Hawaii permit & code resources
Official code documents, DPP forms, SCP program information, license lookup tools, and GIS sources — organized for Hawaii architecture practice.
Code corpus
The three bodies of law Ikena Permit checks against — adopted in Hawaii.
Honolulu's zoning code: districts, setbacks, lot coverage, height limits, parking, ADU rules, and SMA overlay. Primary authority for all Oahu building permit applications.
Honolulu's local adoption of IBC 2018 with Hawaii-specific amendments. Structural, fire, egress, accessibility, and mechanical requirements for all permitted construction.
The base code Hawaii has adopted. ROH Chapter 16 amendments take precedence; IBC fills all gaps. Purchase or access the free viewer through ICC.
State law establishing the Special Management Area (SMA). Applies to parcels within the coastal zone on all islands. SMA permits are issued by the State Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.
State-level code requirements and local amendments adopted by each county. The DLNR administers the base state code; each county may add restrictions.
DPP resources
Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting — forms, fee schedules, and process guides.
Building permit application (BP-1), one- and two-family form (BP-1B), fence/wall, demo, grading, and specialty permits. Always download the current version from DPP — forms are revised periodically.
DPP's official guide to plan set requirements: sheet list, required stamps, scale requirements, and submittal checklist. Check this before your first submission to avoid completeness rejections.
Current building permit fee schedule. Fees are based on valuation (use ICC BVD or your own cost estimate). The schedule is updated periodically — verify before budgeting.
DPP's online submittal portal for plan upload, plan check, and permit issuance. Required for most commercial and multi-family projects. Single-family/duplex may use paper or electronic.
Variance application form for relief from LUO development standards. Required findings: hardship unique to the property, not self-created, consistent with intent of the ordinance, and will not harm neighboring properties.
Self-Certification Program (SCP)
Hawaii's expedited permit path for licensed architects and engineers of record.
Under ROH §16-4.3, Hawaii-licensed architects and engineers who meet DPP's experience criteria may self-certify their own projects, bypassing traditional plan check. Significant time savings for qualifying work.
Minimum 5 years of Hawaii practice, completion of the DPP SCP training, and annual SCP registration. Registration must be current before submitting a self-certified project.
How Ikena Permit specifically helps SCPs: catch LUO and code issues before you stamp and submit. A pre-check report becomes part of your professional audit trail under SCP.
Professional licensing
DCCA license verification, renewal, and DCCA board contacts.
Verify any Hawaii professional license — architects (AR), engineers (PE), landscape architects (LA), and contractors (B, C-xx). Real-time lookup from the DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing database.
Hawaii's licensing board for architects, engineers, and landscape architects. Oversees license renewal, CE requirements, and disciplinary actions.
Licensing and oversight for general contractors (B license) and specialty contractors. Includes search for active contractor licenses and bond/insurance requirements.
Professional organization for Hawaii-registered architects. Continuing education, advocacy, and the annual AIA Hawaii Design Awards. SCP outreach events posted here.
Interactive tools
Browser-based tools — no login, no data stored.
Screen a Honolulu parcel for ADU eligibility under ROH §21-3.90. Enter zoning district, lot area, primary dwelling size, existing coverage, and proposed ADU parameters — get a finding-by-finding screen with code citations.
Enter your zoning district, lot area, and existing conditions to calculate setback compliance, lot coverage, height limits, and parking requirements in real time.
Quantify the cost of a DPP correction cycle against a $199 pre-check. Enter your billing rate, expected cycles, and hours per round to see net savings and ROI.
Interactive 70+ item checklist for Honolulu residential addition and new dwelling permits. Track progress across 8 plan set categories with critical-item highlighting.
Generate a DPP variance hardship narrative in architect-of-record voice. Covers the four required findings under ROH §21-2.110.
Reference guides
Static reference pages for code research — no login required.
Development standards for every Honolulu zoning district under ROH Chapter 21: R-3.5 through R-20, A-1, A-2, AG-1, B-1, BMX. Setbacks, lot coverage, height, FAR, common violations, and sample calculations for each district.
60+ terms across 7 categories: Zoning/LUO, DPP process, Special programs (SCP/SMA/DPP), Building code, Special areas, Project types, and Hawaiian directional terms. Each entry cross-references the relevant code section.
In-depth articles on permit process, zoning rules, and common mistakes. Topics include: self-certification program, DPP correction responses, variance applications, ADU permits, and more.
Parcels and zoning lookups
Hawaii GIS and parcel data sources for site-level research.
City & County of Honolulu's public parcel viewer. Look up TMK, zoning district, lot area, assessed value, and current permit activity for any Oahu parcel.
Statewide GIS data layers including flood zones, tsunami evacuation zones, SMA boundaries, shoreline setbacks, lava flow zones, and wildfire risk zones. Covers all four counties.
Official source for FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate Maps). Use for SFHAs (Special Flood Hazard Areas), BFE (Base Flood Elevation), and flood zone designations. Required for flood-related variance applications.
Enter any Hawaii address to instantly pull parcel data, flood zone, SMA status, tsunami zone, lava zone, and wildfire exposure — then see exactly which permits your project needs.