Do Hawaii SLPs Need the CCC? License, Medicaid and CE Rules

Named in rules, not required

No. The CCC is mentioned in Hawaii's rules, but there is another way to qualify, so a state license does not require it.

Hawaii at a glance

CCC Named in rules, not required
License renewal CE None
Whose CE counts No CE required
Clinical fellowship Hawaii licenses by CCC or by examination. Its statute ties the license to ASHA's requirements (see the CCC section). Hawaii has no reciprocity.
School credential CCC required

Does Hawaii require the CCC?

The Med-Quest provider manual, chapter 2 (provider requirements, Jan. 2011) says an individual provider must be licensed under state law, and chapter 17 (revised February 2011), covers speech therapy "provided by a qualified, licensed speech therapist/pathologist." It does not mention the CCC or ASHA, and the manual is old, so check for a newer edition. The CCC enters at licensing. HRS 468E-5(a) requires a speech pathology applicant to give the board evidence of eligibility under ASHA's requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence, plus a master's degree and a board-approved written exam. The statute asks for eligibility, not for holding the CCC.

Sources: Licensure: HRS 468E-5, qualifications for licensure (opened); Licensure: Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 468E (Hawaii Legislature); Medicaid: Med-QUEST fee-for-service provider manual page; Medicaid: Med-QUEST provider manual, ch. 17

What you can do

  • Ask the Hawaii legislature or the Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology to amend HRS 468E-5(a) so the license rests on the degree, a national exam and supervised experience, not on ASHA's CCC requirements.
  • Ask the board how it checks "eligibility" in practice and what evidence it accepts.

Continuing education for Hawaii SLPs

Hours: None.
Topic rules: None.
Whose CE counts: Not applicable.

Sources: HRS chapter 468E

Compare every state in our CEU requirements by state guide.

Clinical fellowship and background checks

Hawaii licenses by CCC or by examination. Its statute ties the license to ASHA's requirements (see the CCC section). Hawaii has no reciprocity.

Sources: DCCA: SLP application requirements

No background check. Applicants answer a conviction question only. Not a compact member.

Sources: DCCA: SLP application requirements; ASLP-IC compact map

School-based SLPs

HIDOE's job postings for Speech-Language Pathologist III and IV require the CCC and a Hawaii license at appointment. Level II (entry level) requires a master's and eligibility for the clinical fellowship.

Sources: HIDOE posting: SLP II, III, IV (Windward District); HIDOE support services classes

SLP assistants in Hawaii

Hawaii does not license SLP assistants. The Department of Education employs communication aides who work under SLPs.

Sources: HRS Chapter 468E (licensing law); HIDOE communication aide class specification

Other notes

  • HIDOE requires the CCC for Speech-Language Pathologist III and above, even though the state license does not. That is a school barrier worth raising with HIDOE.

If your employer says you need the CCC

Many job posts and policies still list the CCC out of habit. Our employer education page has language you can share, and the Hawaii one-sheet puts the license and the CCC side by side on two printable pages.

Checked against state sources through October 31, 2026. This page summarizes public rules for general information and is not legal advice. Rules change, and employers and payers can set their own requirements, so confirm with the board before you rely on it.

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