Can Tourists Spearfish in Hawaiʻi? The License Rules for Visitors

Do tourists need a license to spearfish in Hawaiʻi?

Yes, if you're 15 or older and not a Hawaiʻi resident. The rule comes from Act 48 (2021), now Hawaii Revised Statutes §188-72, and took effect through Hawaii Administrative Rules §13-74-11 on May 2, 2024. It covers all recreational fishing in the ocean, and spearfishing counts.

How much does the license cost?

1 day: $20. 7 days: $40. 1 year: $70. The state adds an online processing fee on top. A one-day license runs from midnight to 11:59 PM on the date you pick, so buy it for the date of your dive.

Who doesn't need one?

Hawaiʻi residents (fishing is free for them, with no registration). Kids 14 and under. Members of the U.S. armed forces on active duty in Hawaiʻi, plus their spouses and minor children.

How to get it

It's online only, at fishing.hawaii.gov. Create an account, add anyone in your group who needs one, pick the date, and pay. A screenshot or PDF on your phone is accepted as proof.

Picked the wrong date? You can change it once, up until 11:59 PM HST the day before the license starts. After that it can't be changed.

What else do visitors need to know?

The license isn't the only rule. Hawaiʻi also sets size limits, bag limits and closed seasons by species, and some marine areas restrict or ban spearfishing. If you're diving on your own, read the state's rules first. We keep a plain-English summary for the fish we see in Kona on our Hawaiʻi spearfishing regulations page.

On a guided dive, your guide picks a legal site and confirms every fish before you shoot. Our own house limits are stricter than the law: two fish per person of any one species and five fish total per day. Invasive species like roi don't count toward either.

Do I need a license for Snorkel Pro?

No. Snorkel Pro is a freediving skills session with no hunting, so there's nothing to buy. You only need the license for the Group Dive or the Private Dive.

Can you spearfish in Hawaiʻi with no experience?

Yes, with a guide. Most of our guests have never spearfished before. The Group Dive takes complete beginners from land training to a guided hunt in one morning, with all gear included. More on how that works: How to learn spearfishing in Hawaiʻi.