

Letting the individual license lapse

A lapsed Supervising Electrician credential automatically suspends the C-13 contractor license that depends on it.

Document Checklist

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

☐ 8,000 hours documented electrical experience (Journey Worker prerequisite)
☐ PSI Journey Worker exam pass certificate at 75%+
☐ 2,000 additional hours as Journey Worker
☐ PSI Supervising Electrician exam pass certificate at 75%+
☐ Four years supervisory experience (for C-13)
☐ C-13 contractor application with $50 fee
☐ PSI Business and Law exam pass certificate at 75%+
☐ $5,000 surety bond
☐ Workers compensation and general liability certificates

Other Hawaii Trade Licenses

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

Questions Applicants Ask

What levels of electrician license does Hawaii issue?

Journey Worker Electrician, Supervising Electrician, Maintenance Electrician, and Industrial Electrician. The Supervising Electrician is the level required to qualify a C-13 Electrical Contractor business.

How many hours of experience are required?

8,000 hours (four years) to sit for the Journey Worker exam, plus 2,000 more hours (one year) to sit for the Supervising Electrician exam.

Is a bond required for the C-13 contractor license?

Yes. A $5,000 surety bond is required for every C-13 Electrical Contractor license.

Do I need both an individual license and a contractor license?

If you work as an employee, only the individual license (Journey Worker or Supervising). If you own an electrical contracting business, you also need the C-13 with a Supervising Electrician as the qualifying individual.

How often does the Supervising Electrician license renew?

Every three years. The C-13 contractor license renews every two years on September 30 of each even-numbered year.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-04-25 · Next scheduled review 2026-07-24