Hawaii

Hawaii Licensing Overview

Hawaii licenses 64 out of 102 lower-income occupations (more than half of the occupations included in the study) . The state’s licensing laws are more burdensome than most other states. The state's licensing laws rank 1st in the nation. Hawaii licensed occupations includes occupations that are rarely licensed elsewhere. Few other states license Tree Trimmer (8 other), Travel Agency (5 other).

On average, Hawaii requires $506 in licensing fees, 972 days of education and about 2 exam. Fees for a license exceed $1000 for Midwife, Direct Entry.

Which occupation in a Hawaii is the most regulated?

Out of the 64 occupations that require an occupational license in Hawaii, a license for Preschool Teacher, Public School has the highest burden. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $256 in fees, 2 exams, 3 years experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupation in a Hawaii is the least regulated?

Out of the 64 occupations that require an occupational license in Hawaii, licenses for Auctioneer, Fisher, Commercial have the lowest burden.

Which occupational license in Hawaii is the most expensive?

An occupational license in Hawaii costs the most for Midwife, Direct Entry. A Midwife, Direct Entry license requires $2130 in fees, 1 exams, no experience, and 2 years of education.

Which occupational license in Hawaii is the least expensive?

An occupational license for in Hawaii costs the least for Child Care Home, Family. A Child Care Home, Family license requires $22 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no of education.

Which occupational license in Hawaii takes the most time to obtain?

In Hawaii, an occupational license takes the most time (due to required education/experience) for Preschool Teacher, Public School. It takes 2555 days (7 years) total. A Preschool Teacher, Public School license requires $256 in fees, 2 exams, 3 years experience, and 4 years of education.

Which occupational license in Hawaii takes the least time to obtain?

In Hawaii, an occupational license takes the least time due to required education/experience (0 days) for Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Crane Operator, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Weigher, Travel Agency, Child Care Home, Family, Bill Collection Agency, Auctioneer, Fisher, Commercial.

In Hawaii, which occupational licenses require exams?

In Hawaii, to obtain an occupational license there is at least one exam required for: Preschool Teacher, Public School, Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial), Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential), Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial), Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential), Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial), Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential), Earth Driller, Water Well, Fire Alarm Installer, Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial), Floor Sander Contractor (Residential), Glazier Contractor (Commercial), Glazier Contractor (Residential), HVAC Contractor (Commercial), HVAC Contractor (Residential), Insulation Contractor (Commercial), Insulation Contractor (Residential), Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial), Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential), Landscape Contractor (Commercial), Landscape Contractor (Residential), Mason Contractor (Commercial), Mason Contractor (Residential), Painting Contractor (Commercial), Painting Contractor (Residential), Paving Contractor (Commercial), Paving Contractor (Residential), Pipelayer Contractor, Security Alarm Installer, Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial), Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential), Tree Trimmer, Door Repair Contractor (Commercial), Door Repair Contractor (Residential), Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial), Terrazzo Contractor (Residential), Athletic Trainer, Midwife, Direct Entry, Optician, Pest Control Applicator, Cosmetologist, School Bus Driver, Shampooer, Barber, Makeup Artist, Skin Care Specialist, Manicurist, Security Guard, Unarmed, Massage Therapist, Bus Driver, City/Transit, Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer, Truck Driver, Other, Crane Operator, Emergency Medical Technician, Vegetation Pesticide Applicator, Weigher, Travel Guide. School Bus Driver requires 6 exams.

Hawaii’s occupational licensing laws for lower-income occupations are the most burdensome in the nation. On average, Hawaii’s barriers to entry comprise $438 in fees, 988 days—nearly three years—of education and experience, and around two exams. Hawaii also licenses 63 of the 102 occupations studied here—more than average, though fewer than some other similarly burdensome states. For this reason, it ranks as the fifth most broadly and onerously licensed state. While this rank is better than Hawaii’s first-place burden score, it still means the Aloha State is one of the worst licensing environments for lower-income occupations.

Some of Hawaii’s most burdensome licenses are for occupations rarely licensed by other states. Tree trimmers, for example, must pay $615 in fees, demonstrate 1,460 days (four years) of experience and pass two exams before they can work, while the average burdens in the seven states that license the occupation are $325 in fees, 574 days of education and experience, and roughly two exams. With so few states licensing tree trimmers, it is questionable for Hawaii to license them at all, let alone so onerously.

Hawaii also imposes burdens on 54 occupations that are more onerous than those for EMTs, an occupation that arguably has a stronger connection to public safety. For example, it is harder to become a city/transit bus driver, cosmetologist or construction contractor than it is to become an EMT. Would-be EMTs must demonstrate 180 hours of education and 135 hours of experience (losing about 74 days) and pass two exams, while all 33 of the Hawaii contractor licenses studied require nearly 20 times as much education and experience (1,460 days or four years) and at least one—if not two—exams. Hawaii could improve its rankings by repealing or reducing such heavy burdens, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives.

Burden Rank	Occupation	Number of States that License	Fees	Education/Experience (Days)	Education	Experience	Exams	Minimum Grade	Minimum Age
1	Preschool Teacher, Public School	50	256	2555	4 years	3 years	2	0	0
2	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Commercial)	25	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Carpenter/Cabinet Maker Contractor (Residential)	30	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Cement Finishing Contractor (Commercial)	24	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Cement Finishing Contractor (Residential)	30	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Drywall Installation Contractor (Commercial)	25	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Drywall Installation Contractor (Residential)	30	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Earth Driller, Water Well	51	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Fire Alarm Installer	39	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Floor Sander Contractor (Commercial)	22	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Floor Sander Contractor (Residential)	27	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Glazier Contractor (Commercial)	26	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Glazier Contractor (Residential)	30	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	HVAC Contractor (Commercial)	37	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	HVAC Contractor (Residential)	35	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Insulation Contractor (Commercial)	24	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Insulation Contractor (Residential)	30	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Iron/Steel Contractor (Commercial)	26	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Iron/Steel Contractor (Residential)	30	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Landscape Contractor (Commercial)	47	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Landscape Contractor (Residential)	48	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Mason Contractor (Commercial)	26	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Mason Contractor (Residential)	31	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Painting Contractor (Commercial)	22	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Painting Contractor (Residential)	27	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Paving Contractor (Commercial)	24	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Paving Contractor (Residential)	28	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Pipelayer Contractor	27	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Security Alarm Installer	37	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Commercial)	37	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Sheet Metal Contractor, HVAC (Residential)	36	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Commercial)	26	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Sheet Metal Contractor, Other (Residential)	31	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
2	Tree Trimmer	8	694	1460	None	4 years	2	0	18
35	Door Repair Contractor (Commercial)	24	619	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
35	Door Repair Contractor (Residential)	29	619	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
35	Terrazzo Contractor (Commercial)	23	619	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
35	Terrazzo Contractor (Residential)	28	619	1460	None	4 years	1	0	18
39	Athletic Trainer	49	525	1460	4 years	None	1	0	18
40	Midwife, Direct Entry	37	2130	730	2 years	None	1	12	0
41	Optician	22	548	730	2 years	None	2	12	18
42	Pest Control Applicator	51	530	730	None	2 years	3	0	18
43	Cosmetologist	51	92	420	1800 clock hours	None	1	12	16
44	School Bus Driver	51	110	365	None	1 year	6	0	21
45	Shampooer	33	182	292	1250 clock hours	None	1	12	16
46	Barber	51	45	350	1500 clock hours	None	1	0	17
47	Makeup Artist	37	182	140	600 clock hours	None	1	12	16
47	Skin Care Specialist	51	182	140	600 clock hours	None	1	12	16
49	Manicurist	51	182	82	350 clock hours	None	1	12	16
50	Security Guard, Unarmed	34	132	1	8 clock hours	None	1	12	18
51	Massage Therapist	45	245	133	570 clock hours	None	1	0	18
52	Bus Driver, City/Transit	51	105	0	None	None	5	0	21
52	Truck Driver, Tractor-Trailer	51	105	0	None	None	5	0	21
54	Truck Driver, Other	51	100	0	None	None	4	0	21
55	Crane Operator	16	390	0	None	None	2	0	21
56	Emergency Medical Technician	51	200	35	150 clock hours	None	2	0	18
57	Vegetation Pesticide Applicator	51	200	0	None	None	2	0	18
58	Weigher	24	25	0	None	None	1	0	18
59	Travel Agency	5	85	0	None	None	0	0	18
60	Child Care Home, Family	44	22	0	None	None	0	0	18
61	Travel Guide	37	35	2	12 clock hours	None	1	0	0
62	Bill Collection Agency	29	167	0	None	None	0	0	0
63	Auctioneer	28	100	0	None	None	0	0	0
63	Fisher, Commercial	43	100	0	None	None	0	0	0

Hawaii Occupational Licensing

64 out of 102 moderate-income occupations licensed

1st most burdensome licensing laws for moderate-income occupations

Average Fees for Licenses:$506