HAWAII · hvac
C-52 Ventilating and Air Conditioning Contractor
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs — Contractors License Board (Professional and Vocational Licensing Division) →Scope of Work
A C-52 Ventilating and Air Conditioning Contractor is authorized to fabricate, assemble, and install warm-air heating and air cooling systems, including heating and cooling solar systems, complete ventilating systems, and complete air conditioning systems, including piping, controls (other than electrical), instrumentation, building automation, energy management, and trenching, backfilling, patching, and surface restoration in connection with the installation. The classification includes thermal and acoustical insulation required to maintain heat or sound within the systems and the installation of heat pumps related to the air conditioning system. Source: Description of Contractor License Classifications, Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 16 Chapter 77, Exhibit A (https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/DescriptionofContractorLicenseClassifications-1.pdf).
Scope Adjacencies
Refrigeration work (systems controlling air temperature below 50°F, walk-in boxes, refrigerator rooms) falls under the C-40 Refrigeration Contractor classification rather than C-52. Boiler, hot-water heating, and steam fitting work requires a C-4 classification. Electrical work in connection with air conditioning (other than the non-electrical controls scope above) requires a C-13 Electrical Contractor to perform the work.
Experience and Training
Four years of supervisory experience within the past ten years within the scope of the requested classification, documented on the application. Applicants must designate a Responsible Managing Employee (RME), who is an officer, partner, or member of the contracting entity with full-time supervisory authority. Source: Hawaii Contractor Entity Application (https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Require-App-for-Contractor-Entity_10.25.pdf).
Exam
Two exams are required: (1) the Business and Law exam and (2) the C-52 Trade exam. Both are administered by the Board's designated testing vendor after Board approval of the application. Exam dates are published on the Board's Application Deadline and Examination Dates page (https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards/contractor/application-deadline-examination-dates/).
EPA Section 608
HVAC technicians who work on equipment containing regulated refrigerants must hold a valid EPA Section 608 Technician Certification under 40 CFR Part 82 Subpart F. EPA certification is a federal requirement separate from state licensure and is not issued by the Hawaii Contractors License Board.
Insurance
Applicants must submit a certificate of liability insurance showing Bodily Injury Liability of at least $100,000 each person and $300,000 each occurrence, and Property Damage Liability of at least $50,000 each occurrence, and a certificate of workers' compensation insurance (a prescribed form may substitute where a single-member LLC or a corporation with no other employees qualifies). Failure to maintain continuous liability and workers' compensation coverage causes automatic forfeiture of license. Source: Hawaii Contractor Entity Application, page 6 (https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Require-App-for-Contractor-Entity_10.25.pdf).
GE Tax License
A contractor doing business in Hawaii must register for the Hawaii General Excise (GE) tax with the Department of Taxation. The GE tax applies to gross receipts from construction activity in Hawaii. Source: Hawaii Department of Taxation, General Excise Tax (https://tax.hawaii.gov/geninfo/get/).
Reciprocity
Hawaii's Contractors License Board does not currently maintain published contractor-to-contractor reciprocity agreements with other states. Out-of-state applicants apply through the same entity or sole-owner application; the Board evaluates the applicant's prior licensing and experience on a case-by-case basis.
Renewal Cycle
All Hawaii contractor licenses renew by September 30 of each even-numbered year (biennial renewal), regardless of issuance date. Licenses not renewed by September 30 are forfeited; restoration is accepted through November 30 of the even-numbered year with a penalty fee. After November 30, restoration is not accepted and a new application is required. Source: Hawaii Contractor Entity Application, page 7 (https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Require-App-for-Contractor-Entity_10.25.pdf).