Building permits in Hawaii County, Hawaii
Of the 12 common home projects we have verified in Hawaii County, 3 need a permit outright and 9 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 13
- in Hawaii County
County of Hawaiʻi Department of Public Works, Building Division
- 101 Pauahi Street, Suite 7 (Aupuni Center), Hilo, HI 96720; West Hawaii office: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Bldg E1 1st Floor, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, (808) 323-4720
- Phone: (808) 961-8331
- Email: cohbuild@hawaiicounty.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Hawaii County
Hawaii County runs an online permit portal. Many local portals let you check application status, search permit records, and view inspection results without calling the office.
What needs a permit in Hawaii County
Of the 12 common home projects we have verified in Hawaii County, 3 need a permit outright and 9 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom Remodel Permit | It depends | When the remodel moves or replaces pipes or valves, adds wiring, or alters walls or... | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| Deck Permit | It depends | height of a detached deck or platform; an attached deck is not exempt | $10 per 100 sq. ft. or fraction thereof." Plan review fee of twenty percent of the... |
| Electrical Permit | It depends | Before any new wiring, circuit, service change or rewiring | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| EV Charger Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| Fence Permit | It depends | height of a fence; retaining walls follow a separate four foot rule | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| HVAC Permit | It depends | Before installing, removing, altering, repairing or converting any heating, ventilation... | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| Patio Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | Before replacing or rearranging any pipe or valve, adding fixtures, or any gas, water... | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | water features and swimming pools at one and two-family dwellings | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | When the new roof uses a different material, or the work affects structural components | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| Shed Permit | It depends | floor area of a detached one-story accessory structure on residential zoned land; 1,000 sq ft on agricultural zoned land, 15 feet height limit, 10 feet from property line | $10 per 100 sq. ft. or fraction thereof." Plan review fee of twenty percent of the... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| Water Heater Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...Code, 2020, ord 20-61): fees are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
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Hawaii County permit fees compared with nearby Hawaii localities
| Hawaii locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii County | $10 per 100 sq. ft. or fraction thereof." Plan review fee... | ...are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... | ...are valuation-based under "General Construction": "$0... |
| Honolulu | ...review fee of 20% of the permit fee (maximum $25,000)... | ...review fee of 20% of the permit fee (maximum $25,000)... | ...review fee of 20% of the permit fee (maximum $25,000)... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Hawaii jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Hawaii County penalty for work started without a permit
Hawaii County publishes what it charges when work begins before the permit, quoted here from the schedule or permit page we verified.
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Work begun without a permit pays $1,000 plus the fee, or double the fee, whichever is greater (5-7-3(d)).
Hawaii County bathroom remodel permit page · last checked
The Hawaii statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit: building without a permit in Hawaii.
Hawaii County permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Hawaii County?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 13 permit types we have verified for Hawaii County, 3 always require a permit (for example an EV charger permit), 9 depend on size or scope (a bathroom remodel permit, for instance). Each Hawaii County permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Hawaii County?
- Hawaii County publishes a fee for 12 of the 13 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by County of Hawaiʻi Department of Public Works, Building Division; we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Hawaii County?
- County of Hawaiʻi Department of Public Works, Building Division issues permits in Hawaii County, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at (808) 961-8331. The Hawaii County official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
- What is the penalty for building without a permit in Hawaii County?
- Hawaii County publishes its own charge for work started before the permit: Work begun without a permit pays $1,000 plus the fee, or double the fee, whichever is greater (5-7-3(d)). That is the local bill; the Hawaii statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit are on the Hawaii building-without-a-permit page.
How the Hawaii County pages were verified. 13 permit types, 2 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from County of Hawaiʻi Department of Public Works, Building Division or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Hawaii County is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.