Hawaii permit & code resources

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.