From the Island Contractors team · Hawaiʻi C-5 License CT-37515 · September 2026
Hiring a contractor on Oʻahu starts with a question you can answer in a few minutes: is the person licensed for the work being offered? The number alone is not enough. Check the business name, status, classification, and the responsible licensed person in Hawaiʻi's official records before you sign.
Verify the license before you do anything else
Hawaiʻi contractor licenses are administered through the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Professional and Vocational Licensing Division. Use the state's BusinessCheck search to review the license record, and use the Regulated Industries Complaints Office resources when researching complaint history.
- Search by the exact company name and license number, and confirm the record shows the license is current and active.
- Read the classification description and make sure it fits the proposed work. Different classifications authorize different kinds of contracting.
- Confirm the business on the contract matches the licensed entity and that the responsible managing employee is listed in the state record.
- Ask them to put in writing who will do the plumbing, the wiring, and any structural work, and which license each of those people holds.
What CT-37515 authorizes
Island Contractors LLC holds Hawaiʻi C-5 license CT-37515: Cabinet, Millwork, and Carpentry Remodeling and Repairs Contractor. The state classification includes cabinet and millwork installation, carpentry remodeling and repairs, and nonbearing partitions. It excludes changes or additions to foundations and load-bearing members such as beams, rafters, and joists. You can confirm the current status of any contractor's license, including ours, on the state's public lookup before you hire. Sean Warnet, our founder, is the responsible managing employee under CT-37516.
Verify Island Contractors through Hawaiʻi BusinessCheck
Why unlicensed work costs you more, not less
A low bid can become expensive when the person is not properly licensed for the promised work or required permits were skipped. Before accepting any bid, confirm the classification, ask whether a permit is required, and make the contract name who is responsible for each part of the job. Honolulu DPP and Hawaiʻi DCCA are the authorities for project-specific permit and license questions.
The red flags to walk away from
Most unlicensed operators tip their hand early. Any one of these is a reason to slow down; two or more is a reason to walk.
- Cash only, or a steep discount for paying cash — a reason to ask for clearer records and payment terms.
- No written contract, or a vague one-page estimate instead of a real scope, timeline, and payment schedule.
- No license number on the bid or contract, or a number that does not match the business in the state record.
- A large upfront deposit without a clear written payment schedule.
- 'We don't need a permit for that' when DPP or the applicable trade rules require one.
What a properly licensed contractor puts in writing
A useful proposal gives you the licensed business name and number, proof of insurance, a specific scope, materials and allowances, schedule, payment terms, change-order process, warranty terms, and permit responsibility. For us, that means saying plainly what C-5 covers (cabinetry, millwork, carpentry, nonbearing walls) and naming the licensed plumber, electrician or structural contractor for anything else. A clear answer beats a vague promise that one license covers everything.
Check the license on every bid you get, including ours. When you're ready, the $250 on-site consultation is credited back to your project on contract. Call (808) 900-7540.
