Software in Hawaii: licence, certification and what employers require (2026)

Hawaii does not license software developers: no licence. This page says what a software developer licensed or working in another state has to do to work in Hawaii, in the order to do it, and what goes wrong when the order is reversed.

How the transfer works

Nothing is licensed. For a remote role the only thing that changes with a move to Hawaii is where you are taxed and whether the employer is registered to employ people there; ask before you sign a lease.

What to have ready before you move

• A portfolio or repository
• References

Start the paperwork before you give notice. There is no Hawaii licence to wait for, so the only clock is the employer's.

What people get wrong

• Moving to a state where your remote employer is not registered for payroll; some will not allow it

Who hires software developers in Hawaii

Software developers in Hawaii are hired by software companies, every large employer's technology department, agencies and startups. The metros with the most of that work are Honolulu, Hilo and Kailua. Employers who could not hire locally and have filed with the Department of Labor are on the Hawaii openings page.

For the money side: the median software developer in Hawaii earned $119,880 a year ($58 an hour) in May 2024 across 1,940 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Hawaii has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 11%. What that leaves you after tax is its own page.

Everything about Hawaii, on one page

The Hawaii page has the registries and boards, the income tax table, the programs that pay you to come and the openings filed this month. If you know which state you are leaving, the move pages compare the two directly. Creating a free Workmerica profile with your trade and your destination puts you in front of Hawaii employers hiring from out of state.