Hawaii PE Stamp and Permit-Ready Plans
Structural, architectural and MEP drawings sealed by a Hawaii-licensed engineer, designed for hurricane winds, coastal exposure and each county's building code.
- Stamped by a PE licensed in Hawaii
- Prepared for Hawaii building departments
- Residential, commercial and industrial
Island-ready plans and a PE stamp in Hawaii
Building in Hawaii means designing for hurricanes, salt air, steep terrain and, on Hawaii Island, active volcanoes, often on lots where every square foot counts. A PE stamp in Hawaii also has to satisfy one of four separate county building departments, each with its own amendments to the state building code and its own permitting procedures.
PE Engineer prepares structural, architectural, MEP and civil drawings for projects across the islands, sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in Hawaii through our network of state-licensed PEs. We work from your survey, photos and existing plans and design to the county code that applies where you are building, so a set for Kailua-Kona is not simply a copy of one for Kaneohe.
Common requests include ohana units and ADUs, lanai and deck additions, upgrades to older single-wall homes, post-and-pier foundations on sloped lots, roof-mounted solar with solar structural letters, commercial tenant improvements in Honolulu and resort areas, and rebuilding work on Maui. Every quote is a fixed fee, usually returned the same day.
How licensing works. Engineering drawings must be sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in Hawaii. PE Engineer works with a network of state-licensed PEs, so every set is reviewed and stamped by an engineer with an active license in Hawaii. Their name and license number appear on the seal, exactly as your building department requires.
Popular in Hawaii
- Ohana units and ADUs
- Lanai and deck additions
- Post-and-pier homes on sloped lots
- Hurricane tie-down and roof upgrades
- Solar PV and roof letters
- Commercial and resort tenant improvements
Engineering services for Hawaii projects
Drawings for homes and businesses on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island and Kauai, sealed by a Hawaii-licensed PE.
Structural engineering in Hawaii
Wind design to ASCE 7 including topographic speed-up on ridges and slopes, hurricane straps and tie-downs, post-and-pier and slab foundations, seismic design on Hawaii Island, and corrosion-resistant connector specifications near the ocean.
Architectural plans in Hawaii
Floor plans, elevations and site plans for ohana units, additions, new homes and commercial spaces, with setbacks, shoreline and Special Management Area notes, and the county code requirements for your island.
MEP engineering in Hawaii
Cooling and ventilation design for a tropical climate, electrical service and solar PV plans, plumbing including water heating, energy code compliance under county amendments, and fire sprinkler and alarm drawings for commercial buildings.
Industrial and equipment in Hawaii
Equipment anchorage for wind and seismic forces, tank and skid foundations, platforms and mezzanines, storage racks, and OSHA stairs and guardrails for utilities, harbor facilities, hotels and warehouses.
Your Stamped, Permit-Ready Plans Start With One Upload
Send your drawings or describe the project. A licensed engineer reviews it and sends a clear, fixed-fee proposal, often within hours.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
Hawaii state and county building codes
Hawaii adopts a State Building Code through the State Building Code Council, based on the International Codes, the Uniform Plumbing Code and the NEC. Each county then adopts it with its own amendments, so the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii County, Maui County and Kauai County each enforce a slightly different version. We design to the county code in force for your island.
- Hawaii State Building Code, based on the IBC and IRC, with county amendments
- Hawaii State Energy Code, based on the IECC
- Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) as adopted by the state and counties
- NEC/NFPA 70 for electrical work
- ASCE 7 for wind, seismic and flood loads
- County Special Management Area and shoreline setback rules
Wind, volcanoes and coastal exposure in Hawaii
Wind is the primary structural load in Hawaii. The islands lie in a hurricane-prone region, and steep ridges, valleys and escarpments can significantly increase wind speeds through topographic effects, so a home on a ridge in Manoa or upcountry Maui may see much higher pressures than one on flat ground nearby. Continuous tie-downs from roof to foundation are standard, and salt-laden air near the ocean calls for hot-dip galvanized or stainless connectors and generous concrete cover.
Hawaii Island adds the highest seismic design values in the state and lava flow hazard zones on the slopes of Kilauea and Mauna Loa, which affect insurance and financing as much as design. Coastal areas on every island face tsunami and storm surge exposure, and FEMA flood zones and shoreline setbacks restrict where and how you can build. Wildfire risk in dry leeward areas, termites, heavy rainfall on windward slopes and variable volcanic soils round out the list. Snow is not a design factor below the high summits.
How permits work in Hawaii's counties
Each county runs its own process. The Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting handles Oahu, while Hawaii County, Maui County and Kauai County each have their own building divisions. Most accept electronic submittals, and review often involves several agencies, including zoning, wastewater, fire and, near the coast, Special Management Area or shoreline review.
- Confirm county requirements, zoning, flood zone and any SMA or shoreline review.
- We prepare drawings and calculations, sealed by a Hawaii-licensed PE.
- Submit to the county and track comments from each reviewing agency.
- We address each agency’s comments and revise within the original scope until the county approves the set.
Permit timelines in Hawaii can be long, so a complete, well-coordinated first submittal is the most effective way to keep a project on schedule.
Cities and counties we serve in Hawaii
- Honolulu
- Pearl City
- Hilo
- Kailua
- Kaneohe
- Waipahu
- Mililani
- Kapolei
- Ewa Beach
- Kahului
- Kihei
- Lahaina
- Wailuku
- Kailua-Kona
- Lihue
- Hawaii County
- Maui County
- Kauai County
Plus every other city, town and county in Hawaii.
How it works, start to finish
From your first message to stamped drawings, you work directly with the engineering team.
- 1Share your projectSend the address, scope and any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. Two minutes is enough.
- 2Receive a fixed-fee proposalAn engineer reviews the scope and replies with a firm price and delivery date for your project in Hawaii.
- 3Engineering and draftingWe run the calculations and prepare drawings to the codes your jurisdiction enforces, checked before sealing.
- 4Stamped set deliveredYou receive a sealed PDF set ready to submit, and we answer any plan-check comments within scope.
Have a Question? Get a Real Engineer's Answer in Minutes
Skip the guesswork. Chat live with a licensed engineer about your drawings, code requirements or permit comments, free and with no obligation.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
PE stamp and permit FAQs for Hawaii
Can you provide a PE stamp for my project in Hawaii?
Yes. Hawaii projects are sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in Hawaii through PE Engineer’s network of state-licensed PEs. County building departments verify the engineer’s Hawaii license during review, and we include calculations showing the wind design, including any topographic factors used for your lot.
Can you design an ohana unit or ADU in Honolulu?
Yes. We prepare complete permit sets for ohana units and ADUs on Oahu and the neighbor islands, with floor plans, elevations, framing and foundation design, energy documentation and site plans. Each county defines these units differently, so we confirm the zoning and size limits that apply to your lot before we draw.
Why does my lot need a higher wind design?
Wind accelerates as it moves over ridges, hills and escarpments, and many Hawaii lots sit exactly where that effect is strongest. ASCE 7 accounts for this with a topographic factor based on the shape of the terrain and your position on it. We calculate it for your site so uplift connections are sized correctly.
Can you help strengthen an older single-wall home?
Yes. Many older Hawaii homes use single-wall construction with limited tie-downs. We design hurricane straps, added blocking and connections from roof to wall to foundation, along with repairs for termite or rot damage. These upgrades are often combined with a remodel or addition so the work is permitted together.
Do you work on all the islands?
Yes. We prepare plans for Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, Kauai, Molokai and Lanai. Molokai and Lanai are part of Maui County, so their permits follow Maui County rules. We work remotely from your survey, photos and existing drawings, and adjust each set to the county requirements that apply.
Also serving nearby states
Get your free Hawaii proposal
Tell us where the project is and what you need. Attach any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. A licensed engineer reviews every request.
- Upload your filesPlans, sketches, photos or comments
- Get a fixed-fee proposalUsually the same day
- Receive stamped drawingsSealed by a PE licensed in your state