Guides for Hawaii architects.
Plain-language breakdowns of DPP plan check, Hawaii building code, and the self-certification program — written by people who have lived through the process.
The Honolulu Building Permit Process: A Guide for Self-Certifying Architects
How DPP plan check actually works, what ROH §16 and §21 require, where most applications stall, and how self-certifying architects can cut rejection cycles.
Hawaii's Self-Certification Program: What It Covers, What It Doesn't, and How to Stay Out of the Audit Pool
How the SCP works, which projects qualify, what the audit program actually checks, and the practices that keep self-certifying architects out of trouble.
ROH Chapter 21 Setbacks: How Honolulu Zoning Determines Your Buildable Area
Front, rear, and side yard setbacks under the Land Use Ordinance — what counts as a structure, the prevailing setback rule, nonconforming lots, and how to document it all.
How to Write a Variance Application in Honolulu: The Four Criteria DPP Requires
The four ZBA criteria, how to write a hardship narrative that satisfies each one, common denial reasons, and how to structure the application for a Honolulu variance.
Honolulu ADU and Ohana Unit Permits: Code Requirements, Lot Eligibility, and DPP Process
Lot eligibility, setback modifications, owner-occupancy rules, size limits, parking, and the DPP permit path for ADUs and ohana units in Honolulu.
Honolulu Zoning Districts Explained: From R-3.5 Residential to BMX Mixed-Use
A plain-language guide to Honolulu's zoning district designations under ROH Chapter 21 — what each allows, minimum lot sizes, height limits, and how to verify a parcel's designation.
How to Respond to DPP Plan Check Comments: A Practical Guide for Architects
How to format a DPP comment response, what plan checkers look for in a resubmittal, example response language for common comment types, and the mistakes that send submissions back for a third round.
Special Management Area Permits in Hawaii: What Architects Need to Know Before Designing Near the Shore
How the SMA permit requirement works, what projects trigger it, how the SMA exemption process operates, and what the shoreline setback adds to your compliance checklist.
IBC 2018 in Hawaii: Local Amendments Under ROH Chapter 16 That Affect Your Plans
Where Honolulu's adopted IBC 2018 diverges from the model code — sprinkler thresholds, seismic design category, energy compliance, and the amendments most likely to generate DPP comments.
Honolulu Lot Coverage and FAR: How DPP Calculates Your Buildable Envelope
What counts toward lot coverage and floor area ratio in Honolulu under ROH Chapter 21 — covered lanais, carports, accessory structures, and the calculation methods that generate the most plan check comments.
FEMA Flood Zones in Hawaii: What They Mean for Building Permits and Construction
AE vs VE flood zones, base flood elevation, elevation certificates, substantial improvement triggers, and what DPP checks on coastal construction submissions in Honolulu.
Honolulu Parking Requirements Under ROH Chapter 21: Off-Street Stalls, Dimensions, and Reductions
How the LUO calculates off-street parking by use and district — stall dimensions, bicycle parking, transit proximity reductions, and the most common plan check errors.
What Doesn't Require a Building Permit in Honolulu: Hawaii's Permit Exemptions Explained
Which projects are exempt from building permit requirements in Honolulu — fences, sheds, repairs, painting — and the edge cases where an exempt project becomes permit-required.
Nonconforming Structures and Lots in Honolulu: What the LUO Allows and What Triggers Compliance
How the LUO treats nonconforming lots and structures — what you can do without triggering full compliance, what expansions are allowed, and how to document nonconforming conditions for DPP.
Honolulu Building Height Limits: How the LUO Measures Height and What's Excluded
The LUO height measurement method, excluded rooftop elements, the 2.5-story residential rule, and how to show height compliance on elevation drawings to avoid DPP comments.