The usual Honolulu permit takes 146 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout, across all 12 kinds of work on file (31,950 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). The usual solar permit, the biggest trade here, takes 102 days. Solar is also the quickest trade here; addition the slowest at 567 days. This is the turnaround to finish the work and close the permit, not the wait for approval. Records run through June 2025; the city's file has nothing newer.
“How long does a permit take?” can mean two waits. This page measures the second one.
Getting the permit (not measured): application → issue, the wait for the city to approve it. Honolulu's file we read does not carry a usable application date, so we don't guess at it. Ask the permit office for its current review times.
Finishing the work (measured here): issue → completion. The day the city issued the permit to the day it recorded a final inspection or closeout. That is the contractor's part: doing the work and getting it signed off.
What “finished” means in Honolulu: For contractors with at least 5 permits a year or more old, the share that were closed, compared with permits of the same trade issued in the same quarter.
Speed: How long their permits take from issue to completion, using the city's dates, compared with other Honolulu contractors in the trade. Shown for firms with 10+ permits.
Usual is the middle permit: half finish sooner, half later. Finished is the share of permits a year or more old that the city closed out.
| Trade | Permits | Usual days to finish | Finished | Firms with 10+ permits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 16,068 | 102 | 84.2% | 46 |
| Electrical | 8,223 | 155 | 78.3% | 113 |
| Solar Water Heating | 2,274 | 225 | 69.0% | 17 |
| New Home | 1,572 | 295 | 88.4% | 19 |
| Remodel & Repair | 1,048 | 265 | 80.3% | 15 |
| Addition | 979 | 567 | 58.3% | 18 |
| Fence & Gate | 580 | 130 | 94.2% | 9 |
| Demolition | 554 | 422 | 72.9% | 12 |
| ADU & Ohana Unit | 297 | 533 | 81.8% | 4 |
| Swimming Pool | 141 | 448 | 73.9% | 3 |
| Plumbing | 125 | 323 | — | 1 |
Each trade on its own, from issue to the city's sign-off. The spread between the quickest and slowest quarter of firms is the part you can choose.
The usual solar permit in Honolulu takes 102 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (16,068 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 84.2% of solar permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 2.3 months, the slowest quarter in 4.5 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
42 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu solar contractors →
The usual electrical permit in Honolulu takes 155 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (8,223 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 78.3% of electrical permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 3 months, the slowest quarter in 6.5 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
91 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu electrical contractors →
The usual solar water heating permit in Honolulu takes 225 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (2,274 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 69.0% of solar water heating permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 1.6 months, the slowest quarter in 5.7 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
12 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu solar water heating contractors →
The usual new home permit in Honolulu takes 295 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (1,572 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 88.4% of new home permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 8.2 months, the slowest quarter in 8.5 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
15 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu new home contractors →
The usual remodel & repair permit in Honolulu takes 265 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (1,048 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 80.3% of remodel & repair permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 6.6 months, the slowest quarter in 7.2 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
12 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu remodel & repair contractors →
The usual addition permit in Honolulu takes 567 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (979 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 58.3% of addition permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 13 months, the slowest quarter in 16.5 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
14 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu addition contractors →
The usual fence & gate permit in Honolulu takes 130 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (580 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 94.2% of fence & gate permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 3.6 months, the slowest quarter in 4.7 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
9 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu fence & gate contractors →
The usual demolition permit in Honolulu takes 422 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (554 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 72.9% of demolition permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 10.4 months, the slowest quarter in 12.6 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
11 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu demolition contractors →
The usual ADU & ohana unit permit in Honolulu takes 533 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (297 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 81.8% of ADU & ohana unit permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 12.4 months, the slowest quarter in 13.4 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
3 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu ADU & ohana unit contractors →
The usual swimming pool permit in Honolulu takes 448 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (141 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). 73.9% of swimming pool permits a year or more old have been closed out. The quickest quarter of firms usually finish in 7.7 months, the slowest quarter in 15.6 months. The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
3 firms with enough permits to measure, each firm's usual months to finish, weighted by its permits. Compare Honolulu swimming pool contractors →
The usual plumbing permit in Honolulu takes 323 days from issue to the city's final inspection or closeout (125 permits, July 2022 through June 2025). The wait for approval before issue is not in Honolulu's file.
Source: City & County of Honolulu building permits (DPP). The window is July 2022 through June 2025; a permit filed after that isn't here yet.
A filed value is what the contractor wrote on the permit when they applied. It is not a quote and not the final bill.
Counts are permits, not jobs: one job can need several permits, and one permit can cover several visits.
Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can. How the records work in Honolulu →
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