Hawaii Contractor License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

Every Hawaii contractor license expires on September 30 of each even-numbered year, whenever it was issued, so all licenses renew together: the next deadline after 2026 is September 30, 2028. An active entity or sole proprietor paid $338 to renew in 2026, and needs a current tax clearance, liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage (or an exclusion). A license not renewed by September 30 is forfeited and you may not practice; restore it within 60 days after it expired with a late fee, or apply again as a new applicant.

At a glance

Renews every: Two years. Every contractor license expires on September 30 of each even-numbered year, whenever it was issued. The 2026 renewal covers October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2028
Fee (2026 renewal): $338 for an active contracting entity or sole proprietor, $208 for an active responsible managing employee (RME) and $160 for any inactive license
Tax clearance: An active entity or sole proprietor needs a current, valid tax clearance from the Hawaii Department of Taxation (DOTAX), dated within 6 months of renewing, and the name on it must match the name on your license exactly
Insurance and bond: An active entity or sole proprietor must have kept workers' compensation insurance (or be self-insured or excluded under chapter 386, HRS) and liability and property damage insurance of at least $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 bodily injury per occurrence and $50,000 property damage per occurrence, and any bond the board imposed must be current
RMEs: An RME's license isn't renewed until their employer's license is. An RME with the C-19 asbestos classification can't renew online: they send proof of asbestos training with the paper renewal form
Continuing education: The board's renewal rules list none, except for asbestos contractors: a 16-hour asbestos refresher course for the previous two years (8 hours if licensed in the second year) for the individual, RME and asbestos abatement workers
Renewal notice: The board mails a renewal notice before August 15 of each even-numbered year to the address it has on file for you
Renew: Online through MyPVL, or on the paper renewal form, with every required document and the fees, by September 30. A complete renewal filed by then (by postmark, if mailed) lets you keep working until the renewed license is issued
Not renewed by September 30: The license is forfeited as of October 1: you're unlicensed and may not practice
Restoring a forfeited license: Within 60 days after the license expired, restore it with the renewal documents, the renewal fee and a late fee. In 2026 restoring cost $388 in all for an active entity or sole proprietor, $258 for an active RME and $210 for an inactive license
Not restored in time: The license is terminated: you apply as a new applicant and meet the current licensing requirements

The board takes insurance certificates online through its Insurance Certificate Submittal site.

An inactive license counts as unlicensed: you may not work under it until it's reactivated.

How to renew

Watch for the renewal notice the board mails before August 15 of each even-numbered year, and keep your address on file current.
If you're an active entity or sole proprietor, get a tax clearance from DOTAX within 6 months of renewing, in the exact name on your license, and check your liability insurance, workers' compensation coverage (or your chapter 386 exclusion) and any bond are current.
Renew online through MyPVL, or on the paper form, by September 30. If you're an RME, your employer's license must be renewed too.
Missed it? Stop work: the license is forfeited. Restore it within 60 days after it expired, with the late fee.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

90 days outActive entity or sole proprietor: check your liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage (or your chapter 386 exclusion) are in force and that any bond is current.
30 days outActive entity or sole proprietor: get a DOTAX tax clearance in the exact name on your license (it must be dated within 6 months of renewing).
14 days outRenew online through MyPVL (or on the paper form) and pay the fee. Make sure your RMEs renew too.
September 30Last day to renew. After it the license is forfeited; you have 60 days after it expired to restore it with a late fee.

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

A fresh tax clearance for an active entity or sole proprietor (it must be dated within 6 months of renewing)
Your RMEs' licenses, if your business has them
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When do Hawaii contractor licenses expire?

Every contractor license expires on September 30 of each even-numbered year, whenever it was issued. The 2026 renewal covers October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2028.

How much does it cost to renew a Hawaii contractor license?

For the 2026 renewal: $338 for an active contracting entity or sole proprietor, $208 for an active responsible managing employee (RME) and $160 for any inactive license.

What if I missed the Hawaii contractor license renewal deadline?

The license is forfeited as of October 1: you're unlicensed and may not practice. Within 60 days after the license expired, restore it with the renewal documents, the renewal fee and a late fee: $388 in all in 2026 for an active entity or sole proprietor. After that the license is terminated and you apply as a new applicant.

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

Hawaii Contractors License Board (Professional and Vocational Licensing Division)

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Hawaii guides

All Hawaii guides on one page

General contractor guides for other states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for general contractors

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Hawaii Contractor License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

At a glance

Renews every: Two years. Every contractor license expires on September 30 of each even-numbered year, whenever it was issued. The 2026 renewal covers October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2028
Fee (2026 renewal): $338 for an active contracting entity or sole proprietor, $208 for an active responsible managing employee (RME) and $160 for any inactive license
Tax clearance: An active entity or sole proprietor needs a current, valid tax clearance from the Hawaii Department of Taxation (DOTAX), dated within 6 months of renewing, and the name on it must match the name on your license exactly
Insurance and bond: An active entity or sole proprietor must have kept workers' compensation insurance (or be self-insured or excluded under chapter 386, HRS) and liability and property damage insurance of at least $100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 bodily injury per occurrence and $50,000 property damage per occurrence, and any bond the board imposed must be current
RMEs: An RME's license isn't renewed until their employer's license is. An RME with the C-19 asbestos classification can't renew online: they send proof of asbestos training with the paper renewal form
Continuing education: The board's renewal rules list none, except for asbestos contractors: a 16-hour asbestos refresher course for the previous two years (8 hours if licensed in the second year) for the individual, RME and asbestos abatement workers
Renewal notice: The board mails a renewal notice before August 15 of each even-numbered year to the address it has on file for you
Renew: Online through MyPVL, or on the paper renewal form, with every required document and the fees, by September 30. A complete renewal filed by then (by postmark, if mailed) lets you keep working until the renewed license is issued
Not renewed by September 30: The license is forfeited as of October 1: you're unlicensed and may not practice
Restoring a forfeited license: Within 60 days after the license expired, restore it with the renewal documents, the renewal fee and a late fee. In 2026 restoring cost $388 in all for an active entity or sole proprietor, $258 for an active RME and $210 for an inactive license
Not restored in time: The license is terminated: you apply as a new applicant and meet the current licensing requirements

The board takes insurance certificates online through its Insurance Certificate Submittal site.

An inactive license counts as unlicensed: you may not work under it until it's reactivated.

How to renew

Watch for the renewal notice the board mails before August 15 of each even-numbered year, and keep your address on file current.
If you're an active entity or sole proprietor, get a tax clearance from DOTAX within 6 months of renewing, in the exact name on your license, and check your liability insurance, workers' compensation coverage (or your chapter 386 exclusion) and any bond are current.
Renew online through MyPVL, or on the paper form, by September 30. If you're an RME, your employer's license must be renewed too.
Missed it? Stop work: the license is forfeited. Restore it within 60 days after it expired, with the late fee.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

90 days outActive entity or sole proprietor: check your liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage (or your chapter 386 exclusion) are in force and that any bond is current.
30 days outActive entity or sole proprietor: get a DOTAX tax clearance in the exact name on your license (it must be dated within 6 months of renewing).
14 days outRenew online through MyPVL (or on the paper form) and pay the fee. Make sure your RMEs renew too.
September 30Last day to renew. After it the license is forfeited; you have 60 days after it expired to restore it with a late fee.

Put this renewal in your calendar

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

A fresh tax clearance for an active entity or sole proprietor (it must be dated within 6 months of renewing)
Your RMEs' licenses, if your business has them
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When do Hawaii contractor licenses expire?

Every contractor license expires on September 30 of each even-numbered year, whenever it was issued. The 2026 renewal covers October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2028.

How much does it cost to renew a Hawaii contractor license?

For the 2026 renewal: $338 for an active contracting entity or sole proprietor, $208 for an active responsible managing employee (RME) and $160 for any inactive license.

What if I missed the Hawaii contractor license renewal deadline?

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

Hawaii Contractors License Board (Professional and Vocational Licensing Division)

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Hawaii guides

All Hawaii guides on one page

General contractor guides for other states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for general contractors

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet