Need of a License: A real estate salesperson must be licensed by the state of Hawaii to represent clients in the sale or purchase of real estate that is located in Hawaii.
Who Grants a License: Licenses are granted by the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Real Estate Branch (“HiREC”).
Qualifications to receive a License: A candidate must complete 60 clock hours of study at a HiREC-approved real estate school (search schools here). (Some candidates might prove eligibility for a waiver of the education requirement, by submitting proof of equivalent education.) Candidates for licensure must also pass a school-administered final exam, and pass a state exam. All candidates must be 18 years of age, submit a full set of fingerprints, possess a social security number, and prove legal presence. For further information, see the Real Estate Licensing and Education page of the HiREC website.
Applying for the Exams: The testing company that contracts with HiREC to administer the state exam is PSI Exams, Inc. (PSI). Candidates should apply to take the state exam through the PSI website scheduling page. For more information, see the Hawaii Real Estate Commission Real Estate Salesperson, Broker, and Instructor Examination Candidate Information Bulletin.
Test Content: The Hawaii state real estate licensing exam is comprised of two separate tests, the national test and the state-specific test. In addition to the scored questions, five to ten questions on the exam are considered "experimental" questions and are not scored. Both portions are comprised of multiple choice questions with four answer choices provided for each question. Test takers are allotted 150 minutes to complete the national test, and 90 minutes to complete the state test. A score of at least 70% is required to pass. The exam is presented in a computer-based format, but accommodations for paper-based tests and/or oral testing can be provided with special arrangements.
The national test consists of 80 questions and tests the candidate's knowledge of general real estate concepts, including the following subject areas:
Property Ownership
Land Use Controls and Regulations
Valuation and Market Analysis
Financing
Mandated Disclosures
Contracts
Types of Ownership
Transfer of Title
Practice of Real Estate
Real Estate Calculations
Specialty Areas
The state-specific test consists of 50 questions and tests the candidate's knowledge of the state-specific concepts, including the following subject areas:
Ascertaining and Disclosing Material Facts
Types of Ownership
Property Management
Land Utilization
Title and Conveyances
Contracts and Addenda
Financing
Escrow Process and Closing S
Professional Practices and Conduct
Land Use Controls and Regulation
How to Apply for the License: The license application is issued by the testing company upon passing both portions of the licensing exam. (The list of documents required for licensure is subject to change, but an updated list is always on the license application. However, in the interests of candidate preparation, the documents listed here will most likely be on the list.) Candidates must provide HiREC with the following documents: (1) completed application and application fee; (2) original Hawaii state real estate licensing exam score report(s), along with the required screening question responses; (3) proof of legal presence in the U.S.; (4) certificate issued by a HiREC-approved school for completion of the 60-hour salesperson pre-licensure curriculum. All of the required documents must be submitted to the HiREC offices in Honolulu within two years of passing the exam.
Fees: HiREC charges a license application, which is subject to change, but the amount of the fee is always listed on the licensure application that is presented to candidates upon passing the exam.
Who administers the test: HiREC and PSI.
License Renewal Requirements –All real estate licenses expire on December 31 of every even-numbered year. A Hawaii real estate licensee must take 20 credit hours of continuing education (either online or in the classroom) from a HiREC-approved provider every two years. Further information is provided on the HiREC website Continuing education FAQs, here.
Applicable Regulations: Real estate licensees in Hawaii are regulated under the Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 467, and Chapter 99 of Title 16 of the Administrative Rules of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
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