East Honolulu, HI Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)
Shed permit rules in East Honolulu, HI, also referred to as storage shed, backyard shed, or accessory building regulations, set size limits, setbacks, and when a building permit is required.
Key Facts
- Permit exemption
- 1-story detached shed; aggregate 120 sq ft or less (ROH Ch. 18 / IBC-IRC)
- Jurisdiction
- City and County of Honolulu
- Yard rule
- No structures in required yard except listed exceptions (LUO 21-4.30)
- Residential yards
- 10 ft front; 5 ft side/rear for dwellings (Table 21-3.2)
- Max building area
- 50% of zoning lot
- Trash enclosures
- Unroofed, up to 6 ft, allowed in setback (21-4.30(a)(2))
Summary
In East Honolulu (City and County of Honolulu), a one-story detached storage shed accessory to a home is exempt from a building permit when the aggregate floor area of such structures is 120 square feet or less, but the shed must still meet Land Use Ordinance yard and use limits.
Sec. 21-4.30 Yards and street setbacks. (a) No business, merchandising displays, uses, structures or umbrellas, shall be located or carried on within any required yard or street setback except for the following: (1) Public utility poles. (2) Customary yard accessories, such as clotheslines and their supports; unroofed trash enclosures not to exceed six feet in height; and bollards. ... (9) Other structures not more than 30 inches in height. ... (c) Other than retaining walls, walls and fences up to a height of six feet may project into or enclose any part of a required yard ...
Full Breakdown
East Honolulu falls under the City and County of Honolulu, so sheds are governed by the Honolulu Building Code (ROH Chapter 18, adopting the International Building/Residential Code) and the Land Use Ordinance (ROH Chapter 21). The Department of Planning and Permitting confirms that one-story detached buildings accessory to Group R-3 (one- and two-family) occupancies, used as tool and storage sheds, playhouses, and similar uses, do not require a building permit when the aggregate floor area of such structures does not exceed 120 square feet. 30 (Yards and street setbacks), no structures may be located within a required yard or street setback except the listed exceptions (such as customary yard accessories, unroofed trash enclosures not exceeding six feet, and other structures not more than 30 inches in height), so a larger or taller shed must observe the residential yard requirements.
2), and the maximum building area is 50 percent of the zoning lot. Sheds over 120 square feet, or sheds with electrical or plumbing work, require a building permit and full code review.
Violations & Fines
Erecting a shed that exceeds the permit-exemption threshold without a building permit, or that encroaches into a required yard or exceeds lot coverage limits, is a violation of ROH Chapters 18 and 21 subject to Department of Planning and Permitting enforcement, including notices of violation, stop-work orders, after-the-fact permit requirements, and civil fines under ROH Section 21-2.150.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a shed in East Honolulu?
How close to the property line can a shed be in East Honolulu?
Can my shed cover most of the backyard?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in East Honolulu
How East Honolulu compares: Shed Permit Requirements by City·Compare East Honolulu to another location·View the Hawaii accessory structures overview
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