Qualified architects and engineers licensed in the State of Hawaii will soon be able to submit building plans through the Department of Planning and Permitting’s new Self-Certification Professional Program.

What You Need To Know

  • Online registration for the SCP Program opened Thursday to accelerate permitting, particularly for affordable housing and other priority developments

  • The program allows building plans for eligible projects to be submitted without standard department review as long as those plans fully comply with all applicable codes, according to DPP

  • SCP training and examination are not yet available, according to DPP, but design professionals are encouraged to register now to get a head start on the process

  • Once registered, applicants will get a confirmation email and will be notified as soon as the training and exam become available

Online registration for the SCP Program opened Thursday to accelerate permitting, particularly for affordable housing and other priority developments. The program allows building plans for eligible projects to be submitted without standard department review as long as those plans fully comply with all applicable codes, according to DPP.

The initiative is governed by Ordinance No. 23-29 and Chapter 30 of the DPP Administrative Rules.

Design professionals must first obtain a Certificate of Registration from DPP to participate in the SCP Program. The certificate is issued by the DPP director to individuals who demonstrate the necessary skill, experience and professional integrity to certify building plans in compliance with department standards. However, only specific types of development projects can currently participate:

  • Applications are limited to the following eligible projects:
  • Affordable Rental Housing per Chapter 32 Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (Bill 7 project)
  • Commercial building improvement projects by a tenant or lessee, limited to only interior alterations
  • Residential projects on lands managed or owned by DHHL
  • Energy Efficiency projects

Click on the following links to see if a project qualified for Self-Certification:

According to DPP, if a project falls under one of the categories and plans are accepted for processing under the SCP Program, all Self-Certified plans will be deemed approved, and a building permit will be issued once the DPP confirms that all required agency approvals have been obtained, and the project complies with any applicable laws.

An application will be removed from the SCP Program and submitted to further review under standard DPP building permit application procedures if there are any indications of the following:

  • Existing infrastructure is insufficient to support the proposed development
  • Additional information or analysis is required to determine compliance with one or more applicable laws
  • The project does not comply with one or more laws

SCP training and examination are not yet available, according to DPP, but design professionals are encouraged to register now to get a head start on the process. Once registered, applicants will get a confirmation email and will be notified as soon as the training and exam become available. After applicants view the training videos and pass the quiz, their applications will be sent to the director for approval.

To qualify as a Self-Certified Professional, applicants must:

  • Hold a valid Hawaii license in architecture or engineering in one of the following disciplines: structural, mechanical, electrical, civil, or fire protection
  • Have a minimum of three years of experience practicing under a Hawaii license in their respective field
  • Have no history of unprofessional conduct
  • Maintain professional liability insurance with minimum coverage of $1 million per claim and $2 million aggregate coverage annually
  • Possess a valid certification from a nationally or locally recognized organization or program

Visit the DPP website for updates.