Hawaii
Contractor Bonds

Hawaii Contractors License Bond

The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Professional and Vocational Licensing requires contractors to post a surety bond in an amount ranging from $100 to $300,000 as part of the licensing process. These bonds are subject to underwriting consideration. This means that a surety underwriter will take into account the bond’s amount, along with the applicant's personal and credit history, when determining whether and at what premium a bond can be quoted.

Applicants with stellar credit could qualify for a bond rate as little as 1% to 3% of the bond’s total amount. The best way to determine exactly how much you will pay is to submit a bond application today with ContractorBonds.com.

How to become a licensed Hawaii contractor

Contractors must first determine their business type before beginning an application, and a different application form is required for each type:

• Entity

  • This includes corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, LLPs, or LLCs.

• Sole Owner/Proprietor

• Responsible Managing Employee

Once you have determined which application you are required to submit, the following general items must be included with each application:

Entity Application

• Application fee

• Financial statement

• Credit report

  • One must be included for each officer, partner, manager, and/or member.

• Tax clearance

• Trade name registration (only if applicable)

• RME appointment

• Entity registration

Sole Owner/Proprietor Application

• Application fee

• Trade name registration (only if applicable)

• Experience certificates

• Chronological History of Projects Form

• Financial statement

• Credit report

• Tax clearance

Responsible Managing Employee Application

• Application fee

• Experience certificates

• Chronological History of Projects Form

• Credit report

• Entity appointment

Applicants must then post their contractor license bond in the required amount. Additional information on these requirements and all forms can be found on the HI Forms and Publications Page.

Each application must be submitted with the following items for consideration by the Board at 335 Merchant Street, Room 301, Honolulu, HI 96813. FAXED or EMAILED COPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

All documentation — including the application, application fee, and additional documents — must be presented to the Board and be received in the Board's Honolulu office on or before the first Tuesday of the month prior to the scheduled meeting date. The Board is scheduled to meet once a month, except for the month of December. Refer to the schedule for all dates at Contractor License Board Meeting Schedule.

Once an application has been received and examined, it can then be determined whether the contractor qualifies for the Application Examination.

Rules and statutes concerning contractors in Hawaii can be found at Contractor License Board Statute/Rule Chapter.

Federal contractor bonds required in Hawaii

The state of Hawaii only holds one requirement for its contractors; however, there are a few federally required bonds that apply to contractors within the state.

Rural Utilities Service Contractor's Bond

The U.S. Code of Regulations states that contractors are required to furnish a contractor bond for construction contracts that are in an amount of $250,000 or more. However, this requirement may be waived for contracts that are less than $250,000; this information can be found in § 1788.49.

The amount for your rural utilities service contractor’s bond will range from $100 to $1,000,000, with the cost depending on the bond’s amount and underwriting consideration. Be sure to confirm the amount of bond coverage required before applying for a free quote.

H-2A Farm Labor Contractor Bond

The U.S. Department of Labor requires farm labor contractors to post a surety bond to cover the same two-year term as the H-2A Application. Surety bonds are required in the following amounts in accordance with DOL Fact Sheet #26:

• $5,000 bond: labor certification with fewer than 25 employees

• $10,000 bond: labor certification with 25 to 49 employees

• $20,000 bond: labor certification with 50 to 74 employees

• $50,000 bond: labor certification with 75 to 99 employees

• $75,000 bond: labor certification with 100 or more employees

It is best to determine your exact surety bond requirement with the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division before applying for a surety bond quote with ContractorBonds.com. These bonds are subject to underwriting consideration, meaning the exact premium will vary depending on a review on the applicant’s personal and financial history in addition to the bond’s required amount.

This surety requirement can be found in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) Title 29, Subtitle B, CHAPTER V, SUBCHAPTER A, PART 501, Subpart A, § 501.9.