Urban Honolulu, HI Hurricane Preparedness: Roof Standards (2026)

Honolulu's hurricane roof standards are among the strictest in the continental United States. Under the Honolulu Building Code (adopted IBC/IRC with Hawaii amendments and ASCE 7 wind references), new construction and reroofing must meet the design wind speed applicable to the site, which is generally 130+ mph for most of Oahu with higher values on exposed ridges and coastal bluffs. Uplift resistance at every rafter or truss to top plate connection must be achieved with hurricane clips or straps sized for the calculated uplift, and the top plate must be continuously tied to the wall studs and down to the foundation — the so-called continuous load path. Roof sheathing must be nailed with specified nail patterns (typically 8d ring-shank at 6 inches on edges and 6 inches in field for high-wind zones). Roof coverings must be approved for the design wind pressure — in Honolulu, metal roofing, concrete tile with hurricane clips, and wind-rated asphalt shingles (often Class H or Miami-Dade approved) are common. Secondary water barriers (self-adhering underlayment over entire deck) are required for certain slopes and strongly recommended on all reroofs to prevent interior damage if the primary covering is lost. Termite-resistant treatment of all wood framing is required. Reroofing permits require inspection before covering to verify sheathing attachment. Hurricane Iniki post-event studies demonstrated that roofs built to pre-modern code standards performed significantly worse than those built to hardened standards.