HCC §5-3-1
When you need a building permit in Hawaii County
Read the official text at hawaiicounty.gov ↗This section says you must get a permit before doing most construction, electrical, plumbing, or similar work on a building or structure in the county. It also lists specific projects that always need a permit, like gas tanks, retaining walls, solar panels, and water tanks. There are some exceptions in another part of the law.
everyone
The ordinance, as written (Hawaiʻi County) — Permit required; generally
A copy, taken August 21, 2026. The version published by Hawaiʻi County is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
(a) Except as provided in division 2, no person shall perform any of the following work or cause or permit the same to be done on any building or structure in the County, without first obtaining a permit for this work from the authority having jurisdiction: (1) Erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, relocate, improve, remove, convert, or demolish any building or structure; (2) Erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any electrical work; or (3) Erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert, or replace any plumbing, fire sprinkler, gas, or drainage piping work, or any fixture, gas appliance, water heating, or water treating equipment. (b) A permit shall be required for, but not limited to, the following: (1) Gas tanks and piping. Installation, removal, alteration, repair, or replacement of all gas tanks and piping on private property. (2) Handicap accessible routes. Construction or renovation of handicap accessible routes from parking lot to building or from building to building on a lot. (3) Retaining walls. Erection, construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, conversion, or demolition of retaining walls four feet and higher. Stepped or terraced retaining walls within eight feet of each other are considered to be one wall when determining wall height. (4) Solar photovoltaic systems. Complete new installations of all solar photovoltaic residential and non- residential systems, or the replacement of an existing system with all new components, or relocation of panels from roof to ground or vice versa. (5) Solar water heating systems or components. Complete new installations of all solar water heating systems, the complete replacement of existing system with all new components, or relocation of panels from roof to ground or vice versa. SUPP. 9 (1-2021) 5-10 CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATIVE CODE § 5-3-1 (6) Television or radio communication towers. Erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, relocate, convert, or demolish any television or radio communication tower that is not regulated by the public utilities commission. (7) Water tanks or catchments. Installation, removal, alteration, repair, or replacement of water tanks or catchments intended for potable use, household use, or fire protection, regardless of height or size. For additional requirements where water tank or catchment systems are used as means of fire protection, see chapter 26, Hawai‘i County Code. (8) Air conditioning systems. Installation, removal, alteration, repair, or conversion of any heating, ventilation, or air conditioning system. (2020, ord 20-61, sec 2.) 5-3-1
Published by the County of Hawaiʻi Office of the County Clerk.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.