Honolulu Building Department | Permits, Inspections & Contact

The City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) is the building, planning, zoning, and development authority for Oʻahu. Honolulu is a consolidated city-county government, so this is the correct primary permitting office for property within the City and County of Honolulu rather than a separate city building department.

Honolulu building permits and HNL Build

Building permits are required under Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Chapter 18 for most construction, additions, alterations, repairs, and related work. DPP’s official guidance distinguishes Instant Online Permits from building permits that require plans. Plan-based projects use the city’s HNL Build customer portal and electronic plan review workflow. Gather the property address or TMK, project scope, plans, valuation, contractor information, and any required zoning or agency approvals before submitting.

Use HNL Build for eligible applications, document uploads, fees, review comments, and account-based project tracking. The DPP FAQ remains the authoritative starting point for the current permit search and explains that applicants can search by application or permit number or by TMK when they need review status or assigned staff information.

Inspections, zoning, and occupancy

Keep the approved plans and permit information available at the job site. DPP’s inspection guidance covers building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, zoning, stormwater, and related inspections. The permit holder should follow the inspection instructions associated with the permit and contact the assigned inspector when a project is ready. Required final inspections and agency approvals must be complete before the department can close the permit or issue the applicable occupancy approval.

Honolulu zoning is governed primarily by the Land Use Ordinance. Check the property’s zoning, flood information, warnings, advisories, special management area status, and other site constraints before designing the project. A zoning or land-use approval may be required before or alongside the building permit, especially for changes of use, special districts, shoreline work, subdivisions, and larger site-development projects.

Official contact information

DPP lists its main office at 650 South King Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813, with a general phone line of (808) 768-8000. Use the official DPP pages below for current application paths, HNL Build account instructions, permit-status guidance, inspection requirements, and zoning information. Oʻahu properties outside the City and County of Honolulu’s jurisdiction should be confirmed with the relevant state or federal authority before applying.