Hawaii / Local permit guide
Honolulu Solar Permit Guide
Your local requirements. The official sources. A clearer next step.
- Permit authority
- City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP)Source linked
- Electric utility
- Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO)Source linked
- Local pathway
- Solar Quick Permit (HNL Build) / Expedited Clean Energy BPA for townhomesProject-specific eligibility conditions apply.
- Review time
- Not yet verified.
City and County of Honolulu ·
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Your permit path,
at a glance.
This shows what GridPermit has verified for Honolulu. It does not show the status of a specific project.
- 01Permit authorityCity and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP)Authority sourced
- 02DocumentsChecklist includes conditional itemsConditions apply
- 03InspectionCurrent inspection sequence needs confirmationNot verified
- 04Utility & PTOHawaiian Electric Company (HECO)Utility path sourced
01 / Know your path
Two approvals.
One project.
Permit & inspection
City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP)
Local requirementsA local permit and utility permission to operate are different approvals. Check the local sequence and requirements below.
How to read this guide
GridPermit collects Hawaii residential solar and permitting facts directly from official sources (city, county, and state government sites, utilities, and public utilities commissions) and shows only what we can verify, with a confidence score and a link to where it came from. Nothing here is estimated or inferred beyond what's stated below. See our methodology for the rules this page follows.
Battery/solar incentive program on record
Bring Your Own Device Plus (BYOD Plus)
Incentive program for customers who install a new battery and agree to dispatch it during specified time periods, replacing the previous 'Battery Bonus' program.
Status on file: active. Verify current status before relying on this.
Sources & confidence
02 / Prepare your application
What you need.
Sources & confidence
Permit fees
Some supporting official material could not be independently confirmed from the full source in GridPermit's latest review. Verify the current requirement with the authority before relying on it.
Not yet verified.
Rebates on record
Rebates on record
Renewable Energy Technologies Income Tax Credit (RETITC) — Solar Energy System
Statewide Hawaii state income tax credit for solar energy systems (HRS 235-12.5): 35% of actual installed cost, capped at $5,000 per system for single-family residential property (lower of the two), $350 per unit for multi-family residential, or $500,000 per system for commercial property. A separate, higher-value $2,250 cap applies if the system's primary purpose is solar water heating rather than PV. Any utility rebate received must be deducted from system cost before computing the credit. Applies statewide to any Hawaii taxpayer regardless of county/island — a genuine reusable statewide fact, not utility- or county-specific.
Status on file: active. Verify current status before relying on this.
Sources & confidence
Utility and generation supplier
Utility
Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO)
Hawaiian Electric is the sole electric utility for the island of Oahu (City and County of Honolulu), confirmed via the utility's own site.
Sources & confidence
Generation supplier
Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) (utility)
Per Hawaiian Electric's own 'Smart Renewable Energy Programs' page: as of the program's rollout (beginning ~April 2024), most new residential rooftop solar customers choose between 'Smart Renewable Energy (SRE) Export' (export bill credits, no project size limit) and 'SRE Non-Export' (no export credits, no size limit); a 'Bring Your Own Device Plus (BYOD Plus)' incentive is available for battery installations dispatched during specified periods. Legacy 'Net Energy Metering (NEM)' and 'NEM Plus' customers are NOT required to transition and may instead enroll additional capacity under 'NEM Plus' or 'NEM Plus Limited Export.' Older programs (Customer Grid-Supply, Customer Grid-Supply Plus, Smart Export, Standard Interconnection Agreement, Customer Self-Supply) are closed to new customers and are being transitioned into the SRE framework over time (transitions after 7 years in-program began Oct. 1, 2024). All Smart Renewable Energy participants must have an advanced (smart) meter.
Sources & confidence
Inspection steps
Not yet verified.
Eligibility constraints
- Property types: residential, townhome
- Max system size (AC): Not yet verified.
- Max system size (DC): Not yet verified.
- Max thermal capacity: Not yet verified.
- Program/pathway: Solar Quick Permit (HNL Build) / Expedited Clean Energy BPA for townhomes
- Other conditions:
- Standard Solar Quick Permits process even if the property is in a Special Management Area (SMA), Special District, subject to a Unilateral Agreement, subject to Ewa Highway Impact Fee, refers to DLNR, or is a Lot Flags Slide Lot — applicant must answer 'Yes' to the first HNL Build question to avoid being blocked by these flags
- The separate expedited 'Clean Energy' Building Permit Application pathway (Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Section 18-5-10) is limited to 20 kW systems and primarily targets townhomes; eligible project types include solar PV (with or without energy storage), solar thermal/electric hot water heating, and EV charging stations
Sources & confidence
Official contacts
Official contacts
- DPP HNL Build Support, email: HNLBuild@honolulu.gov, official website
- DPP Permit Issuance Branch (PIB), email: dppissuepermits@honolulu.gov, official website
Need a solar installer who handles permits in Honolulu?
EnergySage is an independent solar marketplace where you can request property-specific pricing from installers familiar with local permitting.
Compare quotes from solar installers →You'll continue on EnergySage's website. GridPermit links to EnergySage as an independent third-party resource. This link is not currently tracked for compensation.
Official sources
Official sources
- Solar Permit, City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting (government). Accessed 2026-08-12.
- HRS §235-12.5 — Renewable energy technologies; income tax credit, Hawaii State Legislature (government). Accessed 2026-08-13.
- Clean Energy (Expedited Building Permit Application), City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting (government). Accessed 2026-08-12.
- Smart Renewable Energy Programs, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) (utility). Accessed 2026-08-12.
Frequently Asked Questions
What utility serves solar customers in Honolulu, Hawaii?
Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) is the interconnection and distribution utility for Honolulu. The same utility is also listed as the default electricity generation supplier.
What documents are required for a solar permit in Honolulu?
Commonly required documents include: Manufacturer Specification Sheet; Installation and Operations Manual; UL or other national testing laboratory listing.
Who do I contact about solar permits in Honolulu?
DPP HNL Build Support, email HNLBuild@honolulu.gov.