Honolulu building department

The Permit Issuance Branch (PIB) is the last step of DPP’s building permit process. Once every reviewing agency has approved your plans, PIB collects the final documents and fees, issues the permit, and handles changes to permits that have already been issued. PIB is on the first floor of the Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building at 650 South King Street. Approved permits can also be picked up at the Kapolei Building Permit Center at Kapolei Hale, 1000 Uluohia Street. Plan review happens elsewhere in DPP. For permit requirements and review, see the main DPP page.

When your permit is ready

When every agency has approved, the applicant gets an email saying the plans are approved and ready to download, along with instructions for getting the permit. Before issuance, DPP requires:

• A Contractor’s Statement signed by every required contractor, with phases filled in
• A Supplemental Information Sheet (required for every project that needed plans)
• Original or certificate-based digital signatures on the plans, as HAR 16-115-9(e) requires
• Payment of the remaining permit fees

For an ADU or ʻOhana dwelling, you must also present a certified copy of the recorded Declaration of Restrictive Covenants. It must come from the Bureau of Conveyances or the Land Court, show proof of recordation, and carry three stamps. The Bureau of Conveyances main office is at 1151 Punchbowl Street.

DPP’s FAQ says to print two full-size sets of the stamped approved plans and bring them to the counter at pickup. You also need to print enough copies for the job site.

Who can pick up, and where

DPP does not restrict who picks up a building permit. It is usually the contractor, but anyone can, as long as all required documents and fees are provided. Check in with the concierge at the front desk.

Location	Address	What it handles
Honolulu Building Permit Center (PIB)	650 South King Street, 1st Floor	Pickup of all approved permits, change-of-contractor filings, refund applications
Kapolei Building Permit Center	Kapolei Hale, 1000 Uluohia Street, Kapolei	Processes and issues single-family dwelling permits, and issues approved ePlans permits

DPP’s posted hours are Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed weekends and holidays.

Paying fees

In HNL Build, all fees can be paid online with Visa, Mastercard, or Discover, and every fee type is shown before you pay. Checks and cash are also accepted. Make checks payable to “City and County of Honolulu.” Owners who want to pay by card online need their own HNL Build account. Payments for any permit type may also be dropped off on the 7th floor, where they are routed to the right branch.

Changes after issuance

• Changing contractors: if the permit is in the inspection phase, submit a Change of Contractor Form (general, or plumbing/electrical) and a new Contractor Statement to PIB on the first floor.
• Adding scope: extra work cannot be added to an issued permit. It needs a new, separate permit.
• Duplicate permits: to revoke a duplicate, the owner or applicant sends a “permit revoke” letter to the director. The letter lists the permit number, TMK, address, and project name.
• Canceling an application: send a signed letter with the application number, TMK, address, and project description.

Refunds

Building and sign permit refunds are filed in person at the One Stop Permit Center reception desk, 650 South King Street, 1st Floor. The permit must first be revoked by its listed building inspector. The refund application must then be filed within 15 days of revocation. If you paid by card, attach a statement showing the account holder’s name, address, the last four digits, and the charge circled. Plan review fee and Ewa Highway Impact Fee refunds use their own applications. The impact fee refund needs a DPP approval letter first.

Lost permits, status, and records

• Status: search HNL Build by application number (A YYYY-MM-####), permit number (BP######), or TMK. Log out before searching, because a logged-in search only returns records tied to your own account. Every issued permit also carries a QR code that links to its record.
• Lost permit card: call (808) 768-8272 or (808) 768-8277, or file a Records Request with the Data Access and Imaging Branch (DAIB).
• Older plans and full permit files: DAIB, (808) 768-8277, [email protected]. HNL Build holds only about two years of migrated plan files.

After pickup

Post the permit at the job site. Its bottom section lists the building, electrical, plumbing, and stormwater inspectors assigned to the job and how to reach them. Inspections run through those inspectors, not through PIB.