Hawaii licenses painting contractors, and the state gives you free tools to check one. Use them. This page covers the licence rules, what a good quote and contract look like, and the warning signs. The Honolulu Painting Company is licensed and insured.
This page is general information for Hawaii homeowners and landlords. It is not legal advice. For your own case, check with the agency named or with a lawyer.
How do I find a good painter in Honolulu?
To find a good painter, start with the licence, then look at recent local work and a clear written quote. Ask neighbors and your building's manager who painted for them. Check each name on the state's licence search. Read recent reviews for how problems were handled. Have each painter see the job in person. To choose a painter, weigh how carefully they looked at your walls as much as the price they gave.
Does a painter need a licence in this state?
Yes, for most jobs. In Hawaii a painter needs a contractor's licence for any job where labor and materials together cost more than $1,500, or that needs a building permit. Painting is a specialty classification, C-33 Painting and Decorating, issued by the Contractors License Board of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the DCCA. Below $1,500 with no permit, the state's handyman exemption applies and an unlicensed person may do the work.
The $1,500 figure is the one the DCCA publishes as of 2026. Bills to raise it have been before the legislature, so check the DCCA site for the current amount.
How do I check a painter's licence and insurance in this state?
Check a painter's licence on the DCCA's Business Check page at cca.hawaii.gov/businesscheck, or call the Consumer Resource Center at 1-844-808-3222. The search shows whether the licence is current and what class it is. A second search shows the complaint history. For insurance, ask the painter for a certificate of liability insurance and proof of workers' compensation, and call the insurer on the certificate if you want to be sure.
How many quotes should I get?
Three quotes is a sensible number for a whole-house job. For one or two rooms, two is plenty. More than three rarely teaches you anything new. Give each painter the same list of rooms, surfaces and colors, so the quotes can be compared.
What should a painting estimate include?
A painting estimate should include enough detail that a different painter could do the same job from it:
- The areas and surfaces to be painted, and what is left out.
- The prep: washing, scraping, patching, sanding, caulking and priming.
- The number of coats.
- The paint line, sheen and colors.
- Who supplies the paint.
- Protection of floors, furniture and plants, and cleanup.
- Start date and expected length.
- Total price and payment terms.
- The contractor's licence number.
What should be in a painting contract?
A painting contract should hold everything in the estimate plus the terms: the contractor's name, address and licence number, the price, the payment schedule, the start and finish dates, how changes are agreed and priced, what warranty is given, and both signatures. Get it in writing before any work or payment. Hawaii's contractor rules also set out disclosures a licensed contractor gives a homeowner. Ask the DCCA if you want the detail.
How much deposit should I give a painter?
Keep the deposit small and tied to something real, such as booking the date or buying the paint. We did not find a Hawaii rule that sets a fixed limit on a painter's deposit, so the amount is a matter between you and the contractor. The state's advice is plain: never pay all of the money up front. Pay the balance in stages as work is done, with the last part due after the final walk-through.
A painter wants half up front in cash. Is that a red flag?
Yes, it is a warning sign. The state's Regulated Industries Complaints Office warns that unlicensed contractors may ask for cash payments or substantial down payments. Cash leaves no record. Half the price before any work starts leaves you with little hold over the job. Pay by check or card, get a receipt, and check the licence before you pay anything.
Should I hire a painter who wants all the money up front?
No. Do not hire a painter who wants all of the money up front. The state's consumer guidance says never to pay everything in advance. A sound contractor can carry the labor on a house repaint and bill as the work is done.
What are the red flags?
The main red flags are:
- No licence number, or one that does not match the name on the state search.
- No written quote or contract.
- Cash only, or a large payment before work starts.
- A price far below the others with no detail on prep.
- No proof of insurance.
- Pressure to sign today.
- No mention of lead-safe work on a house built before 1978.
- An out-of-state phone number and no local address or references.
A painter says they can start tomorrow. Is that a red flag?
Not by itself, but ask why. A painter who can start tomorrow may have had a job cancel or a rain delay move the schedule. It may also mean no other work, which is worth a second look. If the offer comes with pressure to pay a deposit today, treat it as a warning sign. Check the licence and get the written quote first.
What should I ask a painter before hiring?
The questions to ask a painter are simple:
- What is your Hawaii contractor licence number?
- Are you insured, and can I see the certificate?
- Who will be on the job, and are they your employees?
- What prep is included?
- How many coats, and which paint?
- How do you handle a pre-1978 house? Is your firm EPA certified for lead-safe work?
- When can you start and how long will it take?
- What are the payment terms?
- What warranty do you give, in writing?
Do painters give a warranty, and what should it cover?
Many painters give a written warranty on their work, and you should ask each one for theirs. A useful warranty covers peeling, blistering and flaking caused by the prep or the application. It normally does not cover fading, damage from leaks, or wood that rots or moves. Paint makers have their own product warranties, which cover the paint and not the labor. Ask us about the warranty on your job when we quote it.
What if a painter damages my floors or furniture?
A painter who causes damage should repair it or pay for it, and that is what liability insurance is for. Take photos, tell the painter in writing right away, and give them the chance to put it right. If they will not, you can file a complaint with the Regulated Industries Complaints Office, known as RICO, through cca.hawaii.gov/rico or 1-844-808-3222. This is one more reason to hire a licensed, insured contractor.
The Honolulu Painting Company gives free estimates with a written quote. Call or text (808) 201-4302.