Getting your Hawaii Real Estate License is the first step to becoming a real estate agent in Hawaii. Nowadays, this process can be done almost entirely online. You will still need to take your Hawaii real estate license exam in person, but the rest of the process can be completed entirely online!

This article outlines how to become a real estate agent in Hawaii in an easy to understand, step-by-step manner. You’ll learn how much it will cost, how long it will take, what is on the exam, and much more.

How to Become a Real Estate Agent in Hawaii

Becoming a real estate agent in Hawaii is as simple as getting your license, finding a broker sponsor, and getting to work selling real estate! As long as you fulfill the below requirements, you are already on your way to your goal.

Hawaii Real Estate License Requirements

The requirements to become a real estate agent in Hawaii are:

• Be a citizen of the United States or a lawfully admitted alien
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Must have a reputation for or a record of competency, honesty, truthfulness, financial integrity, and fair dealing

How to Get Your Real Estate License in Hawaii

Step 1. Background Check

Candidates with potentially disqualifying factors may request a preliminary, non-binding decision from the Hawaii Real Estate Commission before submitting to prelicensing education or examination requirements.

To check your eligibility, submit a Request for Preliminary Decision form before registering for the pre-license course.

Complete the form and attach supporting documents together with the $25 fee. You can mail it to the following address:

DCCA, PVL, Licensing Branch 
P. O. Box 3469 or Honolulu, HI 96801 

You can also hand-deliver it to:

335 Merchant St., Room 301
Honolulu, HI 96813

Step 2. Real Estate Pre-Licensing Course

Once you confirm eligibility, you can now proceed with taking the pre-licensing education.

Hawaii requires that real estate sales agents complete 60 hours of pre-license coursework before sitting for their exam.

All pre-license students must create a MyPVL account with the Hawaii Real Estate Branch and register with the pre-license school. Course completion information is posted directly to the applicant’s MyPVL account through the Real Estate Branch website within 10 days of course completion.

Most people choose to take their pre-license education course online. The majority of online courses are self-paced and include study materials like real estate practice exams and flashcards. Some also come with a “guarantee” that you will pass the exam on your first attempt if you complete their course. These benefits are all dependent on the education provider and package you choose, so be sure to get the course that best suits your needs.

Remember that the point of these courses isn’t just to check a box and complete a requirement, but rather to prepare you to pass your exam and become a better agent.

Hawaii does not require the final pre-license exam to be supervised by a proctor. This is not the same as the state exam. This test is provided by your pre-license education company and is an indication that you have completed and retained the information from your pre-license education course.

Similar to the state exam, this test is closed-book and closed-note. You are allowed a basic-function calculator and scratch paper, but no cell phones or outside internet access.

Step 3. Hawaii Real Estate License Exam

After you’ve completed your pre-license education, it’s now time to take the Hawaii Real Estate Exam.

The fee to take the exam is $61 per attempt.

The Hawaii Real Estate Exam consists of 130 questions. This includes 80 for the National section and 50 for the State section. 

You will have 240 minutes (4 hours) to complete the entire exam. The National section time is 150 minutes (2.5 hours), and the State section time is 90 minutes (1.5 hours).

A passing score for the Hawaii Real Estate Salesperson Exam is 56/80 on the National section and 35/50 on the State section.

Immediately after completing your exam, you will receive a scoring document that states whether you passed or failed. If it is marked “Fail,” then you will see a breakdown of your score in the different areas of the exam. If you decide to retake the exam, use this as a guide for your studies.

You can register to take your exam on the PSI Hawaii Real Estate page. On this page, you will find some other helpful resources, including the Candidate Handbook and Content Outline.

Step 4. Real Estate License Application

The last step to getting your real estate license in Hawaii is to complete your license application.

Your test center personnel from PSI will give you the instructions and application form, along with the score report and any other documentation as required per the instructions. 

You should file your complete application, with the proper fees, and the required documents by mail to:

Real Estate Commission
DCCA/PVL
Licensing Branch
P. O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI  96801

Or hand-deliver to:

Licensing Branch
335 Merchant Street, Room 301
Honolulu, HI  96813

You must apply within two years of passing the licensing examination.

Step 5. Application Review

Once you’ve passed your exam, you will only need to wait for your license to be issued. In most cases, this process should take between 3-5 business days. If you have any questions at this point, you should contact DCCAREB at (808) 586-2643 or hirec@dcca.hawaii.gov.

Congratulations! 

Be sure to take some time to celebrate your accomplishment. You’ve put in a lot of work and effort and deserve a celebration!

Step 6. Real Estate License Sponsorship

To be licensed on active status, the applicant must be employed or associated with a current and active Hawaii licensed real estate broker or brokerage firm. In either case, you’ll have to show proof that the person or firm employs you.

If you don’t have a broker to work with yet, check out StateRequirement Jobs for a real estate salesperson opening in your area.

HDCCA – Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Mailing Address: 

Hawaii Real Estate Branch
King Kalakaua Building
335 Merchant Street, Rm 333
Honolulu, HI 96813

Phone: (808) 586-2643

Email: hirec@dcca.hawaii.gov

Website: http://www.hawaii.gov/hirec