Plumbing License Requirements in Hawaii: Quick Reference Table
Label | Value |
|---|---|
License Type | C‑37 Plumbing Contractor, C‑37b Irrigation, PJ (Journey Worker Plumber), PM (Master Plumber) |
Regulating Agency | DCCA PVL Contractors License Board (CLB) |
Years of Experience | C‑37: 4 years (supervisory); PJ: 5 years; PM: 2 as PJ |
Exam Required | Yes, two parts (Business & Law + Trade), PSI Services |
Fees (Application/Exam/License) | Application: $50; Exam: $75/part; License: $663 or $494 (as of 2026, Contractor FAQ) |
Renewal Cycle and Fee | Biennial; Entity/Sole: $338; RME: $208 (as of 2026, Contractors Board homepage) |
Continuing Education | Continuing Competency on 2021 UPC required for plumbers |
Bond Requirement | Set by board (examples: ~$22,000–$23,000) |
Apply / Forms | |
License Lookup | Hawaii License Lookup |
Who Needs a License in Hawaii?
Plumbing license requirements in Hawaii apply to any contractor or individual performing plumbing work on projects valued at over $1,500 in labor and materials, or where plumbing permits are required. Both commercial and residential project scopes are covered. The requirement is specified by the Contractors License Board. If your project is beneath this monetary threshold and doesn’t require any permits, you may qualify for a limited exemption. However, plumbing and electrical work are excluded from the Hawaii handyman exemption, regardless of cost.
Contractors must hold the exact license matching their scope of work. Unlicensed plumbing work is prohibited, even for owner-builders except under specific, limited conditions. Owner-builder exemptions allow an owner to manage their own build, but plumbing work must still be done by a licensed plumber and may not be performed directly by the owner. For contractors, if your business is not licensed as a plumbing contractor, then you must employ (or be) an in-state Responsible Managing Employee (RME) holding the needed license.
In short, you must hold a C‑37 Plumbing Contractor license (or employ one) for contracting or supervising plumbing jobs over $1,500 or needing a permit, whether for new installations, modifications, or repairs involving any piping, fixtures, appliances, gas lines, irrigation, or related systems.
Plumbing License Types
There are several plumbing license requirements in Hawaii based on the type of work and your role in the industry. The licenses you might need are:
C-37 Plumbing Contractor: This is the specialty contractor license for those bidding, managing, and performing complete plumbing contracting work, which includes installation, maintenance, alteration, and repair of water, gas, and sewage piping systems in all settings. C-37 scope also covers trenching, fixtures, medical gas, and solar water heating. You can perform all standard plumbing work and contract directly with clients.
C-37b Irrigation and Lawn Sprinkler Contractor: This is a specialty classification for contractors focusing on the installation and maintenance of irrigation and lawn sprinkler systems. It does not cover full plumbing work. Separate application and experience verification are required.
PJ (Journey Worker Plumber): Individuals with at least five years (10,000 hours) of verifiable plumbing work experience. PJ license holders work under plumbing contractors, not directly as business owners or contract managers.
PM (Master Plumber): Advanced, supervisory plumbing license. You must be a licensed PJ for at least two years before applying. PMs can supervise, plan, and manage higher-level plumbing jobs, and may serve as RMEs for plumbing contracting entities.
Dual or additional classifications are possible. For example, you may hold C‑37 for plumbing and another specialty classification (such as HVAC) if you submit the additional application and meet all requirements for each classification sought. Always match the classification to the intended work and entity structure.
How to Get Licensed in Hawaii
Step 1: Decide Your License Classification
Determine if you need a C‑37 (Plumbing Contractor), C‑37b (Irrigation), PJ (Journey Worker), or PM (Master) license for your business or employment plans.
Step 2: Meet the Experience Requirement
For C‑37, you need four years of supervisory experience in the plumbing trade. For PJ, document at least five years (10,000 hours) of plumbing work. For PM, you must be a PJ for at least two years.
Step 3: Gather Required Documents
Collect experience verification (chronological history of work/projects), Responsible Managing Employee (RME) documentation for entities, CPA financial statement (for contracting entities or additional classification applications), tax clearance from the Hawaii Department of Taxation, liability and worker’s compensation insurance paperwork, and a surety bond (board-determined amount). Prepare entity-forming documents (LLC/corporate) if applicable.
Step 4: Complete and Submit Your Application
Use forms from the DCCA PVL Contractors License Board: Sole Owner, Entity, and/or RME designation forms. Submit your application, experience documentation, and fees by the deadline (typically, by the first Tuesday two months before the next Board meeting). Submit via mail, physical drop-off, or the online MyPVL portal.
Step 5: Board Review and Approval
The board reviews all documentation. If your application is approved, you will receive an exam registration notice.
Step 6: Register and Sit for the Exam(s)
Register with PSI Services, the exam provider, within 24 hours of receiving Board approval. Pay the exam fees and schedule both the Hawaii Contractor Business & Law and the Plumbing Trade exam. Exams must be taken within your eligibility period (usually two years for trade exams). If you don’t pass within six months, your application may be abandoned.
Step 7: Passing the Exams and License Issuance
After passing both exams, submit all final licensing documentation: proof of insurance, bond, tax clearance, entity documents, and pay the original license fee.
Step 8: Maintain and Renew Your License
Once issued, your license must be renewed every two years, meeting continuing competency requirements. The RME must maintain in-state residency with the entity for the license to remain valid.
Missing any critical document or deadline may delay your file or result in application abandonment. Start by reviewing all forms and instructions on the official Application & Publication page.
Application Requirements
Applicants must meet several plumbing license requirements in Hawaii before they are eligible to test or receive their license.
Experience and Age
C‑37 Plumbing Contractor: Four years of supervisory experience, verified via chronological employment or project records. This experience can be with one or more employers/projects as long as it demonstrates trade supervision in plumbing.
PJ (Journey Worker Plumber): Five years/10,000 hours of verifiable plumbing work experience, supported by employment history and supervisor verification.
PM (Master Plumber): Two years as a licensed PJ plumber.
No minimum age or citizenship requirements are specified by the board, but you must provide sufficient legal identification for tax and licensing purposes.
Financial Statements, Bond, and Insurance
Financial Statement: Contracting entities or those applying for additional classifications must file a CPA-prepared financial statement.
Bond: Board-determined. Examples from recent minutes indicate bonds in the $22,000 to $23,000 range. Amount and surety bond form details are provided in your final licensing package.
Insurance: Submit valid certificates showing general liability and workers' compensation coverage (if employing workers). General liability minimums cited by third-party sources are $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence, but always verify directly with the board.
Other Documentation
Hawaii State Tax Clearance: Evidence your business or personal tax status is in good standing with the Hawaii Department of Taxation.
Responsible Managing Employee (RME): Required for business entities. The RME must be a Hawaii resident and approved for the specific trade classification.
No Federal/EPA Certification: EPA 608 and similar federal credentials are not required for plumbing licensing in Hawaii as of 2026. No fingerprinting or criminal background check is specified.
Exams
Meeting plumbing license requirements in Hawaii includes passing two exams: the Contractor Business & Law exam and the Trade (Plumbing) exam.
Exam Basics
Provider: PSI Services, LLC is the sole administrator for both exams. Registration occurs after Board eligibility.
Parts: Part I covers Hawaii contractor law, business practices, safety, and lien law. Part II is a trade-specific, technical plumbing exam.
Format: Typically closed-book, in-person or proctored at PSI test centers.
Questions: Trade exam is 80 questions, 180 minutes allowed. Content covers fixtures, drainage, gas, backflow, water supply, safety, trenching, medical gas, sprinklers, and solar hot water systems.
Passing Score: Not officially published. Recent Board records indicate a 40% pass rate. You may retake the exam, following PSI retest policies.
Eligibility Period: You have a two-year eligibility window to pass both parts. Failure to pass within six months of approval may lead to application abandonment or reapplication.
Official Exam Info: For candidate bulletins and exam outlines, refer to the PSI Hawaii Trade Exams Portal.
Fees
Multiple fees apply during the plumbing license process in Hawaii. Always verify current fee amounts against the board's official schedule:
Application Fee: $50 per application for C‑37, C‑37b, PJ, or PM plumbers (as of 2026, Contractor FAQ).
Exam Fee: $75 per part (Business & Law and Trade); two parts required. (Same source)
Original License Fee (Entity/Sole Proprietor): $663 if licensed between October 1 (even year) and September 30 (odd year); $494 if licensed in opposite year cycle.
RME Fee: $438 (even-odd cycle); $334 (odd-even cycle).
Renewal: $338 for entity/sole proprietor; $208 for RME. Due September 30 every two years.
Restoration (within 60 days late): $388 for entity/sole; $258 for RME.
Bond Fee: Varies, set by the board case-by-case. Example: $22,000–$23,000 (2026, see CLB Board Minutes).
PJ/PM (non-contractor) fees: Application $40, License $80 first year/$40 second year, Renewal $80, Compliance Fund $70 per biennial (HAR 16-53-20 Fee Schedule).
If a fee or bond amount is not listed above or in the official sources, verify at the Contractors Board Homepage.
Renewal and Continuing Education
Plumbing license requirements in Hawaii mandate that licenses are renewed biennially. The license period is always two years, expiring on September 30 of every even-numbered year (e.g. expire 9/30/2028).
Renewal Process and Timeline
Renewal notices are sent to licensees, but you are responsible for meeting deadlines regardless of notice receipt.
Renew online using the MyPVL system or by mail before the deadline.
Late renewals (within 60 days) incur additional penalties. Failure to renew within 60 days after expiration results in license termination; you must reapply as a new applicant if this occurs.
Continuing Education Requirements
Continuing Competency (CC) on the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code is required for all plumber-level renewals for the period July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027.
Training is offered through University of Hawaii community colleges.
Inactive licensees are not required to complete CC until they reactivate their license.
Documentation of completion must be submitted with each renewal, or renewal will not be processed.
Consequences for failing to renew or complete CC include loss of the license and need to reapply, including retesting and resubmission of all eligibility documents.
Reciprocity
There are no reciprocity agreements for plumbing license requirements in Hawaii. Contractors and individual plumbers licensed elsewhere must fully qualify, submit a new application, provide complete experience documentation, and pass Hawaii's exams.
The only path is to apply and meet all of Hawaii’s requirements in full, regardless of your credentials in other states.
