Hawaii Insurance License Requirements and Renewal Guide

Regulatory Oversight in Hawaii

Insurance activity in the state of Hawaii is regulated by the Hawaii Insurance Division, an executive branch of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). Hawaii operates a distinctive regulatory structure that merges producer licensing with state tax compliance and strict reporting timelines.

Unlike jurisdictions operating on generic calendar schedules, Hawaii anchors biennial individual renewals to the sixteenth day of the licensee birth month. Examinations are administered strictly through Pearson VUE, and electronic submissions run through the National Insurance Producer Registry. Independent agents and corporate agencies must navigate specific rules governing continuing education cutoffs, Designated Responsible Licensed Producer limitations, and mandatory General Excise Tax registration.

Hawaii Insurance License Categories

The Hawaii Insurance Division issues producer licenses organized by discrete statutory lines of authority. Independent professionals and agency entities commonly secure single or multi-line credentials across personal, commercial, or specialty lines.

How to Get a Hawaii Insurance License

Securing a resident Hawaii insurance producer license requires testing through the state examination provider, completing background clearance, and registering for state tax compliance.

Step 1: Exam Preparation and Pre-Licensing

Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 431:9A does not require candidates to complete mandatory classroom pre-licensing education hours. Prospective producers may register directly for state examinations. However, self study using comprehensive exam preparation software is essential because tests incorporate intricate Hawaii statutory mandates and insurance administrative rules.

Hawaii does not exempt candidates holding professional insurance designations (such as CPCU, CLU, or CIC) from licensing examinations. All initial resident candidates must sit for and pass the designated state exam.

Step 2: Pass the Pearson VUE Licensing Exam

State licensing exams are administered by Pearson VUE. Candidates may test at physical Pearson VUE testing centers or schedule remote proctoring via the Pearson VUE OnVUE system. A minimum score of 70 percent is required on each exam. Passing exam scores remain valid for two years from the test date for licensing application purposes.

Step 3: Complete Digital Fingerprinting

All resident applicants must undergo state and federal criminal history checks before filing an application. Hawaii contracts with Fieldprint for electronic fingerprint capture. When registering on the Fieldprint site, use code HI-DCCA-INS to direct results to the Hawaii Insurance Division. The official license application must be submitted within 60 days of fingerprint capture to avoid expiration.

Step 4: Obtain a General Excise Tax License

Under Hawaii tax law, every person or corporate entity conducting business in Hawaii must register for a General Excise Tax (GET) license with the Hawaii Department of Taxation. Insurance producers pay a wholesale excise tax rate of 0.15 percent on gross insurance commissions received. Proof of registration must be maintained for ongoing compliance.

Step 5: Submit NIPR Application

Submit your formal application through the NIPR Hawaii Resident Application Portal. The state fee for an individual producer license is $150. Application review typically takes five to ten business days once background results and exam records clear.

Hawaii License Renewal and Continuing Education

Resident insurance producer licenses renew on a two year cycle. Your license expiration date falls precisely on the sixteenth day of your birth month in either odd or even numbered years, corresponding directly to the year you were born.

Continuing Education Requirements

Active resident producers must complete 24 approved continuing education credits during each biennial compliance term. Hawaii distributes credit hours strictly according to the lines of authority held:

• Single Major Line (Life and Health OR Property and Casualty): 21 credit hours focused on the authorized line of insurance, plus 3 credit hours dedicated to ethics or Hawaii insurance laws and rules.
• Combined Major Lines (Life, Health, Property, and Casualty): 10 credit hours relating to Life and Health, 11 credit hours relating to Property and Casualty, and 3 credit hours relating to ethics or Hawaii insurance laws and rules.
• Fifteen Day Completion Rule: Per Commissioner Memorandum 2022-3LIC, all continuing education coursework must be completed at least 15 days prior to your renewal expiration date. Providers require time to upload records to the Insurance Division database. Certificates sent directly by licensees will not be accepted.
• No Carryover: Excess hours earned above the 24 hour threshold cannot be carried over into any subsequent renewal cycle. Surplus hours expire immediately.
• Course Repetition: Taking the identical CE course twice within the same two year compliance window is prohibited and will yield zero credits.
• First Term Exemption: Producers who have held their Hawaii resident license for less than two years at the time of their first renewal date are exempt from continuing education obligations for that initial cycle.

Specialty Product Mandatory Modules

Selling certain products requires verification of mandatory training checkpoints prior to solicitation:

• Annuity Best Interest Standards: Producers soliciting fixed, indexed, or variable annuities must complete a one time four hour training course satisfying NAIC model standards.
• Long Term Care Partnership: An initial eight hour training course is required prior to selling long term care contracts, followed by four hours of specialized continuing education every subsequent two year renewal period.
• National Flood Insurance Program: Property producers writing coverage through the NFIP must complete a one time three hour course on flood insurance rules and policies.

Renewal Fees and Delinquency Rules

Non-Resident Hawaii Producer Licensing

Producers based in other states who wish to transact insurance business in Hawaii can secure reciprocal non-resident credentials without passing an examination, provided their home state license is active and in good standing.

• Initial Application Fee: $225 to $300 depending on the timing of the issuance cycle.
• Biennial Renewal Fee: $150 every two years.
• Continuing Education: Fully satisfied through compliance with your home state continuing education mandates. Hawaii does not impose state specific CE on reciprocal non-residents.
• Surplus Lines Authority: Non-resident surplus lines brokers must hold equivalent authority in their home state and pay the statutory $240 initial fee.

Hawaii Insurance Agency Entity Licensing

Any corporation, limited liability company, or partnership acting as an insurance agency in Hawaii must hold a business entity insurance producer license issued by the Hawaii Insurance Division.

Key Agency Regulatory Standards

• Designated Responsible Licensed Producer (DRLP): The agency must designate at least one active individual producer licensed in Hawaii. The appointed DRLPs must cumulatively hold the lines of authority for all business the agency transacts.
• Single Agency Affiliation Rule: Under Hawaii administrative practice, an individual licensed producer cannot serve as the DRLP for more than one agency entity unless those corporate entities are legal affiliates. Proof of affiliation (such as an organizational chart) must be submitted to the Insurance Division.
• State Entity Licensing Fees: $150 initial application fee and $100 biennial renewal fee submitted through NIPR.
• Trade Name Approval: If the agency operates under a trade name or assumed business name, it must obtain formal approval from the Insurance Commissioner and file the trade name with the Business Registration Division (BREG).
• Address Restrictions: Hawaii rules strictly prohibit using post office boxes or commercial mail forwarding locations (such as 350 Ward Avenue) as the principal business address.