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Home Permit Inspection Issue Help · Honolulu & O‘ahu

Home permit inspection issue in Honolulu? Get clear next steps.

If a permit inspection for your home, remodel, addition, deck, bathroom, enclosed lanai, garage conversion, carport, electrical work, plumbing work, or other property project did not pass, upload the inspection note, photo, permit record, or details. A local architectural professional can review the issue and recommend the next step.

Upload the Inspection Note →

An inspection note, correction, permit record, photo, screenshot, or brief description of the home project is enough to start.

Permit Problem ReviewFor Review
No Obligation

Upload the inspection note or tell us what happened with the home project.

What raised the concern?
Plain-Language Answer

What is a home permit inspection issue?

A home permit inspection issue usually means the inspector found something in the work area that needs attention before the project can move forward.

Sometimes it is a simple correction. Other times, the issue may involve work that does not match the approved plans, a missed inspection, a setback or zoning concern, electrical or plumbing work, stormwater controls, or a permit record that needs to be clarified.

The issue may involve a remodel, addition, deck, bathroom, carport, garage conversion, enclosed lanai, structural change, or other residential work.

You do not need to understand the inspection note before asking for help. Upload the note, photo, permit record, or provide the details so the issue can be reviewed.

Two Common Situations

Inspection issues usually happen in one of two ways.

For Honolulu homeowners, a permit inspection issue usually starts in one of two ways.

Situation 01Active construction
Active construction inspection

You are building, remodeling, repairing, or adding to the home under an open permit, and an inspector flags something before the work can continue or before final approval.

Examples
  • A rough inspection, framing inspection, electrical inspection, plumbing inspection, or final inspection did not pass.
  • The built work does not match the approved plans.
  • A deck, lanai, carport, bathroom, garage conversion, or addition needs correction.
  • A contractor made an on-site change that may need a plan revision.
  • The permit record shows an inspection comment you do not understand.
Situation 02Existing or complaint
Existing home or complaint-driven inspection

No active construction may be happening, but DPP, an inspector, or a property record issue raises a concern about older work on the home.

Examples
  • A neighbor complaint may have triggered an inspection.
  • An inspector looked at a structure, enclosure, carport, lanai, or conversion.
  • DPP may be asking about older work done by a previous owner.
  • The issue may connect to a Notice of Violation, code violation, or possible unpermitted work.
  • The homeowner is not sure whether the inspection issue belongs under permits, enforcement, or after-the-fact work.
If you received a formal Notice of Violation or NOV, the Notice of Violation / Code Violation page may also be helpful. If the issue came from a failed permit inspection on active work, this page is the right starting point.
How It Usually Comes Up

The issue often shows up as a note, red tag, permit comment, or contractor message.

Homeowners often find out when an inspector visits, a contractor reports a problem, a permit record updates, or a DPP message appears.

Common TriggersSheet · 03
  • A permit inspection for your home project did not pass.
  • An inspector left a correction note for a remodel, addition, deck, bathroom, garage conversion, carport, or enclosed lanai.
  • The work may not match the approved plans.
  • A rough inspection, framing inspection, electrical inspection, plumbing inspection, or final inspection may be involved.
  • A required inspection may have been missed.
  • A setback, zoning, drainage, stormwater, or erosion-control issue may have come up.
  • Your contractor says work cannot move forward yet.
  • The permit record shows an inspection problem you do not understand.
Inspection comments are easier to understand when the actual note, permit record, plan sheet, or photo of the work area is reviewed.
Why It Matters

An inspection issue can delay a remodel, repair, or final approval.

An inspection problem can delay a home project because the next step may not be obvious.

The issue might be simple, like a missing document or minor correction. But it may also involve approved plans, a field change, a missed inspection, electrical or plumbing corrections, setback questions, stormwater controls, or work that may need a revised drawing.

The right next step depends on what the inspector noted, what was approved, what was built, and what the permit record shows.

A document-first review helps identify what the home inspection issue appears to involve and what the next step may be.

City & County of Honolulu
Inspection Note

Inspection Note
Sample inspection note under review against approved plans and permit record…
Home Inspection Situations

This page may be for you if...

  • Your home permit inspection did not pass.
  • The inspector left a correction note for a remodel, addition, deck, bathroom, garage conversion, carport, enclosed lanai, or other residential work.
  • Your contractor says the project cannot move forward yet.
  • The inspection issue mentions plans, permits, missing documents, or work that does not match approved plans.
  • A required rough, framing, electrical, plumbing, or final inspection may have been missed.
  • A setback, zoning, drainage, stormwater, or erosion-control concern came up.
  • The permit record shows an inspection problem.
  • The issue involves a house, structure, work area, or residential project.
  • You need help understanding what the inspector appears to be asking for.
Common Inspection Problems

Common issues that can trigger inspection problems

Every property is different, but these are the kinds of inspection-related issues that often confuse homeowners.

01Common issue
Work does not match the approved plans

The inspector may see that something was built differently than shown on the approved drawings. This can happen with framing, windows, walls, utilities, decks, bathrooms, lanais, or other field changes.

02Common issue
A required inspection was missed

Some work needs to be inspected before it is covered up or before the next step can continue. A missed rough, framing, electrical, plumbing, or final inspection can create delays.

03Common issue
Setback or zoning issue

A deck, roofline, carport, pergola, lanai, wall, or addition may raise questions if it appears too close to a property line or does not match what was approved.

04Common issue
Electrical or plumbing correction

The issue may involve fixtures, clearances, utility locations, plumbing layout, electrical work, or other trade-related details that need correction or clarification.

05Common issue
Drainage, stormwater, or erosion control

For some projects, the inspector may look at runoff, site protection, drainage, or erosion-control measures during construction.

06Common issue
Older work or possible unpermitted changes

Sometimes an inspection or complaint brings attention to older work, a garage conversion, enclosed lanai, added bathroom, wet bar, separate living area, or other improvement that may need records reviewed.

What Information Helps

Upload the inspection note, photo, or permit record.

You do not need to prepare a perfect file. Upload the inspection note, permit record, photo of the work area, screenshot, contractor message, or provide a brief description that shows the issue.

Helpful ItemsSheet · 07
  • Inspection note or correction
  • Permit record screenshot
  • Photos of the work area
  • Approved plans or plan sheets if available
  • Contractor message
  • DPP message or email
  • HNL Build screenshot
  • Previous inspection history
  • Brief written description of the home project and what happened
Permit Problem Review

Upload the home inspection issue for review.

Upload an inspection note, correction, photo of the work area, permit record, screenshot, or contractor message — or briefly describe what happened. A local architectural professional will review what you provide and recommend the next step.

Permit Problem ReviewFor Review
No Obligation

Upload the inspection note or tell us what happened with the home project.

What raised the concern?
What the Review Can Help Clarify

The right next step depends on what the inspector noted.

Home permit inspection issues are not all the same. Some involve a simple correction. Some involve a plan mismatch. Some involve missing inspections, permit records, or residential work that may need more documentation.

01What we look at
What the inspection issue appears to involve

The review can help identify whether the issue appears to involve a correction, plan mismatch, missed inspection, setback concern, trade correction, drainage issue, permit concern, approved-plan issue, or another residential inspection matter.

02Records that may matter
What documents may matter

Inspection notes, permit records, approved plans, photos of the work area, DPP messages, HNL Build screenshots, and contractor messages may all help clarify the issue.

03Recommended direction
What the next step may involve

Depending on what is found, the next step may involve documentation, drawing review, permit research, inspection coordination, a plan revision, or another recommended direction. No inspection outcome can be guaranteed.

Questions

Home permit inspection issue questions

Start by understanding what the inspection note appears to require. Upload the note, permit record, photo of the work area, or details so the issue can be reviewed before you guess at the next step.
Not always. Some home inspection issues are simple. Others may involve approved plans, missing documents, missed inspections, field changes, or permit questions.
The inspector may require clarification, correction, or a plan revision. Upload the inspection note, photos, permit record, and plan sheets if available so the issue can be reviewed.
Yes. A clear phone photo, screenshot, permit record, contractor message, or brief written description is enough to start.
If a contractor or architect is actively handling the permit, they may be the right person to respond. This page is for homeowners who need help understanding what happened or are stuck.
If the issue involves an older structure, enclosed lanai, garage conversion, added bathroom, wet bar, or possible unpermitted work, upload the notice, inspection note, photo, or permit record so the issue can be reviewed. If you received a formal Notice of Violation, the NOV / code violation page may also be helpful.
No. No one can guarantee an inspection result or DPP outcome. The goal is to understand what the issue appears to involve and what the next step may be.
Get Started

Home inspection issue holding things up? Upload the note or photo.

You do not need to figure it out first. Upload the inspection note, permit record, photo of the work area, screenshot, or provide a brief description and get a plain-language review from a local architectural professional.