Building Setbacks & Zoning in Honolulu County, HI (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Honolulu County, Hawaii.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
The City and County of Honolulu requires a minimum 10-foot front yard and 5-foot side and rear yards for single-family homes across the R-3.5 through R-20 residential districts, per Table 21-3.2 of the Land Use Ordinance.
Honolulu Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsROH § 21-3.70-1, Table 21-3.2
Front 10 for single-unit, two-unit, and duplex-unit dwellings, 30 for other uses Yards 5 for single-unit, (feet): Side and 5 for single-unit, two-unit, and two-unit, and rear duplex-unit dwellings1, 15 for duplex-unit other uses dwelling...
Structure Height Limits
Houses in Honolulu's residential zoning districts, R-3.5 through R-20, must fit inside a building envelope that tops out between 25 and 30 feet, formed by the intersection of two planes, with additional height setbacks once a structure passes 15 feet at the side and rear lines or 20 feet at the front.
Honolulu Residential Height Limit Rules
Some RestrictionsROH § 21-3.70-1(c)(1); Table 21-3.2
(1) Maximum height. The maximum height of structures is determined by the building envelope created as the result of the intersection of two planes. The first plane is measured horizontally across the parcel at 25 feet above the high point of the buildable area boundary line. The second plane runs parallel to grade, as described in § 21-4.60(b), measured at a height of 30 feet.
Lot Coverage Limits
New Oahu dwellings built under permits filed after May 1, 2019 cannot cover more than 75 percent of the zoning lot with impervious surface, on top of the 0.7 floor area ratio cap.
Honolulu Caps Lot Coverage at 75% Impervious
Some RestrictionsRevised Ordinances of Honolulu § 21-3.70-1(3)(G)
For dwelling units constructed pursuant to building permits applied for after May 1, 2019, the impervious surface area of a zoning lot may not exceed 75 percent of the total zoning lot area. (H) If the floor area ratio exceeds 0.6, the following additional standards apply: (i) Side and rear yards. (aa) In the R-3.5 zoning district, side and rear yards must be at least 8 feet; and (bb) I...
All Honolulu County ordinances
See every category we cover for Honolulu County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Honolulu County Ordinance Hub →