Moving between states / Hawaii

Flag of IllinoisIllinoistoFlag of HawaiiHawaii, Electrician

Moving from Illinois to Hawaii as a journeyman electrician

What a journeyman electrician licensed in Illinois has to do to work in Hawaii, what the move does to your pay, and who in Hawaii is hiring from out of state.

Exam required. Hawaii licenses electricians through the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers and does not reciprocate with any state. Your Illinois hours count toward eligibility, so get them certified in writing by the City and county building departments before you move and book the Hawaii exam early.

What the move does to your paycheck

On a $60,000 salary Hawaii takes roughly $1,650 a year more than Illinois does.

SalaryIllinois state taxHawaii state taxDifference a year
$40,000$1,980$3,080-$1,100
$60,000$2,970$4,620-$1,650
$90,000$4,455$6,930-$2,475

Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. Property and sales tax are not in it.

CNA: Illinois to Hawaii

Transfers by reciprocity. Your Illinois certificate stays on the Illinois Department of Public Health, Health Care Worker Registry; to work in Hawaii you apply to the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Nurse Aide Registry (administered by Prometric) for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.

RN and LPN: Illinois to Hawaii

Endorsement needed. Neither Illinois nor Hawaii is in the Nurse Licensure Compact. You apply to the Hawaii Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement: verification of your Illinois licence through Nursys, a fingerprint background check and the fee. Start before you give notice; six to twelve weeks is normal.

CDL: Illinois to Hawaii

Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Hawaii resident you surrender the Illinois CDL at a Hawaii driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Hawaii. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.

No statewide program in Hawaii pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.

Openings filed in Hawaii

25 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Hawaii employers who could not fill them locally.

Your own route from Illinois to Hawaii

Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Hawaii employers.

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CNA: Illinois to Hawaii · RN or LPN: Illinois to Hawaii · Truck driver: Illinois to Hawaii · All licences: Illinois to Hawaii

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To Hawaii from the states next to Illinois

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