Building permit fees and when you must pay them

(a) A fee shall be assessed for each permit. The fee shall be submitted at the time of permit issuance. A permit shall not be valid until the fees prescribed by law have been paid, nor shall an amendment to a permit be released until any applicable additional fee, has been paid. (b) Fee schedule. Permit fees shall be based on a schedule of fees applied to a valuation of average construction costs and shall be imposed in the amounts set out in the following table: Intentionally left blank. SUPP. 17 (1-2025) 5-30 CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATIVE CODE § 5-7-3 PERMIT FEES General Construction Valuation Fees $0 to $500 $10 $10 for the first $500 plus $1.50 for each $501 to $2,000 additional $100 or fraction thereof, to and including $2,000. $32.50 for the first $2,000 plus $7.50 for $2,001 to $25,000 each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $25,000. $205 for the first $25,000 plus $6 for each $25,001 to $50,000 additional $1,000 or fraction thereof, to and including $50,000. $355 for the first $50,000 plus $3 for each $50,001 and up additional $1,000 or fraction thereof. Other Carport, garages, porches, $10 per 100 sq. ft. or fraction thereof. patios or lanais and detached U structures. (c) Valuation. The determination of average construction costs shall be based upon the most recent building valuation data published by the International Code Council, Inc., 4051 West Flossmoor Road, Country Club Hills, IL, 60478-5795. This valuation data is based on typical construction methods and for the purpose of determining permit fees necessary to fund code compliance activities. The valuation shall consist of the total average construction cost, per square foot, of all construction work for which the permit is issued, including all finish work, painting, roofing, electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, elevators, fire- extinguishing systems and any other permanent work, permanent equipment, or work exempt from permitting. Differences in actual bids or contracts for specific construction projects and valuations derived from International Code Council building validation data, shall not invalidate the latter figure. 5-31 SUPP. 9 (1-2021) (d) Work begun without permit. When work for which a permit is required by the construction code has commenced without obtaining a permit, the fees shall be either $1,000 plus the fees specified by this code, or the fees specified by this code shall be doubled, whichever is greater. The payment of such fees shall not exempt any person from the requirements of the construction code in the execution of the work or from any other penalties prescribed in this code. Exception: This provision shall not apply to emergency work performed under circumstances that did not allow time to obtain a permit per section 5-3-25. To qualify for this exception, it must be proved to the satisfaction of the authority having jurisdiction that the unpermitted work was urgently necessary and that it was not practicable to obtain a permit therefore before the commencement of the work. In all such cases a permit must be obtained as soon as it is practicable to do so. Any delay in obtaining a permit as soon as it is practicable to do so will subject the petitioner to enhanced fees pursuant to section 5-7-3(d). (e) New permit obtained after expiration. Where a new permit is obtained to complete construction of a project after expiration of permit under provisions of section 5-5-4, the fee therefor shall be based on the valuation of one-half the amount of work remaining to be done, provided: (1) No change has been made or will be made in the original plans and specifications for such work; (2) That immediately prior to applying for this permit the work on the property has not been abandoned or suspended for a period of more than one year; and (3) No refund has been made under provisions of section 5-7-8. (f) To change the designation of contractor for any phase of work, pursuant to subsection 5-5-3(c), the fee shall be $100. (g) The County and all contractors performing work under authority of the County shall be exempt from the requirement of paying any permit fee. (h) The following programs shall be exempt from the requirement of paying any permit fee, except for fees imposed pursuant to subsection (d), relating to work begun without a permit and penalty fees when required by the construction code: (1) Habitat for Humanity - Hilo and Kona; and (2) Hawai‘i Community College’s Model Home Project. (i) The authority having jurisdiction may waive permit fees for any person seeking to restore, reconstruct, or replace a structure damaged or destroyed as a result of a major disaster. For the purposes of this section, “major disaster” means any hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high water, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, mud slide, fire, explosion, or other catastrophe occurring in any part of the County that causes damage, suffering, and loss to such a degree that: (1) The governor of the State of Hawai‘i has declared pursuant to chapter 209, HRS, that a major disaster has occurred; or SUPP. 9 (1-2021) 5-32 CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATIVE CODE § 5-7-3 (2) The mayor has issued a proclamation declaring the existence of a major disaster. (2020, ord 20-61, sec 2.) 5-7-3