Real Estate Branch

The Real Estate Commission is one of 25 boards and commissions administratively attached to the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs through the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division (P&VLD).

Composition and Terms

The Real Estate Commission is composed of nine members who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The chair is designated by the Governor. All Commissioners must be U.S. citizens who have resided in Hawaii for at least three years preceding appointment. By statute, at least four members must be licensed real estate brokers who have been in the real estate business in Hawaii for three years immediately preceding their appointment. Two Commissioners must be public members. The statute further provides that four Commissioners must be from the City and County of Honolulu, and one Commissioner each from the counties of Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii. Commissioners are appointed for a four year term. The appointment to a Commission position is an uncompensated public service.

General Duties and Responsibilities

The Real Estate Commission is responsible for the licensure, education and discipline of real estate agents; registration of prelicense schools, continuing education providers, condominium projects, condominium associations, condominium managing agents, and condominium hotel operators; and certification of prelicense and continuing education courses, and prelicense instructors.

There are about 17.183 real estate licensees. 12,327 have an active real estate license while 4,856 are inactive. A breakdown by license type show that there are about 3,774 brokers, 10,851 salespersons, 1,625 corporations, partnerships, LLC’s, LLP’s, and 966 sole proprietors.

There are roughly 1,668 condominium association registrations and 29 condominium hotel operator registrations.

The Commission is authorized to: grant licenses to real estate brokers and salespersons; make specific rules to regulate the professional conduct of brokers and salespersons; inspect client trust funds; suspend or revoke licenses; issue certificates of registration to prelicense schools and continuing education providers; certify prelicense and continuing education instructors; fine licensees for violations of the license laws and rules; and register condominium hotel operators and condominium managing agents (if not broker-exempt). In addition the Commission has the responsibility for administering the real estate recovery fund, real estate education fund, and the condominium education trust fund.

Besides these broad general powers, the Commission has many more specific duties, including developing examinations for broker and salesperson applicants; monitoring the activities of real estate schools, providers and instructors; publishing and disseminating reports; and intervening and defending in court cases involving the real estate recovery fund.

Under the Condominium Property Regime, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) Chapter 514B, HRS relating to condominium projects located and sold in Hawaii, the Commission is responsible for the registration and issuance of an effective date of a developer’s prepared public report. The Commission is also responsible for administering the condominium management education fund for educational purposes. These purposes include: education and research in the field of condominium management, registration and real estate for the benefit of the public and those required to be registered pursuant to the Condominium Property Act; improvement and more efficient administration of condominium associations; and expeditious and inexpensive procedure for resolving condominium association disputes.

How to Reach the Commission:

Address: 335 Merchant Street, Room 333
Honolulu, HI 96813
Telephone: (808) 586-2643