Do you need a license to be a property manager in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, managing or renting property for others for pay is real estate work that needs a license: the real estate salesperson license, issued by the Hawaii Real Estate Commission. Leasing apartments for others generally needs a license too. The exact wording, with any exceptions, is below.

Managing property for others""Real estate broker" means any person who, for compensation or a valuable consideration, sells or offers to sell, buys or offers to buy, or negotiates the purchase or sale or exchange of real estate, or lists, or solicits for prospective purchasers, or who leases or offers to lease, or rents or offers to rent, or manages or offers to manage, any real estate, or the improvements thereon, for others, as a whole or partial vocation; ... §467-7 Licenses required to act as real estate broker and salesperson. No person within the purview of this chapter shall act as real estate broker or real estate salesperson, or shall advertise, or assume to act as real estate broker or real estate salesperson without a license previously obtained under and in compliance with this chapter and the rules and regulations of the real estate commission." official source
On-site and employee exemptions"(1) To any individual who, as owner of any real estate or acting under power of attorney from the owner, performs any of the acts enumerated in the definitions of real estate 467-7 broker and real estate salesperson with reference to the real estate;" "(3) To any individual who leases, offers to lease, rents, or offers to rent, any real estate or the improvements thereon of which the individual is the custodian or caretaker; (4) To any person who manages, rents, or operates a hotel; or (5) To any provider agency owning, leasing, operating, or managing a homeless facility or any other program for the homeless authorized under part XVII of chapter 346. [L 1933, c 140, §12; RL 1935, §7311; am L 1941, c 205, pt of §1; RL 1945, §7732; RL 1955, §170-2; am L 1961, c 154, §2; HRS §467-2; am L 1971, c 26, §1; am L 1976, c 200, pt of §1; am L 1985, c 141, §3; gen ch 1985; am L 1989, c 217, §2; am L 1" "Exception does not apply to an employee of a corporation. Att. Gen. Op. 66-6. §467-3 Commission, appointments, qualifications, tenure. There shall be appointed a commission to be known as the real estate commission, to consist of nine members, at least four of whom shall be licensed real estate brokers who have been engaged in business as licensed real estate brokers or salespersons for three years immediately preceding their appointments, each of whom shall be a citizen of the United States and shall have resided in the State for at least three years preceding appointment, and one of whom shall be designated by the appointing power as chairp" ""Real estate salesperson" means any individual who, for a compensation or valuable consideration, is employed either directly or indirectly by a real 467-4 estate broker, or is an independent contractor in association with a real estate broker, to sell or offer to sell, buy or offer to buy, or list, or solicit for prospective purchasers, or who leases or offers to lease, or rents or offers to rent, or manages or offers to manage, any real estate, or the improvements thereon, for others as a whole or partial vocation;" official source
Leasing agents""Real estate salesperson" means any individual who, for a compensation or valuable consideration, is employed either directly or indirectly by a real 467-4 estate broker, or is an independent contractor in association with a real estate broker, to sell or offer to sell, buy or offer to buy, or list, or solicit for prospective purchasers, or who leases or offers to lease, or rents or offers to rent, or manages or offers to manage, any real estate, or the improvements thereon, for others as a whole or partial vocation;" official source
Community association managersCondominium managing agent registration (registration of the managing agent, which must be a licensed real estate broker or an authorized corporation; no individual community association manager license) (Hawaii Real Estate Commission (DCCA Real Estate Branch)): "§514B-132 Managing agents. (a) Every managing agent shall: (1) Be a: (A) Licensed real estate broker in compliance with chapter 467 and the rules of the commission." official source
Licensing agencyHawaii Real Estate Commission (Real Estate Branch, Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) official source
CredentialReal estate salesperson license (also real estate broker license) official source

Checked against official Hawaii sources on Oct 27, 2026. This is not legal advice: rules change and exemptions depend on who employs you, so confirm with the licensing agency. This page lists only what we could confirm on an official page.

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