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How to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in Hawaii

Hawaii licenses real estate agents statewide through the Hawaii Real Estate Commission.1 For the Real Estate Salesperson license you need at least 60 clock hours2 of education, a passing score on the Hawaii real estate salesperson examination3 and a criminal background check3. The board lists $25 for the application4. You renew every 2 years1 and complete at least 20 hours of continuing education5.

Last checked · 22 official sources

Who issues it

Hawaii Real Estate Commission

Training and experience

Training: at least 60 clock hours2

Exam

Hawaii real estate salesperson examination3

Fees the board lists

Application fee: $254

Renewal

Every 2 years1, at least 20 hours of continuing education5

From another state

Exam waiver and Military service members and spouses36 Details

On this page
  1. Hawaii real estate agent licenses
  2. Applies to every license level
  3. Who needs a Real Estate Salesperson license
  4. Requirements for a Real Estate Salesperson license
  5. How much a Real Estate Salesperson license costs
  6. How to apply
  7. Renewal and continuing education
  8. Moving to Hawaii with a license from another state
  9. Real Estate Broker
  10. Check a license or report a problem
  11. Laws and rules
  12. Common questions
  13. Real estate agent licenses in other states

Hawaii real estate agent licenses

Hawaii issues 2 real estate agent credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

LicenseWhat it coversTraining or experienceExamApplication or license fee
Real Estate SalespersonA salesperson is employed by, or an independent contractor associated with, a real estate broker to sell, buy, list, lease, rent or manage real estate for others.1Training 60 clock hours2Yes7$254
Real Estate BrokerA broker, for compensation, sells, buys, negotiates, lists, leases, rents or manages real estate for others; each branch office needs a broker in charge.3Training 80 clock hours8
Experience 3 years7		Yes7$254

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for every Hawaii real estate agent license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

Requirements

Minimum age
18 years old9
High school diploma or GED
Required9
Background check
Background check required3
Applicants with convictions, disciplinary actions, unpaid judgments, tax liens or similar issues must submit official documents and explanations with the license application; the Commission reviews applications at its monthly meeting.3
You can ask the board to review your record before you apply1
Residency or citizenship
US citizen, US national, or alien authorized to work in the US; Hawaii residency is not required.9
Social Security number
Social Security number required for the license to be issued.3
Also required
Apply for the license within two years of the last exam date or the exam must be retaken.7
Also required
Licenses are issued only after Commission review; the Commission usually meets monthly.3

Fees

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Initial license fee (Even numbered year)$28211Hawaii Real Estate CommissionTotal due with the license application when the license is issued in an even-numbered year (second year of the biennium); licenses still expire Dec 31 of that year
License fees (Active or Inactive): (C)$424Hawaii Real Estate CommissionComponent of the totals above: license fee. Effective October 10, 2016
Real estate education fund$684Hawaii Real Estate CommissionComponent of the totals above: real estate education fund. Effective October 10, 2016
Real estate recovery fund$844Hawaii Real Estate CommissionComponent of the totals above: real estate recovery fund. Effective October 10, 2016
Compliance resolution fund fee$634Hawaii Real Estate CommissionComponent of the totals: compliance resolution fund (CRF), $63 annual / $126 biennial. Effective October 10, 2016
Educational waiver application fee$5012Hawaii Real Estate CommissionOptional: Prelicensing Education Equivalency application. Not refundable
Non-refundable application fee$5012Hawaii Real Estate CommissionOptional: Equivalency to the Uniform Section of the exam (out-of-state licensees). Not refundable
Nonrefundable fee$2513Hawaii Real Estate CommissionOptional: Request for Preliminary Decision (background issues). Not refundable
To change from inactive status to active status$2514Hawaii Real Estate CommissionReactivation from voluntary inactive status

Some lines are combined figures, or parts of one; do not add the lines up.

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, PSI Services, LLC10, when you schedule.

How to apply

  1. Optional: if you have a criminal record, discipline, tax liens or judgments, ask the Commission for a non-binding preliminary decision before paying for school ($25).13
  2. After you pass, the test center gives you the license application and score report.10
  3. Within two years of the exam, mail or hand-deliver the complete application with the fee shown on the score report and your original certificates to the PVL Licensing Branch (P.O. Box 3469, Honolulu, HI 96801).3
  4. To work on active status you must be associated with a Hawaii brokerage; start work once you receive the Notice of Licensure email showing active status.15
Processing time
No set processing time published; applications go to the Commission, which usually meets monthly (normally the fourth Friday).15

Renewal

How often
Every 2 years1
When it expires
All licenses expire December 31 of each even-numbered year, whatever the issue date; the Commission's filing deadline is November 30 (2026 cycle: renewals opened October 19, 2026). Unrenewed licenses are forfeited January 1 of the odd year.14
Renewal fee
$2684 (Biennial renewal (active or inactive), salesperson / broker-salesperson / PB / BIC)
Continuing education
At least 20 hours each renewal period5
Required topics
Mandatory core courses Parts A and B, 3 hours each (6 hours)5
14 hours of electives5
Approved courses
Courses must be on the Hawaii Real Estate Commission's approved list; a course already credited may not be repeated within two consecutive biennia.15
If it expires
Missing CE at renewal: the license is renewed on inactive status.1
Forfeited under 1 year: restore with fees, penalties and documents (CE needed to restore to active).15
Forfeited 1-4 years: also 30 hours elective CE, or the prelicense course, or the exam.15
Forfeited 4-5 years: must pass the exam.15
Not restored within 5 years: terminated; start over as a new salesperson applicant.1

From another state

Route
No reciprocity
What the board says
Hawaii has no reciprocity with any state; out-of-state licensees must still pass at least the Hawaii state portion of the exam.3
Route
Military service members and spouses
What the board says
General HRS ch. 436B military spouse provisions (expedited consideration; supervised temporary license); not stated on any REB page.6

Who needs a Real Estate Salesperson license

A salesperson is employed by, or an independent contractor associated with, a real estate broker to sell, buy, list, lease, rent or manage real estate for others.1

Requirements for a Real Estate Salesperson license

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Education or training
At least 60 clock hours2
Commission-approved Hawaii salesperson prelicense course (60 class hours of 60 minutes), completed before the exam; the school completion certificate is valid two years.2
Who may teach it: Commission-approved prelicense course given in Hawaii (registered Hawaii prelicense school).3
Alternative: Prelicense education equivalency for: a current license active within the past year as a salesperson or broker in a state with similar or superior education requirements; graduates of an accredited US law school; or US bachelor's graduates who majored in real estate or business.7
Exam
Hawaii real estate salesperson examination3
Given by: PSI Services, LLC10
When you can take it: Prelicense course (or equivalency) completed before the exam; bring the original certificates to the test site.7
Uniform (general) portion: 80 items, 150 minutes16
State portion: 50 items, 90 minutes16
Retakes: Retake only the failed portion; wait 24 hours before rescheduling.15
Time limit: All portions must be passed within two years of the first exam date, or the whole exam must be retaken.7
Exam waived: Holders of a current out-of-state license who passed that state's uniform portion at the same level can get an equivalency and take only the Hawaii state portion ($50 application).3

How much a Real Estate Salesperson license costs

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Application fee$254Hawaii Real Estate CommissionApplication fee: (C) Real estate salesperson, broker-salesperson, principal broker, and broker-in-charge. Salesperson. Not refundable. Effective October 10, 2016

How to apply

  1. Complete the 60-hour salesperson prelicense course at a Hawaii-registered school (or get an education equivalency certificate). Create a MyPVL account first; schools use it to deliver the completion certificate.2
  2. Schedule the exam with PSI (no walk-ins) and bring the original school completion/equivalency certificates.3

Renewal and continuing education

Exemptions
A salesperson first licensed in an even-numbered year (e.g. 2026) who renews by the deadline is deemed to have met the CE requirement for that renewal.5
Licensees renewing on inactive status do not need CE until they reactivate.5
Licensees who also hold a current, unencumbered license in another ARELLO-recognized jurisdiction may request equivalency for the elective hours ($25 application) but must still take the core course.17
Late renewal
Late renewal fee: $504 (restoring a forfeited license: penalty on top of all delinquent renewal fees)
Reinstatement fee: $504 (restoration application fee)

Renewal planner

Enter the expiration date printed on your Hawaii Real Estate Salesperson license. The count is worked out on your device from today's date; nothing is sent anywhere.

Moving to Hawaii with a license from another state

These are the routes the Hawaii Real Estate Commission publishes for the Real Estate Salesperson license. The other real estate agent licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Route
Exam waiver
What the board says
Out-of-state licensees can apply for a prelicense education equivalency ($50) and an equivalency to the uniform (national) section ($50), then take only the Hawaii state portion.3
Conditions
Education equivalency: current license, active within one year before applying, in a state with similar or superior prelicense education.3
Equivalency certificates are valid two years.3
Fee
$5012

Real Estate Broker

A broker, for compensation, sells, buys, negotiates, lists, leases, rents or manages real estate for others; each branch office needs a broker in charge.3

Requirements

Education or training
At least 80 clock hours8
Commission-approved Hawaii broker prelicense course (80 class hours of 60 minutes), completed before the exam; the school completion certificate is valid two years.8
Who may teach it: Commission-approved prelicense course given in Hawaii (registered Hawaii prelicense school).3
Alternative: Prelicense education equivalency for a current license active within the past year as a broker in a state with similar or superior education requirements, or graduates of an accredited US law school.7
Experience
At least 3 years7
Full-time Hawaii-licensed salesperson with an active Hawaii brokerage, at least three of the last five years, shown by a Commission-issued experience certificate (valid two years).7
Supervision: Principal broker or broker-in-charge of each firm certifies the period; full-time means averaging at least forty hours a week, with no pro rata credit for part-time work or inactive periods.7
License you must hold first: Hawaii real estate salesperson license (or the out-of-state equivalency below).7
Substitute: Equivalency for three full-time years in the last five as an out-of-state salesperson in a state with similar education requirements, or a current unencumbered out-of-state broker license.7
Exam
Hawaii real estate broker examination3
Given by: PSI Services, LLC10
When you can take it: Prelicense course (or equivalency) completed before the exam, and a Broker Experience Certificate obtained; bring the original certificates to the test site.7
Uniform (general) portion: 80 items, 150 minutes16
State portion: 50 items, 90 minutes16
Retakes: Retake only the failed portion; wait 24 hours before rescheduling.15
Time limit: All portions must be passed within two years of the first exam date, or the whole exam must be retaken.7
Exam waived: Holders of a current out-of-state license who passed that state's uniform portion at the same level can get an equivalency and take only the Hawaii state portion ($50 application).3

Fees

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Application fee$254Hawaii Real Estate CommissionApplication fee: (C) Real estate salesperson, broker-salesperson, principal broker, and broker-in-charge. Broker-salesperson, principal broker, broker-in-charge. Not refundable. Effective October 10, 2016
Experience certificate application fee$7518Hawaii Real Estate CommissionBroker Experience Certificate application (required before the broker exam). Not refundable
Broker – Sole Proprietor: Odd numbered year$6519Hawaii Real Estate CommissionSeparate Real Estate Sole Proprietor license (broker operating own firm): application; renewal $298 biennial. Not refundable
Other fee$48620Hawaii Real Estate CommissionIf license will be issued in an ODD-NUMBERED year, pay. Separate brokerage-entity license (corporation, partnership, LLC, LLP): odd-year total $486, even-year $349, renewal $343; requires a principal broker

Some lines are combined figures, or parts of one; do not add the lines up.

How to apply

  1. Get a Broker Experience Certificate (3 of the last 5 years as a full-time Hawaii salesperson, or an approved equivalency; $75) and complete the 80-hour broker prelicense course.8
  2. Schedule the exam with PSI (no walk-ins) and bring the original school completion/equivalency and experience certificates.3

Renewal

Exemptions
No first-renewal CE exemption for brokers.14
Licensees renewing on inactive status do not need CE until they reactivate.5
Licensees who also hold a current, unencumbered license in another ARELLO-recognized jurisdiction may request equivalency for the elective hours ($25 application) but must still take the core course.17
Late renewal
Late renewal fee: $504 (restoring a forfeited license: penalty on top of all delinquent renewal fees)
Reinstatement fee: $50 to $1004 (restoration application fee: $50 broker-salesperson; $80 broker-in-charge or sole proprietor; $100 principal broker of a corporation/partnership (HAR 16-53-39(10)(B)))

From another state

Route
Exam waiver
What the board says
Out-of-state licensees can apply for a prelicense education equivalency ($50) and an equivalency to the uniform (national) section ($50), then take only the Hawaii state portion; out-of-state brokers also need the Broker Experience Certificate ($75).3
Conditions
Education equivalency: current license, active within one year before applying, in a state with similar or superior prelicense education.3
Equivalency certificates are valid two years.3
Broker experience equivalency may be based on out-of-state salesperson experience or a current, unencumbered out-of-state broker license.7
Fee
$5012

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a real estate agent in Hawaii, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Hawaii is on the Hawaii license lookup page.

Look up a license
mypvl.dcca.hawaii.gov21
File a complaint
cca.hawaii.gov22

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

Common questions

How long does it take to get a Real Estate Salesperson license in Hawaii?

The rules set at least 60 clock hours2 before you can be licensed. On processing, the board says: No set processing time published; applications go to the Commission, which usually meets monthly (normally the fourth Friday).15

Can I transfer my real estate agent license to Hawaii?

The Hawaii Real Estate Commission publishes this route for the Real Estate Salesperson license: exam waiver3. Conditions and forms.

How often do you renew a Real Estate Salesperson license in Hawaii?

Every 2 years1. Continuing education: at least 20 hours5. The renewal fee is $2684.

Real estate agent licenses in other states

Sources

Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.

  1. HRS ch 467 compiledHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 6, 2026
  2. Salesperson flowchartHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated June 5, 2019Checked November 5, 2026
  3. General Information SheetHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated January 19, 2021Checked November 5, 2026
  4. HAR Title 16 Chapter 53 FeesHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated October 10, 2016Checked November 5, 2026
  5. Renewal Notice to Principal Brokers 2026Hawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated September 2026Checked November 6, 2026
  6. Amended 08/17 1Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (copy of HRS chapter 436B)Checked November 6, 2026
  7. HAR Title 16 Chapter 99 Real Estate Brokers and SalespersonsHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated December 19, 2016Checked November 6, 2026
  8. Broker flowchartHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated June 5, 2019Checked November 5, 2026
  9. Exam prerequisitesHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 5, 2026
  10. General Prelicensing InformationHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 5, 2026
  11. Application and Registration FeesHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 5, 2026
  12. Instructions and Information for Prelicensing Education EquivalencyHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated March 5, 2018Checked November 6, 2026
  13. Request for Preliminary DecisionHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 5, 2026
  14. 2026 renewal informational noticeHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 5, 2026
  15. Real estate FAQsHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 6, 2026
  16. Candidate Information BulletinHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 5, 2026
  17. Continuing Education Equivalency Instructions and Application PacketHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsChecked November 5, 2026
  18. Instructions and Information for Broker Experience CertificateHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated January 13, 2023Checked November 6, 2026
  19. Application for License: Real Estate Sole ProprietorHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated October 10, 2016Checked November 5, 2026
  20. Instructions and Information for Corp., Partnership, LLC, LLPHawaii Real Estate Commission, Department of Commerce and Consumer AffairsDated October 10, 2016Checked November 5, 2026
  21. MyPVLHawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
  22. Regulated Industries Complaints OfficeRegulated Industries Complaints Office, DCCAChecked November 7, 2026