- No license needed when the total project price, including labor, materials, taxes and all other items, is $1,500 or less and no building permit is needed. This does not cover electrical or plumbing work that needs a permit.
- None for exempt work. A license needs four years of supervisory experience.
Do you need a state license in Hawaii?
Hawaii licenses some handyman work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
No license needed when the total project price, including labor, materials, taxes and all other items, is $1,500 or less and no building permit is needed. This does not cover electrical or plumbing work that needs a permit.
If a job needs a county building permit, the exemption does not apply.
Hawaii license types for handyman work
Hawaii splits the work into 2 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| C-5 | Cabinet, millwork and carpentry remodeling and repairs |
| B General Building | Work needing more than two unrelated trades |
Steps to get licensed in Hawaii
- Keep each project at $1,500 or less in total.
- Skip any job that needs a building permit.
- Leave electrical and plumbing work to licensed electricians and plumbers.
- For bigger jobs, apply for a C-5 or other specialty license with the Contractors License Board.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. None for exempt work. A license needs four years of supervisory experience.
Hawaii handyman exams
Trade exam. No trade exam for exempt work.
Business and law exam. No business and law exam for exempt work.
What it costs in Hawaii
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The board's pages do not list one.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The board's pages do not list one.
Reciprocity. The board's pages do not list one.
Good to know in Hawaii
- Even without a permit, electrical or plumbing work may still need a licensed electrician or plumber.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a handyman near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Contractors License Board and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how handyman businesses run on Koira.