The Honolulu rule
DPP's Building Permit Requirements page (read 26 October 2026) quotes ROH 18-3.1(a): a permit is needed "To erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any building or structure", plus "Any electrical work or plumbing work that is not exempted." The commonly used exemptions under ROH 18-3.1(b), as DPP lists them:
| Remodel work | Permit on Oʻahu? |
|---|---|
| "Painting, cabinet work, floor covering and replacement of windows or doors" | No |
| Repairs with similar materials for maintenance, up to $10,000 in any 12 months, that "do not affect any electrical or plumbing installations" | No |
| Electrical repair by a licensed electrical contractor, no service equipment, up to $2,500 a year | No |
| Plumbing repair by a licensed plumbing contractor, up to $2,500 a year | No |
| Moving or adding plumbing fixtures, new circuits, a panel | Yes |
| Removing or moving walls, structural repair | Yes |
| Repairs over $10,000 in 12 months | Yes |
DPP adds that even exempt work "shall be in accordance with the laws or ordinances of this jurisdiction". A kitchen with new cabinets and the sink in the same place can be exempt; move the sink or add an outlet circuit and it is not.
Quick Permit or plans
DPP's Instant Online Permits are issued on the spot when the property and scope qualify:
| Test | Instant Online Permit |
|---|---|
| Estimated value of work | "can be no more than $75,000" |
| Flood zone | Anything other than D, X or XS means you are in one; check the property search |
| Advisories | Check the property's Warnings tab |
| Scope | Limited to the scope selected; deviations can get the permit revoked. A Materials and Methods number may be needed |
The usual remodel ($20,000) and most of the middle half of firms ($15,000 to $50,000) are under $75,000. Anything else is a permit with plans submitted through ePlans after you apply in HNL Build. Plans must be stamped by a licensed professional when work on a one-story residence exceeds $180,000 or a two-story residence $162,000, in a special management area, flood hazard area or special design district, or where principal structural members are reinforced concrete or steel. Parcels with a structure 50 or more years old may need State Historic Preservation review.
What it costs
ROH Table 18-A, by total estimated value of work:
| Value of work | Building permit fee |
|---|---|
| $1,000.01 to $20,000 | $12 + $2.20 per $100 or fraction |
| $20,000.01 to $50,000 | $82 + $18 per $1,000 or fraction |
| $50,000.01 to $100,000 | $286 + $14 per $1,000 or fraction |
| Remodel value | Permit fee | Plus 20% plan review, if plans are required |
|---|---|---|
| $15,000 | $342 | $410.40 |
| $20,000 (usual) | $452 | $542.40 |
| $50,000 | $982 | $1,178.40 |
Our arithmetic. The plan review fee is "twenty percent (20%) of the tentative Building Permit Fee, up to a maximum of $25,000", due when plans are accepted for review (fee calculator). DPP's calculator gives the figure for any value.
Who may do it
DCCA says a licensed contractor is required for any project needing a building, electrical or plumbing permit (Hire a Licensed Contractor). An owner can act as owner-builder under HRS 444-2.5, for their own or close family's use: register for the exemption, supervise the work, hire licensed subcontractors, and have electrical and plumbing done by licensed people. Classes and the search are in the Honolulu contractor license lookup.
What 1,048 Oʻahu remodel permits show
| Measure | Oʻahu remodels |
|---|---|
| Permits, July 2022 to June 2025 | 1,048 |
| Firms | 351 |
| Firms with one permit only | 199 (56.7%) |
| Usual filed value | $20,000 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $15,000 to $50,000 |
| Closed (permits a year or more old) | 80.4% |
| Usual days from issue to close | 265 |
| 10th / 90th-percentile firm (10+ permits) | 56.7% / 95.4% |
| Busiest / quietest month (100 = average) | August (190) / November (74) |
Remodel permits close: 80.4% of those a year or more old did. But the firm spread is wide, from 56.7% at the 10th percentile to 95.4% at the 90th among the 13 firms with 10 or more permits, so a contractor's closed share is worth checking. Two of the five busiest remodel firms by recent permits, Structural Systems, Inc and Foundation Systems Hawaii, LLC, are structural and foundation repair firms, so this trade includes repair work as well as kitchens and baths. Filing peaks in August (190 against an average month of 100). Prices: Honolulu remodel cost.
See every Oʻahu remodeler by permits closed →
Related
Compare firms on the Honolulu remodel list; counts by month on Honolulu permit statistics. Hiring: hiring a remodeling contractor. National prices: home remodel cost. Other cities: do I need a permit for a home remodel. Adding space instead: Honolulu home addition permit. Past permits on a TMK: Honolulu building permit search.
What this does not tell you
DPP's open data ends in June 2025, so newer permits are only in HNL Build. Exempt work leaves no permit and is not counted. Filed values are the applicant's estimate. We have no license match for Honolulu firms, so check each on DCCA's search.
How we know this
Permit rules and exemptions are quoted from DPP's Building Permit Requirements and Instant Online Permits pages (summarising ROH 18-3.1), the plan review fee from DPP's fee calculator page (ROH 18-6.1), and fees from ROH Table 18-A, all read 26 October 2026; the license and owner-builder rules from DCCA and HRS 444-2.5, read 22 and 23 October 2026. Fee examples are our arithmetic. Counts are City & County of Honolulu building permits classified as remodel and repair, July 2022 to June 2025; closed share uses permits a year or more old.
Numbers come from City & County of Honolulu building permits (DPP), data through July 1, 2025. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- Do I need a permit to remodel a kitchen or bathroom in Honolulu?
Usually. DPP exempts painting, cabinet work, floor covering and replacing windows or doors, and like-for-like maintenance repairs up to $10,000 a year that do not touch electrical or plumbing. Moving plumbing, adding circuits or changing walls needs a DPP building permit.
- How much is a remodel permit in Honolulu?
ROH Table 18-A sets the fee by value. A $20,000 remodel is $12 plus $2.20 per $100, or $452; a $50,000 remodel is $82 plus $18 per $1,000, or $982 (our arithmetic). A job that needs plans adds a plan review fee of 20% of the permit fee.
- Can I get an instant remodel permit in Honolulu?
Possibly. DPP issues Instant Online Permits when the property and scope qualify and the estimated value of work is no more than $75,000. Flood zones, property advisories and some zoning take you to a permit with plans.
- How long does a remodel permit take to close in Honolulu?
In our file the usual Oʻahu remodel permit closed 265 days after it was issued, and 80.4% of permits a year or more old were closed.
- Can a homeowner pull a remodel permit in Honolulu?
Hawaii's owner-builder exemption (HRS 444-2.5) lets owners improve their own home if they register, supervise the work and use licensed electricians and plumbers. If you hire a contractor, DCCA says a licensed contractor is required for any project that needs a building, electrical or plumbing permit.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Albuquerque building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Ames building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Austin building permit search: how to look up permits on an address
- Foundation repair in Austin: the 128 sq ft permit line, the one-day Express permit, and who does the leveling
- Do I need a remodel permit in Sacramento County? Kitchens, baths and the 50% rule: plans, inspections, timing
- Do I need a remodel permit in Saint Paul? The $500 rule, homesteaders, the fee table and why half never final
For one city
- Building Permit Requirements — Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Instant Online Building Permits — Honolulu DPP (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Building Permit Fee Calculator — Honolulu DPP (accessed 2026-10-26)
- ROH Chapter 18, Table 18-A: Fees for Permits — Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (accessed 2026-10-26)
- Hire a Licensed Contractor — DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing (2026-10-22)
- HRS 444-2.5 Owner-builder exemption (2026-10-23)
- HNL Build — Honolulu DPP (2026-10-23)