Department of Planning and Permitting

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Department of Planning and Permitting

Ka ʻOihana Hoʻolālā A Me Nā Palapala ʻAe

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Learn About and Apply for Grading Permits

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A grading permit is required when excavating or filling earth materials (rock, coral, gravel, soil, recycled asphalt pavement):

  • greater than 3 feet in height or;
  • greater than 50 cubic yards in volume (excavation or fill, not net) or;
  • to re-direct existing surface run-off patterns with respect to adjacent properties

If a grading permit is already issued for the construction work, any stockpiling or grubbing which occurs at the same premises is considered incidental and does not require a separate permit.

A grading Permit is not required for:

  • mining or quarrying operations regulated by other city ordinances,
  • excavation & backfill within the footprint of structures authorized by a valid building permit,
  • grading for individual cemetery plots,
  • grading for agricultural use in accordance with a conservation plan approved by the appropriate Oahu Soil & Water Conservation District(opens in a new tab), and
  • exploratory excavations less than 50 cubic yards, provided the excavations will be back filled.

Regardless of whether a grading permit is required, Best Management Practices (BMPs) to contain storm water on-site and prevent the discharge of pollutants from the site are required.

A stockpiling permit is required when required when temporarily storing over 100 cubic yards of earth materials for future construction purposes.

If a grading permit is already issued for the construction work, any stockpiling which occurs at the same premises is considered incidental and does not require a separate permit.

Regardless of whether a stockpiling permit is required, Best Management Practices (BMPs) to contain storm water on-site and prevent the discharge of pollutants from the site are required.

A grubbing permit is required when uprooting or dislodging vegetation from the ground surface across an area more than 15,000 square feet. Clearing, which involves leaving the root structure in place, is not considered as grubbing and does not require a grubbing permit.

If a grading permit is already issued for the construction work, any grubbing which occurs at the same premises is considered incidental and does not require a separate permit.

A grubbing Permit is not required for:

  • clearing, which involves leaving the root structure in place, is not considered as grubbing,
  • grubbing 15,000 square feet or less

Regardless of whether a grubbing permit is required, Best Management Practices (BMPs) to contain storm water on-site and prevent the discharge of pollutants from the site are required.

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Resources

Supplemental Forms

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Property owner name & address
  • Site location map, address, & tax map key (TMK)
  • Property lines, dimensions, easements
  • Limits of grading, graded & disturbed areas
  • Earthwork summary
    earthwork summary stamp showing blanks for cut/fill volumes and graded/disturbed areas
  • Graded area in square feet (sf) or acres (ac)
  • Disturbed area in sf or ac
  • Excavation in cubic yards (cy)
  • Embankment in cy
  • Existing & finish grades by spot elevations or contour lines on plan view & cross-section view
  • Maximum cut & fill slopes
  • Grading setbacks
  • Existing & proposed structures within 15 feet of area to be graded
  • Streams, waterways, & wetlands
  • An Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (ESCP)
  • For category 3+ projects, your ESCP must be prepared by a Certified Erosion and Sediment Control Plan Preparer (CESCPP).

Plans shall be stamped by a professional licensed engineer when the lot area is 15,000 square feet or more for single- or two-family dwelling use or 7,500 sf or more for other use.

A Notice of Intent (NOI) or Notice of General Permit Coverage (NGPC) from the State Department of Health for all projects that:
  • disturb one acre or more of land, or
  • discharge of hydrotesting water, or
  • discharge associated with construction activity dewatering.
A soils report, prepared by a licensed professional engineer when:
  • the graded height is greater than 15 ft for single- or two-family dwelling use or 7.5 ft for other use, or
  • existing slopes within the graded area exceeds 15%, or
  • filling a gully, swamp, pond, lake, waterway, or wetland, or
  • the fill material is a highly plastic clay, or
  • fill is used to support foundations for residential or other buildings, or
  • stockpiling for the purpose of surcharging to stabilize or consolidate an area
An engineering slope hazard report prepared by a licensed professional engineer is required when

the proposed grading includes modification to an existing slope with a cut greater than 15 feet in height and a grade steeper than 40%.

A declaration of covenant indemnifying the City and County of Honolulu recorded with the State of Hawai‘i Bureau of Conveyance when

grading is proposed on a slide lot.

Smaller projects may be submitted for informal review via ePlans or hard-copy at our counter on the ground floor in the permitting center. Category 4 & 5 Projects shall be submitted for formal plan review and approval on the 8th floor to our Subdivision Branch (768-8100) prior to application for permit. See the SDD plan submittal requirements for more information regarding formal plan review. Following review and approval of the plans, you may apply for permit up to 90 days in advance of the anticipated start of construction. Department plan approvals are valid for two years, after which re-approval is required.

Slide Lots (for permitting purposes) are parcels with known/observed earth movement. Because of known earth movement, proposed grading and/or building work on these properties require an engineer’s soils report prepared by a licensed professional engineer for the proposed work.

  • Completed online Application for New Site Dev Permit (HNL Build account required)
    • At the end of the online application, you will get a reference number like ‘2026-GP-0001’. Do not submit physical documents before completing this step. Include this reference number with all physical submissions.
  • Designation of certified ESCP coordinator and/or CWPPP on Appendix A(opens in a new tab) form
  • Approved/reviewed plans (two sets for hard copy review, one for ePlan review)
  • Erosion and Sediment Control Plan (with valid construction dates)
  • Cover letter of a State Department of Health NOI or NGPC, if applicable
  • Fee and bond, if applicable

All grading permits expire when the permitted work does not commence within 90 days from the date of issuance; if the work is suspended or abandoned for 60 days after commencing work; or one year from the date of issuance. A new permit is required to commence or re-commence work.

All grading permits expire when the permitted work does not commence within 90 days from the date of issuance; if the work is suspended or abandoned for 60 days after commencing work; or one year from the date of issuance. A new permit is required to commence or re-commence work. All permit applications must be initiated through HNL Build. For permit renewals, submit the following:
  • Apply for New Site Dev Permit (HNL Build account required)
    • At the end of the online application, you will get a reference number like ‘2026-GP-0001’. Do not submit physical documents before completing this step. Include this reference number with all physical submissions.
  • with reference to the current grading permit number, any updated grading quantities, and an applicant with ah HNL Build account.
  • Grading fee, which is based on remaining quantities. If renewing after the expiration date, the fee is double.
  • Updated Erosion and Sediment Control Plan and NOI or NGPC if applicable
  • Designation of certified ESCP coordinator on Appendix A(opens in a new tab) form
Schedule a final inspection with your assigned inspector to initiate the closure of your permit. Once the inspector is satisfied that work is complete per the plans and BMPs are removed, the inspector will submit permit documents for closure. See the Rules Related to Water Quality for additional permit closure requirements.

For any permit application that involves a contractor, the contractor performing the work is required to have a dedicated HNL Build Customer Portal account registered under their business name. This ensures all contractor-related permit activities are managed efficiently and correctly within a centralized system.

The submission method depends on the scope and complexity of your project. “Construction Plan Job” submissions are generally required for larger projects, specifically those categorized as Category 4 and 5. For smaller, less complex projects, an “over-the-counter” application may be appropriate. Please refer to our detailed project category guidelines in the Rules Relating to Water Quality for specific definitions.

Trenching Permits (TP) should only be submitted after all necessary clearances have been officially obtained. Ensuring all prerequisites are met beforehand will help expedite the processing of your Trenching Permit.

To renew your permit, you will need to insert your renewal number into the ‘purpose of work’ text field during the application process. Please be aware that while you can input the number here, any linking functionality associated with this text field will not be active.

When completing your application, please insert your Construction Plan (CP) Job number directly into the ‘purpose of work’ text field. Kindly note that any attempted linking through this field will not function as expected.

The ESCP Review Fee is paid once. If you are unsure whether the ESCP Review Fee has already been paid or applies, do not pay and proceed with the permit submittal.

 

The ESCP Review Fee is already paid when:

  1. The project is reviewed under a Construction Plan (CP) review or a building permit
  2. The ESCP fee was paid under a previous permit
  3. The project is a City project (grading work is on behalf of the City)

For assistance, please contact CEB staff for Grading Permits at DPPCivilEngineering@honolulu.gov

Kindly include the following with your inquiry:

  • Your newly submitted permit/application #, and
  • The original reference # (or permit #) where the ESCP fee was paid

Email DppCivilEngineering@honolulu.gov for the most prompt response. Please include any photos if relevant to your question.

You can contact our Site Development Division staff at 768-8218.

See the Municipal Reference Center’s Standards and Best Practices. Call Site Development Division staff at 768-8218 with questions regarding standard details and/or standard specifications.

Contact the Department of Facilities Maintenance – Division of Road Maintenance. An informational sheet about encroachment into City drainage easements is available.

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