Functional Areas

• Business Registration (BREG)
  Administers, registers and enforces Hawaii laws relating to corporations, partnerships, securities, franchises, and the registration of trade names and trademarks and service marks.
• Business Action Center (BAC)
  The Business Action Center helps Hawaii’s entrepreneurs with information and assistance completing the applicable forms necessary to obtain a general excise tax license, register a trade name and employer registration.
• Cable Television (CATV)
  The Cable Television Division issues franchises to Hawaii cable companies, monitors the quality of service, regulates basic service rates and its related equipment and installation costs, and handles consumer complaints about cable television matters.
• Captive Insurance
  The Captive Insurance Branch provides for dedicated resources to facilitate the monitoring, regulation and prudent development of the captive insurance industry in the State of Hawaii.
• Consumer Protection (OCP)
  Investigates consumer complaints alleging unfair or deceptive trade practices, in a broad range of areas, including advertising, refunds, motor vehicle rentals, door-to-door sales, credit practices.
• Consumer Advocacy - Public Utilities (DCA)
  Protects and advances the interests of consumers of regulated utility and transportation services in regulatory proceedings.
• Financial Institutions (DFI)
  DFI ensures the safety and soundness of state-chartered financial institutions, and ensures regulatory compliance by state-licensed financial institutions, escrow depositories, and money transmitters.
• Hearings Office (OAH)
  The Office of Administrative Hearings is responsible for conducting administrative hearings and issuing recommended or final decisions for all divisions within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs that are required to provide contested case hearings pursuant to the provisions of Hawai`i Revised Statutes Chapters 91 and 92.
• Insurance
  Oversees the Hawaii insurance industry; issues licenses, examines the fiscal condition of Hawaii-based companies, reviews rate and policy filings, investigates insurance related complaints.
• Professional and Vocational Licensing (PVL)
  Oversees regulatory activities of the twenty five boards and commissions placed within the department for administrative purposes. The division also administers twenty other regulatory licensing programs.
• Real Estate (REB)
  REB is responsible for Real Estate and Condominium education, real estate licensing, and condominium project registration.
• Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO)
  The Regulated Industries Complaints Office provides complaint receipt, investigation and resolution functions for the licensing boards, commissions and programs within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
• Securities
  Securities registers securities and franchises, and licenses all broker-dealers and their salespeople, investment advisers and their representatives. They also investigate complaints and protect investors against fraud and abuse