Hawaii building code
Hawaii has adopted 2018 Hawaii State Building Code based on 2018 IBC. The table below lists the governing edition for every discipline a plan check touches, followed by the Hawaii cities and counties that amend it locally.
- Current edition
- 2018 I-Code cycle with Hawaii amendments (2018 IBC/IRC/IECC/IEBC, 2018 UPC, 2020 NEC, 2024 NFPA 1 fire); 2021/2024 automatic updates currently suspended by emergency proclamation
- Code authority
- Hawaii State Building Code Council (SBCC), Department of Accounting and General Services (HRS 107-22); State Fire Council for the State Fire Code
Adopted code by discipline
| Discipline | Adopted code | Local amendment |
|---|---|---|
| Building | 2018 Hawaii State Building Code based on 2018 IBC | n/a |
| Residential | 2018 Hawaii State Residential Code based on 2018 IRC | n/a |
| Existing buildings | 2018 Hawaii State Existing Building Code based on 2018 IEBC | n/a |
| Fire | 2024 Hawaii State Fire Code based on 2024 NFPA 1 | n/a |
| Electrical | 2020 Hawaii State Electrical Code based on 2020 NEC (NFPA 70) | n/a |
| Plumbing | 2018 Hawaii State Plumbing Code based on 2018 UPC (IAPMO) | n/a |
| Energy | 2018 Hawaii State Energy Conservation Code based on 2018 IECC | n/a |
Overlays that can apply
Mapped hazard and district overlays stack on top of the adopted code. These are the overlays recorded for Hawaii. They apply by parcel, not jurisdiction-wide, so confirm the parcel before assuming one is in play. Check CAL FIRE's fire hazard severity viewer and FEMA's flood map service.
- Hurricane wind-borne debris region
- Seismic design category overlay
- FEMA mapped flood hazard area
- California Coastal Zone
Sources
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/bcc/building-code-rules/
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2018StateBuildingCode_20210817.pdf
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2018StateResidentialCode_20201117rev1.pdf
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/soh_bcc_energycode_20201215.pdf
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/2018StateExistingBuildingCode_20201117.pdf
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/StatePlumbingCode_20200519.pdf
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/StateElectricalCode_03152022.pdf
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2020-NFPA-70-NEC-TIAs.pdf
- https://law.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/NFPA1-2024-Hawaii-State-Fire-Code-amendments.pdf
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/bcc/building-code-rules/wind-maps/
- https://ags.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/SBCC-Code-Cycle-Critical-Dates_2023-03-10_.pdf
- https://governor.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2509073.pdf
- https://governor.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2603035-EIGHTEENTH-PROCLAMATION-RELATING-TO-AFFORDABLE-HOUSING.pdf
- https://dod.hawaii.gov/hiema/gov-green-issues-eighteenth-proclamation-relating-to-affordable-housing/
- https://www.iccsafe.org/adoptions
- https://www.seaoh.org/Building-Code-Status
Common questions
What building code does Hawaii use?
Hawaii uses 2018 Hawaii State Building Code based on 2018 IBC. It is administered by the Hawaii State Building Code Council (SBCC), Department of Accounting and General Services (HRS 107-22); State Fire Council for the State Fire Code.
Do cities in Hawaii amend the state code?
Local amendments are adopted by ordinance at the city or county level. Confirm with the building department that reviews your permit.
Check a plan set against Hawaii code
Knowing the adopted edition is the easy half. Architechtura reads your drawings, resolves which of these provisions actually apply to the project, and returns the corrections a plan checker would write up, each one cited to the section it came from.
Your first check is free, no card required.
Compiled from published state and municipal adoption ordinances. Local governments amend their codes on their own schedule, and a pending ordinance can change what applies to your permit. Confirm the governing edition with the building department before you submit. This page is reference information, not a code determination.