Deck Construction Permits in Hawaii

The Building Code in Hawaii

Hawaii State Building Code, 2018 IBC/IRC based with Hawaii amendments, enforced by all 4 counties

The Hawaii State Building Code Council adopts a statewide baseline, based on the 2018 International Building and Residential Codes with Hawaii-specific amendments, and all four counties, Honolulu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii, actively enforce their own version of it. Under the code, a permit is required to construct, alter, or demolish any structure unless it falls under a narrow exemption; for decks, the relevant carve-out covers only platforms not more than 30 inches above grade and not over a basement. Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting now requires all building permit applications to be submitted online through its ePlans portal, paper applications are no longer accepted. Properties within 300 feet of a saltwater shoreline require stainless steel fasteners and connectors under the building code, and even further inland, the state's salt-laden tropical air corrodes standard galvanized hardware faster than in mainland environments.

Quick Facts

Who Sets the Rules

A narrow exemption, not a size-based one

Hawaii's deck exemption covers only a platform not more than 30 inches above grade and not over a basement, a genuinely narrower carve-out than the 200-square-foot, 30-inch dual test many mainland states use, since Hawaii's exemption has no square footage component at all.

A now-mandatory digital process in Honolulu

Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting requires every building permit application to go through its ePlans portal electronically, paper applications are no longer accepted at all, a real, current administrative shift for the county covering the majority of Hawaii's population.

A real material requirement tied to distance from the ocean

Any deck within 300 feet of a saltwater shoreline must use stainless steel fasteners and connectors under the building code itself, not just a recommendation, and even properties further inland benefit from marine-grade hardware given Hawaii's salt-laden tropical air.

Termite resistance is an ongoing responsibility, not a one-time choice

All structural lumber used above ground in deck construction must be termite-resistant or protected by an approved barrier method, and homeowners are expected to maintain that protection over time rather than treat it as satisfied once at construction.

Coastal properties can face a second permit layer

A deck in a Shoreline Management Area may need a separate SMA permit in addition to the standard building permit, and shoreline setback rules can independently restrict where construction is allowed near the coast.

What people get wrong

The most common mistake is assuming a 200-square-foot figure applies in Hawaii the way it does on the mainland. The state's exemption has no size component at all, only the 30-inch height and basement test, so a large but low platform can still be exempt while a small but tall one cannot.

Counties With Their Own Rules

These Hawaii counties have verified, county-specific deck construction rules that differ from the state baseline:

Check Your County

Select your county for the local rule, fees, and your building department's contact details:

Building It Yourself? Here's What You'll Need

Popular tools and materials homeowners use for a deck construction project:

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Official Sources

• Hawaii State Building Code Council
• Honolulu Dept. of Planning and Permitting

Rules change and cities within a county may differ. This guide is general information, not legal advice — always confirm with your local building department. Reviewed by the StateDataIndex Editorial Team · Updated September 2026.