Building Permits in Honolulu

The City and County of Honolulu requires a building permit for most construction, alteration, and repair work affecting structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems. Permits are issued by the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), the single agency responsible for zoning, plan review, permitting, and field inspections across the entire island of Oahu.

Consolidated City-County Government

Unlike most U.S. jurisdictions where a city government and county government are separate, Honolulu operates as a consolidated city-county. The City and County of Honolulu is the sole local government for all of Oahu — there is no additional municipal layer. This means DPP is the only permitting authority for everything from downtown Honolulu to rural North Shore. When you see references to the "City" or the "County," they refer to the same entity.

Building Code Framework

Hawaii is one of a handful of states that adopts a statewide building code through a centralized body — the Hawaii State Building Code Council (HSBCC), housed within the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. The HSBCC adopts model codes (currently based on the 2018 International Building Code with Hawaii-specific amendments) as the statewide baseline.

Under state law, counties must adopt the Hawaii State Building Code within two years of state adoption; counties may make limited local amendments but cannot adopt code editions older than the state baseline. Honolulu's adopted building code is codified in Chapter 16 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu and incorporates the state code with local Honolulu amendments addressing the islands' high-wind, seismic, and corrosive coastal environment.

Related codes adopted in Honolulu include the International Residential Code (IRC), International Mechanical Code (IMC), International Plumbing Code (IPC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and the National Electrical Code (NEC) — each with Hawaii and local amendments.

When You Need a Permit

You generally need a Honolulu building permit for:

• New construction, additions, and accessory structures (including ohana units / ADUs)
• Structural alterations, load-bearing wall changes, and foundation work
• Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical (HVAC) changes
• Reroofing and replacement windows or doors that change opening sizes in exterior walls
• Swimming pools, spas, and retaining walls above the height threshold set in the code
• Demolition of any habitable structure
• Grading work above thresholds established in the Grading Ordinance
• Projects in the Special Management Area (SMA) near the shoreline (which also require a separate SMA permit from DPP)

Minor cosmetic work (interior painting, floor coverings, cabinet replacement without plumbing or electrical changes) is typically exempt. When in doubt, contact DPP before starting work — unpermitted construction in Honolulu can trigger stop-work orders and costly corrective permit applications.

Honolulu ePlans — The Online Portal

Honolulu ePlans (hnldoc.ehawaii.gov), also accessible through the Honolulu Citizen Access Portal, is DPP's electronic plan review and permitting system. Through ePlans you can:

• Create an applicant account
• Submit new permit applications for residential and commercial projects
• Upload construction documents for electronic plan review
• Receive and respond to correction notices (plan check comments) online
• Pay fees electronically
• Request and track field inspections

DPP has expanded electronic submittal requirements over time; check the ePlans portal for current submittal requirements before preparing your documents.

Permit Costs

Honolulu permit fees are set by the DPP fee schedule and are based on project valuation. Typical fee categories include:

• Building permit fee — scales with construction valuation
• Plan check fee — a percentage of the building permit fee, assessed during review
• Trade permit fees — separate fees for electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work
• Grading permit fee — if earthwork is required
• SMA permit fee — for projects in the Special Management Area (coastal zone)
• Impact fees — for new construction and additions that increase demand on infrastructure

Always verify current fees against the official DPP fee schedule linked in the sources. Fee schedules are subject to revision.

Typical Timeline

Honolulu has been publicly recognized as one of the jurisdictions in the United States with among the longest building permit review times. DPP periodically publishes permit workload data and statistics; the most current information is available on the DPP website. As a general orientation:

Second and subsequent correction cycles are generally shorter than the initial review, provided the applicant fully addresses all plan check comments. Engaging a licensed architect or contractor familiar with Honolulu's DPP process can reduce the number of correction rounds.

The Process

1. Pre-submittal: Verify zoning on the DPP zoning map, confirm whether an SMA permit or historic district review is required, and identify all applicable codes
2. Plans: Prepare construction documents — most projects above a threshold require drawings stamped by a Hawaii-licensed architect or engineer
3. Submit via Honolulu ePlans: Upload all required documents and pay the initial fees
4. Plan check: DPP reviewers (building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, zoning, fire) examine plans for code compliance; correction notices are issued through ePlans
5. Corrections: Revise plans, respond to each comment, and resubmit through ePlans
6. Permit issuance: Once all disciplines approve, pay any remaining fees and receive the permit
7. Post permit: Post the permit and approved plans at the job site before starting work
8. Inspections: Schedule required inspections at each construction phase through ePlans or DPP by phone
9. Final: Pass final inspection and, where required, receive a Certificate of Completion or Certificate of Occupancy

Inspections

Typical inspection stages for a residential project in Honolulu include:

• Footing and foundation (before concrete pour)
• Underground plumbing and electrical (before backfill)
• Framing (before insulation or sheathing)
• Rough electrical, plumbing, and mechanical
• Insulation
• Drywall / lath
• Final building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical

Schedule inspections through the Honolulu ePlans portal or by contacting DPP directly. Inspections must be scheduled in advance — do not cover rough work before the corresponding inspection is approved and documented.

Special Permits and Overlays

Honolulu's regulatory environment includes several permit types beyond the standard building permit:

• Special Management Area (SMA) permit — required for development near the shoreline under the Hawaii Coastal Zone Management Act; administered by DPP
• Shoreline Setback Variance — for projects within the shoreline setback area
• Special District approval — required in areas such as the Waikiki Special District, Diamond Head Special District, and the Chinatown Historic District; DPP coordinates review
• Environmental review — major projects may require an Environmental Assessment (EA) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 343
• State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) review — for projects affecting historic properties, coordinated through DPP

These additional reviews run concurrently with or prior to the building permit process and can significantly affect overall project timelines.

Common Reasons for Corrections or Denial

• Plans do not comply with the Hawaii State Building Code or Honolulu local amendments
• Missing structural calculations, energy compliance documentation (IECC), or required design-professional stamps
• Zoning conflicts under the Land Use Ordinance (LUO) — setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, or use not permitted in the zone
• SMA permit or special district approval not obtained or not referenced in submittal
• Missing grading permit or civil site documents
• Incomplete or missing fire-department review items
• Environmental review not completed for projects meeting HRS Chapter 343 thresholds
• Incomplete submittal package in ePlans (missing sheets, outdated code editions cited)

Official Sources

Always verify current requirements with the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting and the Honolulu ePlans portal before preparing plans or starting construction. See the sources listed in the frontmatter for direct links to DPP, ePlans, the Hawaii State Building Code Council, the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Chapter 16, and the DPP fee schedule.

Disclaimer: This guide summarizes publicly available information from official City and County of Honolulu and State of Hawaii sources and is provided for general orientation only. It does not constitute legal or engineering advice. Building code and permitting requirements change — always confirm current rules with the DPP before submitting plans or starting construction.