Honolulu County, HI Building Safety: Plumbing Permits (2026)

1, apply to the design, construction, erection, installation, alteration, repair, relocation, replacement, addition to, use, and maintenance of plumbing systems islandwide, from Kailua to Waianae; there is no separate city code, since the City and County of Honolulu governs the whole island. 1 makes it unlawful to alter, install, repair, or replace a plumbing system without first obtaining a building permit from the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), the Authority Having Jurisdiction. Only two jobs are exempt: clearing stoppages and blocks without removing or replacing plumbing components, and swapping water closets, shower heads, and faucets without altering the underlying valves and pipes.

A permit expires and becomes null and void if the authorized work is not commenced within 180 days of issuance, or if it is suspended or abandoned for 180 days after starting; reinstating a lapsed permit costs half the original fee, provided the construction documents are unchanged and the lapse has not exceeded one year. Inspections must be requested at least two working days ahead. , and $75 per hour for after-hours inspections it agrees to perform, both including travel time, billed for a minimum of one hour and half-hour increments after that.

DPP may also require a plumbing special inspection performed by a licensed Registered Design Professional not involved in the work being inspected. Violations trigger a notice of violation naming the code section breached and a correction deadline; if the violation is not corrected, DPP can issue a notice of order carrying civil fines of up to $2,000 per violation per day, appealable to the Building Board of Appeals within 30 days of service.