Hawaii licenses physicians through the Hawaii Medical Board, housed inside the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division (PVL) of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). Hawaii joined the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact in 2025 and now issues licenses by compact — but Hawaii is NOT a State of Principal Licensure (you cannot enter the IMLC through Hawaii; you can only have a Hawaii license issued by IMLC if you entered through another state). Hawaii's license-by-endorsement pathway requires 2 years of active clinical practice in the preceding 5 years, a uniquely Hawaii eligibility threshold.
Hawaii Medical License Requirements
Degree from an LCME-accredited (MD) or AOA-accredited (DO) medical school. International medical graduates must hold a valid ECFMG certificate and graduated from a school recognized by the World Directory of Medical Schools.
Postgraduate training: U.S. graduates eligible for the licensing examination after completing the first year of residency (PGY-1). International medical graduates eligible after completing the second year of residency (PGY-2).
Pass the USMLE, COMLEX-USA, or LMCC/MCCQE.
License-by-endorsement applicants must hold a permanent license in another U.S. jurisdiction, not have been subject to disciplinary action, and have <strong>2 years of active clinical practice in the preceding 5 years</strong> from application submission.
Verification of every other state license held — current or expired — sent directly from the issuing board to the Hawaii Medical Board.
Primary-source verification of medical school and postgraduate training. FCVS-routed credentials accepted.
NPDB and AMA Physician Profile queries per Board instructions.
How Much Does an Hawaii Medical License Cost?
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Application Fee (issued February-of-even-year through January-of-odd-year) | $290 | Mid-cycle issuance fee; verify the current amount with PVL. |
| Initial Application Fee (issued February-of-odd-year through January-of-even-year) | $170 | Late-cycle issuance fee — Hawaii prorates based on biennial cycle position. |
| Biennial Renewal | $696 | Due January 31 of even-numbered years; verify current renewal fee with PVL. |
| IMLC Application Fee (alternative pathway, compact-issued only) | $700 | Paid to IMLCC. Hawaii is NOT an SPL — you must enter the IMLC through a different state. |
Fees above are paid to Hawaii and the FSMB. Our service fee is separate — see pricing.
We handle the Hawaii application end-to-end.
Eligibility screening, document prep, board follow-ups, and tracking — so you don't lose a Board meeting cycle to a missing form.
View full pricingHow Long Does It Take to Get an Hawaii Medical License?
Typical Processing
45-60 days from submission, sometimes 1.5-4 months depending on credential complexity
Recommended Lead Time
Submit at least 3-4 months before intended start of practice
IMG applications run longer. The IMLC pathway is significantly faster (about 30 days) once IMLCC issues a Letter of Qualification — but remember, you must enter the IMLC through a different State of Principal Licensure since Hawaii does not qualify as an SPL.
Where Hawaii Applications Get Delayed
Hawaii is NOT an IMLC State of Principal Licensure. You cannot enter the compact through a Hawaii license — only Hawaii license issuance is available, after entering through another SPL state. This catches physicians who live in Hawaii and assume they can use it as their home base for IMLC.
Hawaii's license-by-endorsement requires 2 years of active clinical practice in the preceding 5 years. Physicians coming off training, fellowship, or a research-only role may not qualify under endorsement and must use the standard licensure-by-examination path instead.
Hawaii's biennial application fee prorates based on cycle position — the same license costs $290 if issued early in the cycle and $170 if issued late. Be aware of which fee applies at submission.
All Hawaii physician licenses expire January 31 of every even-numbered year on a fixed cycle. New licensees issued late in the cycle can renew within months of issuance.
Verifications of every prior state license — current or expired — must be sent directly from the issuing board. Old training-state licenses are a frequent oversight.
IMG postgraduate-training threshold is 2 years (PGY-2 complete) for examination eligibility — higher than the 1-year U.S.-graduate threshold.
CME documentation is attestation-based at renewal but the Board conducts random audits. Keep certificates of completion for at least 4 years.
Renewing Your Hawaii Medical License
Renewal Cycle
Biennial; all physician licenses expire January 31 of every even-numbered year (next: January 31, 2028)
Renewal Fee
$696
CME Requirement
40 CME credits per biennium, with 40 of those required to be AMA PRA Category 1 (or AOA Category 1) Credits. Documentation is attestation-based at renewal; certificates submitted only on audit.
Late Grace Period
Licenses not renewed by January 31 of an even year are unlicensed; reinstatement procedures apply. Practice without a current license is prohibited.
How Hawaii Issues Medical Licenses
Hawaii licenses physicians through the Hawaii Medical Board, housed inside the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division (PVL) of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). Hawaii issues both license-by-examination and license-by-endorsement, with most relocating physicians using endorsement. Applications and supporting documents flow through PVL's online filing system; the Hawaii Medical Board approves complete files at scheduled meetings or administratively when no flags exist.
Where Most Hawaii Applications Get Stuck
Three Hawaii-specific quirks cause the bulk of delays we see:
- The 2-year active clinical practice requirement. Hawaii's license-by-endorsement requires applicants to have 2 years of active clinical practice in the preceding 5 years from application submission. Physicians coming off fellowship, a research-only role, or a long extended absence may not qualify under endorsement — and the standard examination-pathway is more documentation-heavy.
- Biennial fee prorating. Hawaii prorates the initial application fee based on where in the biennial cycle you are licensed: roughly $290 for early-cycle issuance (February of even years through January of odd years) and roughly $170 for late-cycle. Same license, different price — confirm the current fee at submission.
- IMG postgraduate-training threshold. Hawaii statute (HRS Chapter 453) makes IMG applicants eligible for the licensing examination only after completing the second year of residency, vs after PGY-1 for U.S. graduates. IMGs applying off PGY-1 are not yet eligible.
What You'll Pay
Hawaii's biennial fee structure prorates based on cycle position: roughly $290 for early-cycle issuance and $170 for late-cycle issuance. Biennial renewal is approximately $696, due January 31 of even-numbered years. Verify current fee amounts with PVL before submission. The IMLC pathway has a $700 IMLCC application fee plus state issuance — but remember, Hawaii is not a valid State of Principal Licensure, so you must enter the IMLC through another state.
Realistic Timeline
Hawaii applications typically run 45-60 days from submission to issuance for clean files, with some applicants experiencing 1.5-4 month timelines depending on credential complexity. IMG applications run longer when international primary-source verifications are involved. The IMLC pathway is significantly faster — typically about 30 days from IMLCC Letter of Qualification to Hawaii license issuance — but again, you must enter the compact through a different SPL.
Renewal and CME
Hawaii physician licenses run on a fixed biennial cycle — every license expires January 31 of every even-numbered year, regardless of when initially issued. Total CME is 40 hours per biennium, all of which must be AMA PRA Category 1 (or AOA Category 1) Credits. Documentation is attestation-based at renewal; certificates are only submitted if you are selected for audit, but the Board does conduct random audits and certificates should be kept for at least 4 years. Licenses not renewed by January 31 of an even year are unlicensed — practice without a current license is prohibited and reinstatement procedures apply.
Single State Versus IMLC (and Hawaii's SPL Caveat)
Hawaii joined the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact in 2025, with full and restricted licenses now available by compact application through the IMLCC. Important: Hawaii is NOT a State of Principal Licensure for IMLC purposes. That means you cannot enter the IMLC through a Hawaii license — you can only have a Hawaii license issued by the IMLC after entering through a different SPL state. Physicians who live and practice primarily in Hawaii and want to use IMLC must hold an active full license in another state that qualifies as their SPL. If you have an eligible SPL elsewhere and Hawaii is your destination, IMLC is typically about 30 days vs the 45-60 day direct-application path.
How White Glove Helps
We manage Hawaii applications end-to-end through PVL: confirming endorsement eligibility (the 2-year active clinical practice rule trips many recent fellowship grads), routing every prior-state verification directly board-to-board, sequencing IMG applicants past the PGY-2 examination threshold, and surfacing the cycle-position fee proration so you don't pay the wrong amount. For physicians who live in Hawaii and want IMLC, we map out the SPL path through another state since Hawaii itself can't serve as your IMLC home base.
Hawaii Medical License FAQ
How much does a Hawaii medical license cost?
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How long does it take to get a Hawaii medical license?
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Does Hawaii participate in the IMLC?
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What postgraduate training is required for Hawaii?
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What CME does Hawaii require?
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Can I use Hawaii as my IMLC State of Principal Licensure?
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Why do most Hawaii medical license applications get delayed?
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What Working with Us Costs
Transparent, a la carte service fees. The state and FSMB fees listed above are paid directly to those agencies. Our concierge service is separate.
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