Franchise opportunities in Hawaii: real costs and the franchise rules that apply

A franchise costs the same on paper in Hawaii as anywhere else — each brand files one nationwide investment range in its FDD. The median filed minimum investment across 4,700+ brands with cost data is $179,200 (as of 2026-05). What Hawaii does control is franchise law. Hawaii is one of the 14 franchise registration states.

We don’t publish per-state availability, because no source we trust exists for it. This page sticks to what’s real: the rules that apply in Hawaii, sitewide filed costs, and the brands actually headquartered here.

Franchise rules in Hawaii, in plain words

Hawaii is one of the 14 franchise registration states.

A franchisor must register its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) with Hawaii's regulator before offering or selling franchises in the state. For you as a buyer, that means the FDD you receive is the state-registered version — and a franchisor that can't show a current Hawaii registration can't lawfully offer to you here. The federal 14-day FDD delivery rule applies on top of state registration.

After you sign: Hawaii's Franchise Investment Law carries relationship provisions (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 482E-6) barring termination or refusal to renew without good cause.

Plain-words summary, not legal advice. Laws change — confirm current requirements with a franchise attorney before you sign.

The 14 franchise registration states

In these states a franchisor must register its FDD with the state before offering or selling. Everywhere in the US, the FTC Franchise Rule requires FDD delivery at least 14 days before you sign or pay.

Filing states (notice or exemption only, no FDD review): Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Utah.

Separately, 19 states have franchise relationship laws limiting termination or non-renewal after you sign: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin.

What it costs to open — the filed numbers

Sitewide figures: costs are set brand-by-brand in the FDD, not by state. What varies in Hawaii is where you land inside a brand’s range — real estate, build-out, and labor.

$179,200

median filed minimum investment

$39,475

median filed franchise fee

224

brands with an SBA-eligibility flag on file

brands with a documented veteran incentive

Flags exist only where a brand documents them — a missing flag is not a missing program. Compiled from franchise disclosure filings.

Browse franchises by investment level See SBA-flagged brands See documented veteran incentives

Franchisors headquartered in Hawaii

3 of the brands we profile list a headquarters in Hawaii. An HQ address is not availability — most franchisors sell far beyond their home state, and plenty of out-of-state brands operate in Hawaii.

Chicken in a Barrel BBQ

Industry: Food & Beverage
Min. investment: $244,510

FBC Roofing

Industry: Professional Services
Min. investment: $136,200

Pono Home

Industry: Professional Services
Min. investment: $30,350

Keep comparing

Compare all 12 franchise industries

Nearby states

Franchise questions specific to Hawaii

Is Hawaii a franchise registration state?

Hawaii is one of the 14 franchise registration states. A franchisor must register its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) with Hawaii's regulator before offering or selling franchises in the state. For you as a buyer, that means the FDD you receive is the state-registered version — and a franchisor that can't show a current Hawaii registration can't lawfully offer to you here. The federal 14-day FDD delivery rule applies on top of state registration. Hawaii's Franchise Investment Law carries relationship provisions (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 482E-6) barring termination or refusal to renew without good cause.

Does a franchise cost more to open in Hawaii?

Not on paper: each brand files one nationwide investment range in its FDD (Item 7), so the filed cost is the same in Hawaii as anywhere else. Where you land inside that range is local — real estate, build-out, labor, and permits. The median filed minimum investment across 4,700+ brands with cost data is $179,200, as of 2026-05. Compare brands on the full filed range, not the minimum.

The numbers don’t change at the Hawaii line. See them before anyone gets your number.

4,700+ brands with filed cost data, dated per figure.

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