East Honolulu, Hawaii Building Permit Guide

DPP treats East Honolulu as its own planning region, running from Makapuʻu Point along the Koʻolau ridgeline west to the Waiʻalae Nui Gulch Stream. The East Honolulu Sustainable Communities Plan was adopted in April 2021 and adopted again, with amendments, in July 2022. As a Sustainable Communities Plan area it is planned for modest development and for preserving rural character, unlike the two Development Plan areas where most growth is directed.

This guide covers what is particular to East Honolulu: its plan, the flood maps and the shoreline and SMA rules. DPP’s divisions, fees and inspections are in the Honolulu County guide.

What requires a permit in East Honolulu?

DPP lists no Special Area Plans, no Special Design Districts and no TOD plans in East Honolulu, so no special-district permit layer sits on top of the zoning. The checks that matter are the flood map and the coastline. DPP names East Honolulu among the areas most affected by the new FEMA flood maps effective June 10, 2026: a property newly placed in a Special Flood Hazard Area may lose Quick Permit eligibility and must follow ROH Chapter 21A.

Who handles permitting in East Honolulu?

The building permit comes from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), at the Honolulu Building Permit Center, 650 South King Street, or the Kapolei center, 1000 Uluohia Street; hours are Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For storm repairs on shoreline lots or SMA properties, the Land Use Permits Division ((808) 768-8015) works with owners on their existing SMA approvals and conditions. Grading and trenching in City rights-of-way, including private drain connections and driveway variances, are permitted by the Site Development Division ((808) 768-8097).

The East Honolulu Sustainable Communities Plan

The plan’s vision calls for adapting to sea level rise, flooding, severe coastal storms, inundation of coastal areas and of Kalanianaʻole Highway, and wildfires, and for stormwater best management practices.

Shoreline setback and SMA permits in East Honolulu

Shoreline setback

Because East Honolulu lies outside the Primary Urban Center, the setback on an eroding shoreline lot is 60 feet from the certified shoreline plus 70 times the annual erosion rate, up to 130 feet. A certified shoreline survey can be skipped if the work stays 15 feet inland of the setback line.

Special Management Area

Coastal parcels need an SMA permit for most development, and it comes before most zoning permits: a Minor SMA Permit up to $500,000 of value, a Major SMA Permit above that. Rebuilding up to 2 dwellings under 7,500 square feet is generally exempt, but only if the lot is not a shoreline lot, not in flood zone V or VE and not susceptible to 0.5 feet of sea level rise.

Asking DPP

To learn whether an SMA permit is needed, or where the shoreline setback line falls, file an SMA Permit Determination or a shoreline setback determination request under Coastal Permits in HNL Build.

How to get a permit in East Honolulu

Official East Honolulu permitting resources

These are the primary sources behind this guide. Codes, fee schedules and procedures change — confirm the position for your filing date.

• East Honolulu Sustainable Communities Plan
• DPP development and sustainable communities plans
• DPP FEMA flood map information
• DPP coastal area permits
• DPP Site Development Division
• Honolulu DPP contacts

Frequently asked questions

Are there special districts in East Honolulu?

No. DPP lists no Special Area Plans, Special Design Districts or TOD plans there.

How far back from the shoreline must I build in East Honolulu?

On an eroding lot, 60 feet from the certified shoreline plus 70 times the annual erosion rate, up to 130 feet.

Is rebuilding a house near the coast exempt from SMA?

Up to 2 dwellings under 7,500 square feet generally are, only if the lot is not a shoreline lot, not in zone V or VE and not susceptible to 0.5 feet of sea level rise.

Simplify East Honolulu permitting with Alliance Permitting

• Check the lot against the June 10, 2026 flood maps and the shoreline setback
• File the SMA or shoreline setback determination request in HNL Build
• Sequence SMA, zoning and building permit filings with DPP

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Hawaii. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about East Honolulu permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.