East Honolulu, HI Fence Regulations: Permit Requirements (2026)

Building permits in East Honolulu are administered by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) under ROH Chapter 18 (Building Code). DPP's official guidance states plainly that fences greater than six feet in height and walls greater than 30 inches in height require a building permit. By contrast, a fence six feet or shorter, and a wall or retaining wall 30 inches or shorter, are exempt from the building permit requirement, though they must still comply with the Land Use Ordinance height and material rules in Chapter 21. The six-foot Land Use Ordinance height cap in Section 21-4.30(c) and the 30-inch retaining-wall fill threshold mean that, in practice, most conforming residential fences in East Honolulu do not need a building permit, but a permit is needed for taller masonry walls, retaining walls over 30 inches, and any over-height fence allowed by special exception. Permit applications are filed through DPP's Honolulu permitting system, and DPP recommends confirming the applicable threshold before construction.