Arbitrator board in Hawaii and the paper you actually file

Last updated 2026-08-21

Do you need a license to be an arbitrator in Hawaii?

No. Hawaii has no state occupational license for arbitrators. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Professional and Vocational Licensing division publishes the boards it actually regulates, and arbitrator is not on that list. ^[7]

You sit as a private arbitrator because the parties named you, or because a court appointed you under HRS 658A-11. That is not a DCCA credential. Court programs add roster rules on top of the statute, and those rules can require Hawaii bar membership, training, or both. Confirm the current criteria with the circuit that runs the list.

People mix this up because other Hawaii jobs really do run through a board. Contractors do. Real estate brokers do. Arbitrators do not. If a website sells you a Hawaii arbitrator license, it is not selling a state credential.

Private commercial work under chapter 658A is wide open on paper. The statute cares about the agreement, the appointment method, and your disclosures. It does not create a licensing exam. ^[1]

Court-annexed work is narrower. The Hawaii Arbitration Rules control the Court Annexed Arbitration Program, which is a judiciary process. ^[8] Labor cases are narrower still. A collective bargaining agreement names the panel or the appointing agency. The Hawaii Labor Relations Board sits under HRS 89-5, and it does not issue an arbitrator card. ^[10]

If you are not a lawyer, you can still take many private cases. Unauthorized practice of law is a separate issue under HRS chapter 605 the moment you start drafting court pleadings or giving legal advice. ^[12] Hearing evidence and writing an award is the job. Stay in that lane unless you are admitted.

Treat the license question as two questions. For DCCA, the answer is no. For the roster you want, the answer is whatever that roster published this year.

Is there an arbitrator board in Hawaii?

No. There is no Hawaii Arbitrator Board that licenses the occupation. Search arbitrator Hawaii and the myth still shows up, because the results collapse three different offices into one name.

The first office is DCCA PVL. That is the real licensing agency for dozens of trades. It is the wrong window for this job. ^[7]

The second is the Hawaii Judiciary. Circuit courts run arbitration programs, including the Court Annexed Arbitration Program under the Hawaii Arbitration Rules. An arbitration administrator or arbitration judge manages the pool. That person is a court officer, not a licensing director. ^[8]

The third is a private or federal panel. AAA, JAMS, FINRA, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service keep rosters. FMCS labor arbitration procedures live in 29 CFR Part 1404. ^[15] Those groups can reject you. They still are not a Hawaii board.

If someone asks for your board number, you do not have one. You have an appointment in a case, or a roster status with a named program. Keep those names straight on your website and on your award caption.

Other states use the same messy vocabulary. The writeups on the arbitrator board in California and the arbitrator board in Alaska show the same pattern. Courts and private panels do the screening. A state vocational board usually does not.

What does HRS 658A actually require?

HRS chapter 658A is Hawaii's Uniform Arbitration Act. Section 658A-1 says the chapter may be cited as the Uniform Arbitration Act. ^[1] That statute is the working law for most private Hawaii arbitrations that are not pulled into a specific industry regime or into the Federal Arbitration Act.

Appointment is the first mechanical piece. HRS 658A-11 states, "If the parties to an agreement to arbitrate agree on a method for appointing an arbitrator, that method shall be followed, unless the method fails." ^[2] If the method fails, a court can appoint. You do not apply to a board to become eligible. A party files in circuit court and asks.

Disclosure is the second piece, and it is the one that gets people in trouble. HRS 658A-12 says, "Before accepting appointment, an individual who is requested to serve as an arbitrator, after making a reasonable inquiry, shall disclose to all parties..." any known facts a reasonable person would consider likely to affect impartiality. ^[3] Family ties. Repeat-player work. Money. Prior representation. Write it down. Send it. Keep the proof.

The award has a statutory shape. HRS 658A-19 controls what an award must contain and how it is recorded. ^[4] If you want the award to become a judgment, someone moves to confirm it under HRS 658A-22. ^[5] That motion is court paper. It is not a license renewal.

Fees can sit in the award when the law or the agreement allows it. HRS 658A-21 is the fees and expenses section. ^[6] Do not invent a right to your own fee shifting. Read the contract and that section together.

Interstate contracts can pull in the Federal Arbitration Act. 9 U.S.C. § 2 makes written agreements to arbitrate in transactions involving commerce valid and enforceable. ^[11] Hawaii courts still see a lot of 658A procedure around confirmation and vacatur. Flag both statutes in your engagement letter when the contract has any interstate hook.

Read the chapter once before you take a case. It is short. Most early mistakes are people improvising past 658A-12.

How does Hawaii's Court Annexed Arbitration Program work?

The Court Annexed Arbitration Program is a Hawaii Judiciary process for certain tort cases. It is not a private club and it is not a DCCA license track. The Hawaii Arbitration Rules are the controlling court rules. ^[8]

CAAP has long used a probable jury award ceiling for mandatory tort referrals. Published Rule 6 language has used a $150,000 figure, exclusive of interest and costs, and not reduced by liability. Rules get amended. Read the current Hawaii Arbitration Rules on the Judiciary site before you quote that number or build a business plan on it. ^[8]

The program has been centered in the First Circuit on Oahu. Other circuits use ADR tools through the Judiciary. Do not assume a Hilo or Wailuku case follows the Honolulu CAAP packet. Call that circuit.

Arbitrator pay, training, and selection inside CAAP are court-set. I am not going to invent a per-case stipend or a class length. Those figures move. The First Circuit arbitration administrator is the source of truth.

If you want CAAP work, you are usually looking at Hawaii bar status plus whatever orientation the court is running this year. HRS chapter 605 is the attorney admission chapter, and that is a Supreme Court process, not an arbitrator board process. ^[12]

CAAP awards feed back into the civil case. That is different from a standalone 658A proceeding, which only hits the courthouse if someone confirms or vacates the award. Know which box you are in before you caption the award.

How do you get on a Hawaii court or private roster?

You get on a roster by applying to that roster. There is no master Hawaii list.

For CAAP, ask the First Circuit arbitration administrator for the current application, training calendar, and any standing order on qualifications. ^[8] Submit what they ask. Do not decorate the packet with certificates from random webinars.

For private commercial work, parties pick you. Your roster is your reputation, your availability, and any panel that counsel already uses. AAA and similar providers run their own national applications, and their fees and wait times change. Confirm with the provider. Same story if you compare notes with people reading about the arbitrator board in Florida or the arbitrator board in Arizona. The state is rarely the bottleneck. The panel is.

FINRA keeps a public path if you want securities cases that happen to involve Hawaii residents. The application and training sit on FINRA's become-an-arbitrator page. ^[13] That is a self-regulatory roster, not a Hawaii license.

FMCS is the labor path many Hawaii public and private sector contracts still name. 29 CFR Part 1404 is the federal procedure set for FMCS arbitration services. ^[15] You apply to FMCS, not to DCCA.

Pick one roster that matches the cases you already understand. A construction lawyer should not pretend to be a health-plan arbitrator in month one. Scattered applications waste time.

How much does it cost to become an arbitrator in Hawaii?

There is no Hawaii arbitrator license fee, because there is no Hawaii arbitrator license. ^[7] Your real costs are training you choose, insurance you choose, tax registration, bar dues if you are a lawyer, and the time to write decent awards.

I will not quote a current CAAP stipend, AAA panel fee, or bar dues figure here. Those numbers move and I will not invent them. Confirm each one with the court, the panel, or the bar.

If you already hold a Hawaii law license, your sunk cost is behind you. If you do not, do not enroll in law school just to do private 658A cases. The statute does not require it. ^[2]

Business tax is the cost newcomers forget. If you charge for hearings in Hawaii, chapter 237 general excise tax can apply to the gross receipts of many service businesses. HRS 237-13 is the imposition section. ^[14] Confirm registration and the current rate, including any county surcharge, with the Department of Taxation. GET is not an arbitrator board fee. It is how Hawaii taxes business activity.

National wage data is a weak pricing guide. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook reports a national median annual wage of $71,540 for arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators based on May 2023 data. ^[9] That mix includes mediators and is not a Hawaii rate sheet. Private day rates here move with the claim size and whether you are flying to Kona.

Compare the cost shape, not the dollar, with arbitrator cost in California and arbitrator cost in Florida. The expensive item is almost never a state application. It is slow case flow.

A weekend certificate is a waste of money. So is a framed board-certified plaque with no roster behind it.

How long does it take to start as an arbitrator in Hawaii?

There is no statutory processing time for becoming a Hawaii arbitrator. DCCA is not timing your file. ^[7]

Private work can start as soon as a party hires you and you finish the 658A-12 disclosure. ^[3] That can be days. It can also be never, if nobody knows you exist.

Court roster placement runs on a court calendar. Training dates and pool updates are local. Confirm with the First Circuit administrator. I will not invent a week count. ^[8]

FMCS and FINRA each run their own process. 29 CFR Part 1404 and FINRA's published page are the documents. ^{[15] [13]} Plan on months, then read what those bodies are saying this quarter.

Bar admission, if you need it for CAAP, is the long pole. HRS chapter 605 sits with the Hawaii Supreme Court. ^[12] Character and fitness plus exam or admission by motion are bar issues. Confirm with the Board of Examiners. Nobody can honestly promise you a CAAP seat by a holiday.

Building a private practice is slower than filling out a form. Counsel watch how you run a room. One late award will follow you around Honolulu.

If a coach sells a 30-day Hawaii arbitrator launch, walk away.

What paper do you actually file in a Hawaii arbitration?

The paper path is short if you keep it statutory.

Before the hearing you send disclosures under HRS 658A-12 and you keep the transmittal. ^[3] You also keep the appointment document. That may be a clause in a contract, a submission agreement, a court order under 658A-11, or a CAAP assignment. ^[2]

During the case you run a simple record. Exhibit list. Witness list. A minute of what was received. Hawaii confirmation fights often turn on what the arbitrator actually decided, not on how pretty the letterhead looked.

The award follows HRS 658A-19. Put the caption, the parties, the date, the relief, and your signature in one document a clerk can scan. ^[4] If the parties asked for a reasoned award, write reasons. If they asked for a bare award, do not volunteer a treatise.

Confirmation is HRS 658A-22. A party files in court. You usually are not the filer. ^[5] Still, write the award so a circuit judge can enter it without guessing.

CAAP has its own forms. Use the Judiciary's current packet, not a generic AAA template, when you are inside that program. ^[8]

If you want a checklist that is not a court form, ArbitratorPath sells a $199 one-time Hearing + Roster Kit at /start. It is an organizer for disclosures, captions, and roster paperwork. It is not a Hawaii license, not legal advice, and not a substitute for the statute.

GET returns are tax paper, not arbitration paper. File those with Taxation if you are required to. ^[14]

How do labor panels and FMCS fit in Hawaii?

Labor arbitration in Hawaii is contract-driven. The collective bargaining agreement names an appointing agency or a standing panel. You do not pick up those cases by registering with DCCA.

The Hawaii Labor Relations Board exists under HRS 89-5 to administer the public-sector collective bargaining law. ^[10] That board decides prohibited practice complaints and related statutory matters. It is not your personal licensing board. Do not call HLRB to activate an arbitrator number.

FMCS remains a common appointing agency in Hawaii labor contracts. The federal procedure is 29 CFR Part 1404. ^[15] Read it before you accept an FMCS appointment. Your biography on that roster should match the industries you can actually hear. Hotels, longshore, public schools, and health systems are real Hawaii dockets. Pick the ones you know.

Private grievance work still produces a 658A-shaped award if the parties later need confirmation, unless a labor-specific enforcement path applies. When in doubt, read the contract's enforcement clause and chapter 658A together. ^[1]

I would rather do ten labor cases in one industry than market myself as a universal neutral in year one.

What does first-year arbitrator work look like in Hawaii?

First-year operations in Hawaii are mostly calendar, conflicts, and interisland logistics.

You need a conflict system that catches repeat players. 658A-12 expects a reasonable inquiry before you accept. ^[3] A spreadsheet beats memory. Honolulu is a small professional community. You will see the same carriers, the same construction managers, and the same public employers.

Hearings happen in conference rooms, union halls, and on video. Neighbor-island cases add airfare and time. Decide in your engagement letter who pays travel. Do not eat a last-seat flight to Lihue because you were too polite to ask.

Insurance is a business choice. Many parties expect errors-and-omissions coverage. I will not invent a premium. Shop it and read the exclusion for your own award.

Invoicing should match the appointment document. 658A-21 is not a blank check for whatever hourly rate you wish you had quoted. ^[6]

The BLS description is dry and accurate enough: "Arbitrators, mediators, and conciliators facilitate negotiation and dialogue between disputing parties to help resolve conflicts outside of the court system." ^[9] Your first-year product is an award a circuit court can confirm, not a vibe.

Marketing is slow. Counsel and claims managers send work to people they have watched. One clean award does more than a dozen posts.

Compare that grind with how the arbitrator board in Colorado writeup describes early case flow. The geography changes. The slow start does not.

What wastes money when you start as an arbitrator in Hawaii?

Buying a fake Hawaii license is the dumbest spend. DCCA does not sell one. ^[7]

Paying for national certification that no local judge or claims manager recognizes is next. If the roster you want does not list that certificate, it is decor.

Printing gold-foil letterhead before you have a single appointment is a waste. Write on plain paper that already has your phone number.

Ignoring GET until you get a notice is more expensive than registering when you should. ^[14]

Copying a mainland fee schedule without asking what similar Hawaii cases actually pay will price you out or cheapen you. Nobody has good public data on Honolulu commercial arbitrator day rates. The closest official wage figure is that national BLS median of $71,540, and it is the wrong tool for a one-day hearing quote. ^[9]

If you like side-by-side state reading, the arbitrator board in Connecticut explainer is a useful contrast. Connecticut also runs court-connected ADR. It still is not a vocational license in the DCCA sense.

Path	State license	Who writes the rules	Who you call
Private HRS 658A	None	Parties and chapter 658A	Circuit court only if a party confirms or vacates
CAAP	None	Hawaii Arbitration Rules	First Circuit arbitration administrator
Labor / FMCS	None	The CBA and 29 CFR 1404	FMCS and the parties
FINRA	None	FINRA arbitration rules	FINRA

What would I actually do if I were starting in Hawaii?

If I were starting as an arbitrator in Hawaii this year, I would do a short list of concrete things and skip the rest.

I would read HRS 658A end to end, then print 658A-12 and keep it in the case file. ^{[1] [3]}

I would call the First Circuit arbitration administrator and ask whether CAAP is even a fit. If I am not a Hawaii lawyer, I would not pretend CAAP is my year-one plan. ^{[8] [12]}

I would pick one private lane I already know. Construction. Condo association. Labor in a sector I have lived. I would write a one-page bio with no invented credentials.

I would register for taxes if I am charging fees, using the Department of Taxation process under chapter 237. ^[14]

I would decline any vendor selling a state arbitrator license.

ArbitratorPath is an independent publisher, not a law firm and not a service company. The Hearing + Roster Kit at /start is optional paper help. You can do this entire path with the statute, the Hawaii Arbitration Rules, and one honest roster application.

No timing promises. Confirm every fee and every training date with the court or panel that owns it.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license for arbitrator in Hawaii?

No. DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing does not license arbitrators. Private parties appoint you under HRS 658A. Court programs such as CAAP set their own roster rules, which may require Hawaii bar membership and court training. Labor panels follow the contract and any appointing agency. Confirm the roster you want. A vendor license is not a state credential.

How much does arbitrator cost in Hawaii?

There is no state arbitrator license fee. Budget for optional training, E&O insurance, Hawaii general excise tax if you are doing business here, bar dues if you are a lawyer, and any private panel application fee. CAAP pay and panel fees change. Confirm each figure with the court, Taxation, the bar, or the panel. National BLS median wage data is not a Hawaii fee schedule.

How long does arbitrator take in Hawaii?

There is no DCCA processing clock. A private 658A case can start as soon as you are appointed and you send disclosures. Court and national roster placement follows that program's calendar. Confirm dates with the First Circuit administrator, FMCS, FINRA, or AAA. Bar admission, if you need it for CAAP, is a separate Supreme Court timeline. Ignore anyone who guarantees a 30-day launch.

Can a non-lawyer serve as an arbitrator in Hawaii?

Yes in many private cases. HRS 658A lets parties agree on an appointment method and does not require a law license. CAAP and some industry panels do require attorneys or other stated credentials. Do not practice law if you are not admitted under HRS chapter 605. Writing an award is not the same as appearing as counsel.

What is the Court Annexed Arbitration Program in Hawaii?

CAAP is a Judiciary program, mainly associated with the First Circuit, that sends certain tort cases to arbitration under the Hawaii Arbitration Rules. Published Rule 6 language has used a $150,000 probable jury award ceiling. Read the current rule before you rely on that number. It is not a DCCA license track and not a private commercial panel.

How do I get on the CAAP arbitrator list?

Ask the First Circuit arbitration administrator for the current application, qualification memo, and training date. Expect Hawaii bar status to matter. Do not mail DCCA. Do not substitute a national webinar certificate for the court's own orientation. Confirm every requirement because standing orders change.

Does the Hawaii Labor Relations Board license arbitrators?

No. HRS 89-5 creates the Hawaii Labor Relations Board to administer public-sector collective bargaining law. HLRB hears statutory complaints. It does not issue a personal arbitrator license. Labor arbitrator appointments come from the contract, the parties, or an agency named in the contract such as FMCS.

Do I need E&O insurance as a Hawaii arbitrator?

The statute does not force you to buy a policy. Many counsel and panels expect errors-and-omissions coverage before they will appoint you. Shop the exclusion language. I will not invent a premium. Confirm what a given roster or engagement letter actually requires.

How do I confirm an arbitration award in Hawaii circuit court?

A party files a motion to confirm under HRS 658A-22. You usually write the award under 658A-19 and stop. Make the award clear enough that a clerk and a judge can enter it. CAAP has its own filing path inside the civil case. Use the current Judiciary forms for that program.

Is the Federal Arbitration Act used in Hawaii cases?

Yes when the agreement involves interstate commerce. 9 U.S.C. § 2 makes those written arbitration agreements valid and enforceable. Hawaii's chapter 658A still supplies a lot of the procedure around appointment, disclosure, and confirmation. Read both if the contract has any mainland or interstate hook.

Can I advertise as a Hawaii arbitrator without a law license?

You can describe private neutral work you are actually willing to take. Do not imply DCCA licensure, CAAP roster status, or bar admission you do not have. Do not offer legal services if you are not admitted. Keep the website boring and accurate.

What disclosures does HRS 658A require before I accept a case?

HRS 658A-12 requires a reasonable inquiry, then disclosure to the parties and any co-arbitrators of known facts a reasonable person would consider likely to affect your impartiality. Interests, relationships, repeat appointments. Put it in writing and keep the send record. Update if new facts appear.

Are online arbitrator certificates recognized in Hawaii?

Only if the roster you want lists that certificate. CAAP follows the Hawaii Arbitration Rules and the court's own training. FMCS and FINRA follow their own processes. A paid weekend PDF impresses nobody at the First Circuit. Spend the money on the roster that assigns cases.

Sources

1. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 658A-1 (Uniform Arbitration Act): Hawaii chapter 658A may be cited as the Uniform Arbitration Act and is the core private arbitration statute.
2. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 658A-11 (Appointment of arbitrator): If parties agree on a method for appointing an arbitrator, that method shall be followed unless the method fails.
3. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 658A-12 (Disclosure by arbitrator): Before accepting appointment an arbitrator must make a reasonable inquiry and disclose facts likely to affect impartiality.
4. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 658A-19 (Award): HRS 658A-19 controls the form and recording of the arbitration award.
5. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 658A-22 (Confirmation of award): A party confirms an award in court under HRS 658A-22.
6. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 658A-21 (Remedies, fees and expenses): Arbitrator fees and expenses are governed by HRS 658A-21 together with the parties' agreement and other law.
7. Hawaii DCCA, Professional and Vocational Licensing boards list: DCCA PVL publishes the occupations it actually boards and licenses; arbitrator is not among them.
8. U.S. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Arbitrators, Mediators, and Conciliators: BLS reports a national median annual wage of $71,540 (May 2023 data) and describes the occupation as facilitating dispute resolution outside court.
9. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 89-5 (Hawaii Labor Relations Board): HRS 89-5 establishes the Hawaii Labor Relations Board for public-sector collective bargaining administration, not personal arbitrator licensing.
10. Cornell LII, 9 U.S.C. § 2 (Federal Arbitration Act): A written arbitration provision in a contract involving commerce is valid, irrevocable, and enforceable under federal law.
11. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 605-1 (Attorneys, admission): Admission to practice law in Hawaii is a Hawaii Supreme Court process under chapter 605, separate from any arbitrator roster.
12. FINRA, Become a FINRA Arbitrator: FINRA runs its own arbitrator application and training path for securities disputes, independent of Hawaii DCCA.
13. Hawaii Legislature, HRS § 237-13 (General excise tax imposition): HRS 237-13 imposes Hawaii general excise tax on many business activities, which can include fee-for-service hearing work.
14. eCFR, 29 CFR Part 1404 (FMCS Arbitration Services): FMCS labor arbitration services and arbitrator roster procedures are set out in 29 CFR Part 1404.