Auctioneer License Requirements in Hawaii
County-level license. Hawaii licenses auctioneers at the county level under a state statute — you apply with your county, which may modify the rules by ordinance.
What Online Auctioneers Need to Know
The statute predates the internet and contains no online exemption, so the working assumption is that the county license applies to online sales too — verify how your county treats an online-only operation.
The Rules in Hawaii
Hawaii's auctioneer law, HRS chapter 445, part II, sets a statewide framework that the counties administer: each county issues auctioneer licenses and can adjust requirements by ordinance. That makes your county licensing office the practical authority, with the state statute as the floor.
The statute requires a surety bond conditioned on faithful accounting to consignors — $3,000 in Honolulu and $500 in the other districts under section 445-31. There is no statutory contract-content requirement and no settlement deadline, so payment terms are set by your own consignment agreement.
Requirements at a Glance
- County-issued auctioneer license (HRS §§ 445-21 to 445-38); counties may modify rules by ordinance
- Surety bond: $3,000 in Honolulu, $500 in other districts (HRS § 445-31)
- Bond is conditioned on faithful accounting of auction proceeds
- No statutory written-contract contents or settlement deadline
Authority: County licensing authorities (no state board). Statute: HRS ch. 445, pt. II.
Not legal advice. Auction law changes — several states have amended their online-auction rules since 2019. Verify current requirements with the licensing authority above (or your city/county clerk) before your first sale, and have a local attorney review your consignment contract.
Licensed (or Exempt)? Here's the Rest of the Path
The license is usually the easy part. The business itself — platform affiliation, sourcing consignments, cataloging, settlement — is laid out in how to start an online auction business, and the earning math is in how much auctioneers make.