Fence Regulations in East Honolulu, HI (2026)
6 verified fence regulations for East Honolulu, Hawaii, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
In East Honolulu, which is governed by the City and County of Honolulu Land Use Ordinance, walls and fences (other than retaining walls) up to 6 feet may enclose or project into any required yard. Public-utility fences may reach 8 feet (9 feet with security wire), and fences on agriculturally dedicated land may reach 10 feet.
6 ft fences/walls in required yards (ROH 21-4.30)
Some RestrictionsRevised Ordinances of Honolulu, Sec. 21-4.30(c) (Yards and street setbacks), Land Use Ordinance (Added Ord. 99-12; Am. Ord. 03-37, 10-19, 10-24, 20-41)
(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, except that: (1) They shall be prohibited in front yards in business, business mixed use, industrial, and industrial-commercial mixed use districts. (2) Walls and fences constructed by public utilities may be up to eight feet in height, and may be topped with secu...
Permit Requirements
The City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting requires a building permit for any fence greater than 6 feet in height and any wall greater than 30 inches in height, under ROH Chapter 18. Fences at or below 6 feet and walls at or below 30 inches are exempt from the building permit requirement.
Permit: fences over 6 ft, walls over 30 in (ROH Ch. 18)
Some RestrictionsCity and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, Building Permits FAQ ('Do I need a permit to build a wall?'); ROH Chapter 18 (Building Code)
Do I need a permit to build a wall? Fences greater than 6 feet in height and walls greater than 30 inches in height require a building permit. Refer to ROH Chapter 18.
Neighbor Fence Rules
East Honolulu neighbor fence disputes fall under ROH 21-4.30 yard setbacks combined with 21-4.60 height limits, since Hawaii has no dedicated spite fence statute for Hawaii Kai or Aina Haina lots.
East Honolulu Neighbor Fence Rules
Some RestrictionsRetaining Walls
In East Honolulu, retaining walls containing fill within a required yard may not exceed six feet, measured from the lower of existing or finish grade to the top of the wall. Walls protecting a cut have no height limit, and safety railings or fences on top of a retaining wall are limited so the combined height stays within prescribed limits.
Retaining walls capped at 6 ft of fill in required yards
Some RestrictionsRevised Ordinances of Honolulu, Sec. 21-4.40 (Retaining walls), Land Use Ordinance (Added Ord. 99-12)
(a) Retaining walls containing a fill within required yards shall not exceed a height of six feet, measured from existing or finish grade, whichever is lower, to the top of the wall along the exposed face of the wall. Heights of terraced walls or combinations of retaining walls shall be measured combining all walls located in the required yard. (b) A retaining wall that protects a cut below the...
Pool Barriers
East Honolulu pool owners in Hawaii Kai, Portlock, and Aina Haina must install code-compliant barriers under ROH Sec. 16-6.2, with public pools in the CDP subject to companion rules at 16-7.9.
East Honolulu Pool Barrier Rules
Heavy RestrictionsMaterial Restrictions
The Honolulu Land Use Ordinance does not restrict materials for ordinary residential fences, but where a solid wall or fence is required as a buffer between commercial/industrial and residential uses, chain link is expressly excluded. In certain special districts and the apartment precinct, dwelling fences must use open material such as wrought iron or lattice, not chain link.
Chain-link barred for buffer fences; lattice in apt precincts
Some RestrictionsRevised Ordinances of Honolulu, Sec. 21-4.70-1(d) (Screening wall or buffering), Land Use Ordinance (Added Ord. 99-12; Am. Ord. 03-37, Am. Ord. 25-2)
Any meeting facility, child daycare, adult daycare, large group living, parking facility, commercial use, industrial use, or similar use, located in any zoning district other than those already addressed under subsections (a), (b), and (c), must be screened from any adjacent zoning lot in a country, residential, apartment, apartment mixed-use, or resort zoning district by: (1) A solid wall or f...
Looking for Honolulu County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement East Honolulu city rules.
Fence Regulations in Honolulu County →