Hawaii County, HI Building Safety: Electrical Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permitting authority
- Dept. of Public Works (authority having jurisdiction)
- Adopted wiring code
- NEC 2017 Edition, HCC § 5D-2-1(a)
- Permit trigger
- Erect, alter, repair, or replace any electrical work
- Common exemptions
- Cord-plug appliances, same-HP motor swap, tamper-resistant receptacles
- Civil fine
- Up to $1,000, plus $1,000 per day
- Criminal penalty
- Petty misdemeanor, up to $1,000 or 30 days
- Code on file at
- Hilo and Kailua-Kona DPW offices, County Clerk
Summary
Any electrical work in Hawai'i County, wiring, panel upgrades, new circuits, requires a permit from the Department of Public Works before work starts, per HCC § 5-3-1(a)(2). The county adopted the 2017 National Electrical Code as its wiring standard under § 5D-2-1(a). A short list of minor jobs, cord-and-plug appliances, straight motor swaps, tamper-resistant receptacle upgrades, is exempt.
HCC § 5-3-1(a): Except as provided in division 2, no person shall perform any of the following work or cause or permit the same to be done on any building or structure in the County, without first obtaining a permit for this work from the authority having jurisdiction: ... (2) Erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any electrical work... HCC § 5D-2-1(a): The National Electrical Code, 2017 Edition, published by the National Fire Protection Association, One Batterymarch Park, Quincy MA, 02169-7471, including appendices, is incorporated by reference and made a part of this code, subject to any amendments hereinafter set forth in this chapter.
Full Breakdown
Hawai'i County repealed its old electrical code (former chapter 9) in 2020 and replaced it with chapter 5D, adopting the National Electrical Code, 2017 Edition, published by the National Fire Protection Association, as the governing wiring standard under HCC § 5D-2-1(a). A copy of that NEC edition is kept for public inspection at the Department of Public Works offices in both Hilo and Kailua-Kona, and at the office of the County Clerk, per § 5D-2-1(c). Before erecting, installing, enlarging, altering, repairing, removing, converting, or replacing any electrical work, HCC § 5-3-1(a)(2) requires a permit from the authority having jurisdiction, defined in § 5D-1-6 as the director of the Department of Public Works or the director's authorized representative.
Administrative procedures for permitting, plan review, and inspection run through chapter 5, the construction administrative code, per § 5D-1-4. Not every job needs a permit: HCC § 5-3-23(a) exempts installation of cord-and-plug portable appliances, repair of a fixed motor or its replacement with one of the same horsepower at the same location, replacing standard receptacles and switches with tamper-resistant versions, and routine maintenance by a licensed electrician under HRS chapter 448E, so long as that maintenance does not involve repairing, replacing, or rearranging wiring, which still needs a permit.
Existing installations that complied with the code in effect when the work was done stay legal under § 5D-1-5, but repairs to wiring that was originally installed without a required permit are never covered by these exemptions, per § 5-3-23(b).
Violations & Fines
Doing electrical work without the required permit, or in a way that violates the construction code, is itself a violation under HCC § 5-10-1(3). The Department of Public Works can issue a written notice of violation and order under § 5-10-2, backed by a civil fine up to $1,000 plus up to $1,000 per day the violation continues. Unresolved cases proceed to criminal prosecution under § 5-10-3: a petty misdemeanor punishable by a fine up to $1,000, up to thirty days imprisonment, or both, with each day of violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to rewire an outlet in my Hawai'i County home?
What electrical code does Hawai'i County follow?
What happens if I do electrical work without a permit on the Big Island?
Is a licensed electrician's routine maintenance exempt from a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawaii County
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