# Hawaii contractor insurance requirements

> What Hawaii law says about workers' comp, contractor license insurance and indemnity clauses, and what to check on a contractor COI for a project there.

Reviewed Oct 28, 2026 by Forsured. Source: https://forsured.ai/coi-requirements/hawaii/

## The short version

- Workers' comp required at: 1 employee
- License insurance minimum: Liability required
- Anti-indemnity statute voids: Sole negligence

## Workers' comp in Hawaii

Any Hawaii employer with one or more employees, full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary, must carry workers' comp.

Agency: [Hawaii Disability Compensation Division](https://labor.hawaii.gov/dcd/?p=221)

## Contractor licensing and insurance

Hawaii's Contractors License Board requires general liability insurance, and workers' comp where it applies, to keep a contractor license. A lapse forfeits the license.

## Indemnity and additional insured clauses

Hawaii's anti-indemnity statute (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 431:10-222) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's sole negligence. Clauses that cover shared fault are generally allowed.

## What to check on a contractor COI for a Hawaii project

1. **Workers' comp.** Nearly every contractor with employees needs it in Hawaii. A contractor with a crew and no workers' comp on its COI is a gap. For an out-of-state contractor, confirm Hawaii is listed on the workers' comp policy.
2. **General liability.** A Hawaii license only shows the contractor met the state's floor. Compare each limit on the COI with your project requirements, which are usually higher.
3. **Additional insured.** The endorsement is a separate promise from the indemnity clause, so check both. Ask for the endorsement itself, not just a box ticked on the certificate.
4. **Dates.** Every policy should run through the end of the job. A COI only shows coverage on the day it was issued, so check again at each renewal.

## Common questions

### Do contractors need workers' comp in Hawaii?

Any Hawaii employer with one or more employees, full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary, must carry workers' comp.

### Does Hawaii require contractors to carry general liability insurance?

Hawaii's Contractors License Board requires general liability insurance, and workers' comp where it applies, to keep a contractor license. A lapse forfeits the license.

### Can a Hawaii construction contract make a contractor cover another party's negligence?

Hawaii's anti-indemnity statute (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 431:10-222) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's sole negligence. Clauses that cover shared fault are generally allowed.

## Sources

1. [Workers' compensation coverage](https://labor.hawaii.gov/dcd/?p=221), Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
2. [Contractors License Board](https://cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/2009), Hawaii Professional and Vocational Licensing
3. [Anti-Indemnity Statutes in All 50 States (2023)](https://grsm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Anti-Indemnity-Statutes-2023.pdf), Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, 2023
4. [State Workers' Compensation Officials](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/wc), U.S. Department of Labor

General information, not legal advice. Confirm with the state agency, your broker or your attorney.

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