- Hawaii requires a contractor license for anyone who contracts to do construction work, and roofing has its own specialty classification, C-42 Roofing contractor, issued by the Contractors License Board.
- Four years of supervisory experience in the roofing classification within the past 10 years.
- Plan for two exams: the trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Pay runs from about $22.05 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of roofers to $38.17 for the top tenth.
The path in Hawaii, step by step
Hawaii licenses roofing work at the state level through the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Build 4 years of supervisory roofing experience within the past 10 years.
- Apply to the Contractors License Board for the C-42 classification and pay the $50 application fee by the monthly deadline.
- Once the board approves you, pass Part I Business and Law and Part II Trade exams within six months.
- Pay the license fee and file proof of liability insurance and workers compensation, plus any bond the board requires.
- Renew by September 30 of each even numbered year with a current tax clearance.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: roofing license in Hawaii.
Finding an apprenticeship in Hawaii
Hawaii runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Hawaii State Apprenticeship Agency as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. A few groups sponsor roofing apprenticeships. They combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction, usually with a set number of hours for each.
License levels and exams in Hawaii
The license to aim for: C-42 Roofing Contractor.
Trade exam. Yes. Part II of the contractor exam covers the trade.
Business exam. Yes. Part I of the contractor exam covers business and law.
Keeping it. All contractor licenses expire September 30 of even numbered years. Sole proprietors and entities submit a current tax clearance with the renewal.
Coming from another state. Hawaii has no reciprocity agreements. All applicants meet the same licensing and exam requirements.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| C-42 Roofing contractor | Roofing work. |
| C-42a Aluminum and other metal shingles contractor | Metal shingles. |
| C-42b Wood shingles and wood shakes contractor | Wood shingles and shakes. |
| C-42c Concrete and clay tile contractor | Concrete and clay tile roofs. |
| C-42e Urethane foam contractor | Urethane foam roofing. |
| C-42g Roof coatings contractor | Roof coatings. |
What the Hawaii license costs
The fees the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $50 |
| Exam fee, specialty classifications | $80 |
| License fee, sole proprietor or entity, Oct 1 of an even year to Sept 30 of an odd year | $663 |
| License fee, sole proprietor or entity, Oct 1 of an odd year to Sept 30 of an even year | $494 |
| Contractor renewal, sole proprietor or entity | $353 |
What roofers earn in Hawaii
The median roofer in Hawaii earned $28.64 an hour in May 2025, 15th of 51 states, with 1,110 on payrolls. The national median was $26.65.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of roofers in Hawaii earned under $22.96 an hour and a tenth under $22.05. At the top, a quarter earned over $35.43 and a tenth over $38.17.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.05 | $45,860 |
| 25th percentile | $22.96 | $47,750 |
| Median | $28.64 | $59,580 |
| 75th percentile | $35.43 | $73,690 |
| 90th percentile | $38.17 | $79,400 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: roofer salary in Hawaii.
Starting your own roofer business in Hawaii
To contract on your own in Hawaii, the license is the C-42 Roofing Contractor.
Insurance. Bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence, property damage liability of $50,000, plus workers compensation if you have employees.
Bond. A bond only if the board requires one.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Hawaii median of $28.64 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $120.89 per billable hour. Try your own in the labor rate calculator.
The full checklist is in how to start a roofing business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is Hawaii's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- Contractors License Board (checked 2026-10-08)
- Contractor FAQs (Aug 2026) (checked 2026-10-08)
- Contractor application, sole proprietor (checked 2026-10-08)
- HAR chapter 16-77, contractor rules (checked 2026-10-08)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2181
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Roofers (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become a roofer.