Hiring an access control installer in Hawaii

Specialty trades are grouped into lettered classes by Hawaii's Contractors License Board. For electronic equipment and controls, C-15 is the class, per the board's list of license classifications. Among the named items are electric door opening devices, clock systems, intercoms, and fire and burglar alarms.

That description covers a gate keypad, a card reader that activates a door strike, or an entry intercom. Wires run through metal or plastic pipe called conduit, and installing it is not part of this class.

That part of the job goes to a C-13 contractor when new conduit or a new circuit for the door controller is needed. A C-13 contractor could handle the whole job instead, or a C-15 business may subcontract that portion.

• Only central fire and burglar alarm systems, still without conduit, are under the C-15a Fire and burglar alarm license.
• The C-15b Telecommunications contractor handles data, phone and computer wiring.
• Wiring below 600 volts phase to phase is the domain of a C-13 Electrical contractor, and C-15 work comes under it too. A C-13 contractor is also allowed to handle the conduit and the power feed.

The responsible managing employee (RME), who qualifies the company, must meet the license requirements the board sets. At least age 18, 4 years of supervisory experience from the past 10, and a passed class exam are all required of the RME.

Liability and workers' compensation insurance must be kept on file with the board by the company. A lapse in that coverage causes the automatic loss of both company and RME licenses. Seeing a current license tells you the insurance was maintained as well.

In an emergency, locks on exit doors must still allow people to leave. The State Building Code Council, on April 20, 2021, adopted a code built from the 2018 International Building Code: the Hawaii State Building Code.

Permits are handled by your county building department. Check with them before you place a maglock on an exit door.

Look up the license number or name using the PVL public license search. The original license date, expiry, status and any disciplinary steps are all shown for free, per the state.