Kahului building department

The Department of Public Works Development Services Administration (DSA) issues building, electrical, plumbing, grading, and related permits for Maui County, which includes Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi. Every application goes through MAPPS, the County’s Automated Planning and Permitting System. MAPPS replaced the County’s old KivaNet system, and its Customer Self Service (CSS) portal runs on Tyler EnerGov.

Getting into MAPPS

You need a MAPPS CSS account to apply, upload plans, pay invoices, or request inspections. Searching public permit, plan, inspection, and code-case records does not require an account. MAPPS was upgraded on March 10, 2025 and moved to a new web address. Every existing user had to re-register at first login and now signs in with an email address instead of a username. If your old cases are missing, check the County’s step-by-step re-registration guide. After you log in, your My Work tab lists your permits, plans, invoices, and inspections. Set the display to “All” to see closed cases.

Building permit applications

DSA requires a building permit to construct, alter, move, demolish, repair, or use any building or structure. In MAPPS you choose one of these:

• New construction, addition, alteration, or repair
• Demolition (with a Vector Control Form)
• Temporary (tents, booths, stages)
• Disaster Recovery (see below)

DSA asks applicants to:

• enter the owner’s name (last, first) or the business name as the permit description
• include materials and labor in the valuation
• attach the Owner/Contractor Authorization, the Special Inspections Form, and the Water Usage Submittal Checklist
• add the Chapter 11 Accessibility Statement and the HRS 103-50 disclosure for commercial work
• file a Multiple Permit Notification form when one plan set covers several permits (for example a dwelling, pool, driveway, and grading), and submit them together
• use the Transmittal Form for resubmittals

Hale (traditional Hawaiian architecture) permits have their own checklist and forms.

Since January 27, 2026, Ordinance 5930 prohibits most new pools in the West Maui Community Plan Area. Check the community plan map before applying for a pool permit there.

Plan submission standards

• Upload text-searchable (OCR) PDFs at 150–300 dpi. Unlock and flatten files, with markups and layers cleared. No zip files.
• Sheets can be no larger than 30” x 42”, or 24” x 36” for the Department of Water Supply.
• Combine all sheets into one bookmarked set, not single sheets. Split sets over 100 MB, for example “Plan Set 1 of 2.”
• Name files as the project name, an underscore, and the plan type, for example “Bobs Diner_Construction Plans.” Avoid special characters such as ʻokina and kahakō in file names, because they break uploads.
• For revisions, resubmit the full set behind the original cover sheet so existing stamps are preserved.

Fees and certificates of occupancy

Building permit and plan review fees are set in the annual budget ordinance. MAPPS tells you when payment is due. Published flat fees include:

Item	Fee
Certificate of Occupancy issuance	$50
Miscellaneous Inspection (CPR, liquor license, STR, B&B, insurance, finalizing old permits)	$68 for the first two hours, then $34/hour per inspection type per structure
Grading permit filing	from $60
Grubbing permit filing	from $100

A Certificate of Occupancy is required for structures that fall under Maui County Code 16.26B.110. When a building permit needs one, the CO application is created as part of that permit. A stand-alone CO application is available for structures without a related permit.

Exemptions you declare in MAPPS

• Agricultural buildings (HRS 46-88): non-dwelling farm structures outside the SMA and flood zones can skip a building permit. You still file a written declaration for each structure, and work cannot start until the County accepts it and checks floodplain compliance. File a final as-built notice when construction is done.
• Shipping containers (MCC 16.25.105.2(29)): no building permit is needed for unaltered storage containers in the County Industrial district. The conditions are 10 ft of clearance from other structures, no stacking, no placement in setbacks, and no habitation or storage of vehicles or hazardous materials. File a declaration with a site diagram for each container before placing it.

Electrical, plumbing, flood, and grading

• Electrical: separate permits are issued for residential, commercial, service, solar water heater, and renewable energy (PV, wind) work. PV, fuel tank, and fire alarm work may also need a Fire Prevention Bureau permit, (808) 876-4690.
• Plumbing: permits go only to state-licensed plumbing contractors, working within their license classification. The code is the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code, under Ordinance 5383 (MCC Chapter 16.20C), effective May 13, 2022.
• Flood Development Permit: required for any development in a FEMA special flood hazard area (MCC Chapter 16.29). Permits issued since September 1, 2024 are valid for five years.
• Grading: required for excavation, fill, or grubbing (MCC Chapter 20.08).

Disaster recovery permits

For structures damaged in the 2023 wildfires, the March 2026 flood, or Hurricane Lala, apply under the Disaster Recovery Building Permit. For single-family homes, ADUs, and accessory structures, it is one consolidated permit that covers grading, driveway, electrical, and plumbing work shown on the plans. PV and irrigation still need separate permits. A separate track covers factory-built housing in the Lahaina burn zone. Owners can also request a free Miscellaneous Inspection structural safety assessment for damage from the March 2026 flood or Hurricane Lala.

Inspections and section contacts

Request inspections in MAPPS CSS, and view inspection results there too. The MAPPS “How Do I” page has a how-to video for requesting an inspection. DSA also posts a Building Inspection Request Form and an Electrical Inspection Request Form.

DSA section	Phone	Email	Location
Building Permits	(808) 270-7250	[email protected]	Suite 214
Building Inspections	(808) 270-7375	[email protected]	Suite 203
Electrical Permits & Inspections	(808) 270-7255	[email protected]	Suite 203
Plumbing Permits & Inspections	(808) 270-7368	[email protected]	Suite 203
Civil Construction (grading, driveway)	(808) 270-7242	[email protected]	Suite 214
Subdivisions	(808) 270-7252	[email protected]	Suite 214

All DSA sections are at 110 Alaʻihi Street, Kahului. The electrical, plumbing, and civil sections post hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Zoning and land use questions go to the Planning Department, at One Main Plaza, 2200 Main Street, Wailuku. Its Zoning Administration and Enforcement Division is at (808) 270-7253, and Current Planning (SMA, shoreline, short-term rentals) is at (808) 270-8205.