Renewable Energy Project Permitting in the State of Hawaii – Permit Briefs
The Hawaii State Energy Office created UNOFFICIAL Permit Briefs for nearly 200 individual STATE, COUNTY, and FEDERAL permits and approvals (in that order) that could be required for a renewable energy project in Hawaii. Each Brief includes process flowcharts, estimated process timelines, and other application information relevant to renewable energy developments. To read the PDFs, you will need appropriate software such as Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader.
Residential Photovoltaic Installations
| County | HSEO Permit Brief |
| Kauai | Kauai Residential PV Installation_May 2015 |
| City and County of Honolulu | Oahu Residential PV Installation_May 2015 — Outdated |
| Maui | Maui County Residential PV Installation_May 2015 — Outdated |
| Hawaii | Hawaii Island Residential PV Installation_May 2015 — Outdated |
State of Hawaii Permits
| Permit Name | Branch / Division / Office / Commission | HSEO Permit Brief |
| DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE | ||
| Pesticide Applicator Certification | Plant Industry Division, Pesticides Branch | DOA-PB-1 |
| Pesticides Experimental Use Permit | Plant Industry Division, Pesticides Branch | DOA-PB-2 |
| Restricted Commodities into Hawaii | Plant Industry Division, Plant Quarantine Branch | DOA-PQB-1 |
| DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, and TOURISM | ||
| Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) Federal Consistency Review | Office of Planning | DBEDT-OP-1 |
| District Boundary Amendment | Land Use Commission | DBEDT-LUC-1 |
| Kakaako Makai Development Permit | Hawaii Community Development Authority | DBEDT-HCDA-2 |
| Kakaako Mauka/Kalaeloa Development Permit | Hawaii Community Development Authority | DBEDT HCDA-1 |
| Special Management Area (SMA) Use Permit | Office of Planning | DBEDT-OP-2 |
| Special Use Permit (Over 15 Acres) | Land Use Commission | DBEDT-LUC-2 |
| DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE and CONSUMER AFFAIRS | ||
| Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or Fuel Off-Take Agreement | Hawaii Public Utilities Commission | PUC PPA Approval |
| Transmission Line Approval | Hawaii Public Utilities Commission | PUC Transmission Line Approval |
| DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH | ||
| Agricultural Burning | Clean Air Branch | DOH-CAB-1 |
| Air Pollution Control Permit – Covered Source Permit and Noncovered Source Permit | Clean Air Branch | DOH-CAB-2 |
| Biosolids Treatment Works Notice of Intent | Wastewater Branch | DOH-WW-1 |
| Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know-Act Chemical Inventory Reporting | Office of Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response | DOH-HEER-1 |
| Environmental Assessment (EA) | Office of Environmental Quality Control | Environmental Assessment |
| Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) | Office of Environmental Quality Control | Environmental Impact Statement |
| Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Permit (TSD) | Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch | DOH-SHW-1 |
| Individual Wastewater Management Permit | Wastewater Branch | DOH-WW-2 |
| National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit | Clean Water Branch | DOH-CWB-1 |
| Noise Permit | Indoor and Radiological Health Branch | DOH-IRH-1 |
| Noise Variance | Indoor and Radiological Health Branch | DOH-IRH-2 |
| Section 401 Water Quality Certification (WQC) | Clean Water Branch | DOH-CWB-2 |
| Solid Waste Management Facility Permit | Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch | DOH-SHWB |
| Underground Injection Control Permit (UIC) | Safe Drinking Water Branch | DOH-SDW-1 |
| Underground Storage Tank (UST) Permit | Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch | DOH-SHW-3 |
| Variance From Pollution Control | Clean Water Branch | DOH-CWB-3 |
| Zone of Mixing (ZOM) Permit | Clean Water Branch | DOH-CWB-4 |
| DEPARTMENT OF LABOR and INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS | ||
| Boiler and/or Pressure Vessel Permits | Hawaii Occupational Safety & Health Division | DLIR-1 |
| Elevator and Kindred Equipment Permit | Hawaii Occupational Safety & Health Division | DLIR-2 |
| DEPARTMENT OF LAND and NATURAL RESOURCES | ||
| Closed Watershed Entry Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife | DLNR-DOFAW-1 |
| Conservation District Use Permit (CDUP) | Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands | DLNR-OCCL-1 |
| Conservation District Use Permit – State Marine Waters /Ocean Waters Construction Permit (OWCP) | Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands | DLNR-OCCL-2 |
| Dam Safety Permit | Engineering Division | DLNR-ENG-1 |
| Forest Reserve System Special Use Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife | DLNR DOFAW Forestry-3 |
| Geothermal Cable System Development Permit | Engineering Division | S-23 |
| Geothermal Exploration Permit | Engineering Division | DLNR-ENG-2 |
| Geothermal Drilling and Well Modification Permit | Engineering Division | DLNR-ENG-3 |
| Geothermal Resource Mining Lease | Engineering Division, Land Division | DLNR ENG.Land-1 |
| Ground Water Use Permit | Commission on Water Resource Management | DLNR-CWRM-2 |
| Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) and Incidental Take Licenses (ITLs) | Division of Forestry and Wildlife | DLNR DOFAW ITL HCP |
| Historic Preservation Review | State Historic Preservation Division | SHPD Historic Preservation Review |
| Historic Sites Review | State Historic Preservation Division | DLNR SHPD-2 |
| Native Invertebrate Research and Collecting Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Native Ecosystem Section | DLNR-NES-1 |
| Natural Area Reserves Special (NARS) Use Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife | DLNR DOFAW NES-2 |
| Protected Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife | DLNR-Wildlife-4 |
| Protected Wildlife Scientific Research Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife | DLNR-Wildlife-2 |
| Protected Wildlife Educational Display of Live Wildlife Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife | DLNR-Wildlife-3 |
| Stream Channel Alteration Permit (SCAP) | Commission on Water Resource Management | DLNR-CWRM-1 |
| Stream Diversion Works Permit | Commission on Water Resource Management | DLNR-CWRM-4 |
| Submerged Land Lease or Right-of-Way | Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, Land Division | DLNR Land Submerged Lands Lease |
| Surface Water Use Permit | Commission on Water Resource Management | DLNR-CWRM-5 |
| Threatened and Endangered Plant Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Native Ecosystem Section | DLNR-NES-3 |
| Threatened and Endangered Invertebrate Research and Collecting Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Native Ecosystem Section | DLNR-NES-4 |
| Use of State Lands Permit | Land Division | SOH-1 |
| Water Well Construction and Pump Installation Permit | Commission on Water Resource Management | DLNR CWRM -3 |
| Wildlife Sanctuary Entry Permit | Division of Forestry and Wildlife | DLNR DOFAW Forestry-4 |
| OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS | ||
| Consultation w/ Office of Hawaiian Affairs | Office of Hawaiian Affairs | OHA Consultation |
| DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION | ||
| Construction to Cross or Enter the State Energy Corridor | Harbors Division, Engineering Branch | DOT-HBR-2 |
| Construction Upon a State Highway | Highways Division | DOT-HWY-1 |
| Operate or Transport Oversize and/or Overweight Vehicles and Loads Permit | Highways Division | DOT-HWY-2 |
| Use and Occupancy Permit (Lane Use Permit for Construction Work) | Highways Division | DOT-HWY-3 |
| Work in Ocean Waters of the State | Harbors Division | DOT-HBR-1 |
County Permits
Kauai County
| Permit Name | Permit Agency | HSEO Permit Brief |
| Building Permit | Department of Public Works, Building Division | K-3 |
| Driveway Approach Application | Department of Public Works, Engineering Division | K-4 |
| Grading Permit | Department of Public Works, Engineering Division | K-5 |
| Grubbing Permit | Department of Public Works, Engineering Division | K-6 |
| Road Permit | Department of Public Works, Engineering Division | K-7 |
| Sewer Connection Permit | Department of Public Works, Wastewater Management Division | K-9 |
| Shoreline Setback Variance | Department of Planning | Kauai SSV_March 2015 |
| Special Management Area Permit – Major | Department of Planning | Kauai SMA Major Permit_March 2015 |
| Special Management Area Permit – Minor | Department of Planning | Kauai SMA Minor Permit_March 2015 |
| Special Permit | Department of Planning | Kauai Special Permit_March 2015 |
| Stockpiling Permit | Department of Public Works, Engineering Division | K-8 |
| Use Permit | Department of Planning | Kauai Use Permit_March 2015 |
| Variance | Department of Planning | K-13 |
| Water Service Application | Department of Water | K-10 |
| Zoning Permit (Class I) | Department of Planning | Kauai Class I Permit_March 2015 |
| Zoning Permits (Class IV) | Department of Planning | Kauai Class IV Permit_March 2015 |
City and County of Honolulu
| Permit Name | Permit Agency | HSEO Permit Brief |
| Building Permit | Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP), Building Division | CCH-6 |
| Conditional Use Permit – Major | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | Oahu CUPMajor_March 2015 |
| Conditional Use Permit – Minor | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | Oahu CUPMinor_March 2015 |
| Development Plan Amendment | DPP, Planning Division | CCH-17 |
| Dewatering Permit | DPP, Site Development Division | CCH-5 |
| Flood Determination Approval | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | CCH-4 |
| Flood Hazard District Variance | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | CCH-3 |
| General Plan Amendment | DPP, Planning Division | CCH-18 |
| Grading Permit | DPP, Site Development Division | CCH-7 |
| Grubbing Permit | DPP, Site Development Division | CCH-8 |
| Plan Review Use | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | CCH-14 |
| Sewer Connection Permit | DPP, Site Development Division | CCH-10 |
| Shoreline Setback Variance | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | CCH-1 |
| Special District Permit – Major and Minor | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | CCH-15 |
| Special Management Area Use Permit – Major | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | Oahu SMA Major Permit_March 2015 |
| Special Management Area Use Permit – Minor | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | Oahu SMA Minor Permit_March 2015 |
| Special Use Permit | DPP, Planning Division | Oahu SUP Permit_July 2015 |
| State Land Use Boundary Amendment | DPP, Planning Division | CCH-20 |
| Stockpiling Permit | DPP, Site Development Division | CCH-9 |
| Tank Installation Permit | Honolulu Fire Department | CCH-12 |
| Trenching Permit | DPP, Site Development Division | CCH-11 |
| Waiver Permit | DPP, Land Use Permits Division | Oahu Waiver Permit_March 2015 |
| Zone Change | DPP, Planning Division | CCH-21 |
Maui County
| Permit Name | Permit Agency | HSEO Permit Brief |
| Board of Variance & Appeals (BVA) | Department of Planning, Zoning Administration and Enforcement Division (DP-ZAED) | M-38a /38v |
| Building Permit | Department of Public Works, Development Services Administration (DPW-DSA), Building Permit Office | M-19 |
| Certificate of Occupancy Permit | DPW-DSA | M-20 |
| Change in Zoning Permit | Department of Planning, Current Planning Division (DP-CPD) | M-27 |
| Community Plan Amendment | DP-CPD | M-29 |
| Conditional Use Permit – Maui & Lanai | DP-CPD | M-30 |
| Conditional Use Permit – Molokai | DP-CPD | M-42 |
| County Special Use Permit – Maui & Lanai | Department of Planning, Maui or Lanai Planning Commission | M-37 |
| County Special Use Permit – Molokai | Department of Planning, Molokai Planning Commission | M-43 |
| Development Plan Review | Department of Planning, Planning Commission | M-36 |
| District Boundary Amendment (LUC) | DP-CPD | M-31 |
| Driveway Permit | DPW-DSA | M-21 |
| Electrical Permit | DPW-DSA, Electrical Permit & Inspection Office | M-22 |
| Explosives & Blasting Agent Permit | Department of Fire & Public Safety, Fire Prevention Bureau (DFPS-FPB) | M-12 |
| Fire Protection Permit | DFPS-FPB | M-13 |
| Flammable & Combustible Tank Permit | DFPS-FPB | M-14 |
| Flammable Finish Facility Permit (FAFF) | DFPS-FPB | M-15 |
| Flood Development Permit | DOP, Zoning Administration & Enforcement Division | M-5 |
| Grading & Grubbing Permit | DPW, DSA | M-23 |
| Hazardous Materials Permit | DFPS-FPB | M-16 |
| Liquefied Petroleum Gases Permit | DFPS-FPB | M-17 |
| Moving Permit | DPW-DSA | M-24 |
| Perform Work on County Highway Permit | DPW-DSA | M-25 |
| Planned Development Approval – Molokai | Department of Planning, Molokai Planning Commission | M-32 |
| Plumbing/Gas Permit | DP-CPD | M-26 |
| Project District Development Approval – Molokai | DP-CPD | M-44 |
| Project District Development Approval – Maui & Lanai | DP-CPD | M-33 |
| Project Master Plan Review | DP-CPD | M-34 |
| Public Utility Joint Venture | Department of Planning | M-49 |
| Shoreline Setback Variance – Lanai | DP-CPD | M-7 |
| Shoreline Setback Variance – Maui | DP-CPD | M-2 |
| Shoreline Setback Variance – Molokai | DP-CPD | M-9 |
| Special Accessory Use Approval Permit (ACC) | Department of Planning, Planning Commission | M-35 |
| Special Management Assessment | DP-CPD | M-47 |
| Special Management Area Emergency Permit – Lanai | Department of Planning, Lanai Planning Commission | M-46 |
| Special Management Area Emergency Permit – Maui | Department of Planning, Maui Planning Commission | M-48 |
| Special Management Area Map Amendment | DP-CPD | M-3 |
| Special Management Area Use Permit – Lanai | DP-CPD | M-8 |
| Special Management Area Use Permit – Major | DP-CPD | Maui SMA Major Permit_Dec 2014 |
| Special Management Area Use Permit – Minor | DP-CPD | Maui SMA Minor Permit_Dec 2014 |
| Special Use Permit (LUC) – Lanai | Department of Planning, Lanai Planning Commission | M-41 |
| Special Use Permit (LUC) – Maui | Department of Planning, Maui Planning Commission | M-28 |
| Special Use Permit (LUC) – Molokai | Department of Planning, Molokai Planning Commission | M-45 |
| Subdivision Applications | DPW-DSA | M-40 |
| Temporary Structure Permit | DFPS-FPB | M-18 |
| Variance | DP-CPD | Maui Variance_Dec 2014 |
| Wastewater Discharge Permit | Department of Environmental Management, Wastewater Reclamation Division (DEM-WRD) | M-6 |
| Wastewater Hauler Permit (WWH) | DEM-WRD | M-11 |
| Zoning and Flood Confirmation Form | DP-ZAED | M-39 |
Hawaii County
| Permit Name | Permit Agency | HSEO Permit Brief |
| Agricultural Project District Application | Department of Planning | H-12 |
| Building Permit | Public Works Department, Building Division | H-3 |
| Flood Zone Designation Form | Public Works Department, Engineering Division | H-5 |
| Grading Permit | Public Works Department, Engineering Division | H-6 |
| Grubbing Permit | Public Works Department, Engineering Division | H-7 |
| Permit to Work Within the County Right-of-Way | Public Works Department, Engineering Division | H-8 |
| Plan Approval | Department of Planning | H-13 |
| Plumbing Permit | Public Works Department, Building Division | H-4 |
| Private Waterline Installation | Public Works Department, Engineering Division | H-9 |
| Project District Application | Department of Planning | H-15 |
| Shoreline Setback Variance | Department of Planning | H-1 |
| Special Management Area Use Permit (Minor) | Department of Planning | Hawaii SMA Minor Dec 2014 |
| Special Management Area Use Permit (Major) | Department of Planning | Hawaii SMA Major Dec 2014 |
| Special/Use Permit Application | Department of Planning | H-16 |
| Stockpiling Permit | Public Works Department, Engineering Division | H-10 |
| Variance Application for County Streets | Public Works Department, Engineering Division | H-11 |
| Variance Zoning Application | Department of Planning | H-14 |
Federal Permits
| Permit Name | Permit Agency | HSEO Permit Brief |
| Bridge Permit, Rivers and Harbors Act, Section 9 | U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard | USCG-1 |
| Construction in Potential Navigable Airspace | Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region Airports Division | Construction in Potential Navigable Airspace-FAA |
|
Construction of a Solar Facility on Airport Facilities |
Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region Airports Division | Construction of a Solar Facility on Airport Facilities-FAA |
| Construction of Solar Facility Near Final Approach Path for Airports (FAA) | Federal Aviation Administration, Western-Pacific Region Airports Division | Construction of Solar Facility Near Final Approach Path for Airports-FAA |
| Department of the Army (DA) Permit | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | DA-1 |
| Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) / Environmental Assessment (EA) | Council on Environmental Quality | NEPA CE EA EIS_Dec 2014 |
| Hydroelectric Project Authorizations (Licenses and Exemptions) | Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) | FERC-1 |
| Hydrokinetic Pilot Project License | Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) | FERC-2 |
| Incidental Take Permit (ITP), Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10 (a)(1)(B) | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service | NOAA-1 |
| Incidental Take Permit (ITP), Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 10 (a)(1)(B) | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Field Office | USFWS ITP_Dec 2014 |
| Incidental Take Statement (ITS), Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 (a)(2) | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service | NOAA-2 |
| Incidental Take Statement (ITS), Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 (a)(2) | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Field Office Consultation and Technical Assistance Program | USFWS-2 |
| Letter of Authorization (LOA) or Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service | NOAA-3 |
| Marine and Harbor Activities Notice (“Notice”) | U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard | USCG-2 |
| Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Renewable Energy Project Lease, Easement, or ROW Grants | U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) | DOI-1 |
| Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) if Impacting a National Park (recommendation to DOH Air Pollution Control Permit) | National Park Service, Air Resources Division | NPS-1 |
| Underground Injection Control (UIC) Permit | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water | EPA-2 |
Important Notice:
These resources are advisory and for informational purposes only and may not be relied upon to determine regulatory or interconnection requirements for any project. Contact the appropriate permitting agencies directly for permit information. The listings, associations, and contacts herein are provided for informational purposes only and are not meant to be all inclusive.
For comments or questions about the Developer & Investor Center, please contact the Hawaii State Energy Office.