Possible unpermitted work in your Honolulu home? Get clear next steps.
Maybe a buyer, inspector, appraiser, lender, realtor, contractor, or permit records search raised the issue. Send a photo, report, escrow email, permit screenshot, or short description, and a local architectural professional will review what you have and recommend the next step.
A photo, inspection report, permit record, escrow email, screenshot, or brief description is enough to start.
No Obligation
Please tell us what raised the unpermitted work concern.
What does “unpermitted work” mean?
Unpermitted work usually means part of a home may have been built, remodeled, enclosed, converted, or improved without the required permit, final inspection, or matching city record.
It might be an enclosed lanai, garage conversion, added bathroom, deck, room addition, exterior change, or older work done by a previous owner.
You do not need to know whether it is definitely unpermitted before asking for help. If something raised the concern, send what you have.
Unpermitted work usually becomes urgent when someone else finds it.
Many homeowners do not discover a possible permit problem until a sale, refinance, inspection, appraisal, contractor conversation, or property records search brings it up.
- A buyer’s inspection flagged an enclosed lanai, addition, bathroom, or garage conversion.
- Escrow is asking for permit records before closing.
- A lender or appraiser raised a concern during refinancing.
- A realtor noticed something that may not match the home’s records.
- A contractor said old work may need to be permitted before new work can start.
- You checked city or property records and something does not line up.
- A neighbor complaint or city inspection brought attention to the work.
- You inherited or bought a home with older improvements.
A possible permit issue can affect a sale, refinance, remodel, or next permit.
The issue may be an old remodel, an enclosed lanai, a garage conversion, an addition, a bathroom, an exterior change, or work completed by a previous owner.
You may not know whether the work appears to need an after-the-fact permit, updated drawings, documentation, or a different path forward.
That is why the first step is not guessing. The first step is sending what you have so the situation can be reviewed in context by a local architectural professional.
Inspection & Permit Records
This page may be for you if...
- You are selling a home and the buyer or inspector found a possible permit issue.
- You are refinancing and the lender or appraiser raised a concern.
- You bought or inherited a home and discovered old work may not have permits.
- A contractor, realtor, or neighbor mentioned that something may not be permitted.
- You have an enclosed lanai, garage conversion, addition, bathroom, deck, or remodel that may not match records.
- You need to understand whether an after-the-fact permit may be required.
- You have photos, an inspection report, an email, or a permit record but are not sure what it means.
- You want a local architectural professional to look at the issue before you guess or contact the city.
You do not need a notice from the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) to ask for help.
If you have a notice, upload it. If you do not, send whatever explains the situation. A local architectural professional can start with the document, message, record, or photo you already have.
- Photos of the work or area in question
- Home inspection report
- Escrow or realtor email
- Lender or appraiser condition
- Old plans or drawings
- Permit record screenshot
- DPP notice, letter, or HNL Build message
- Brief written description of what happened
Send the unpermitted work issue for review.
Upload a document, photo, inspection report, escrow email, permit record, or screenshot — or briefly describe what happened. A local architectural professional will review what you send and recommend the next step.
No Obligation
Please tell us what raised the unpermitted work concern.
The next step depends on the property, the work, and what records show.
Unpermitted work is not one-size-fits-all. Some issues may require documentation, some may require drawings, some may involve an after-the-fact permit, and some may need a different strategy before you contact the city or move forward with a transaction.
The type and age of the work, what was done, and how it compares to city records and the property’s permit history.
Property records, permit history, inspection notes, escrow conditions, old plans, photos, and any documentation that may relate to the issue.
Based on what the review finds, you may receive a recommended next step or direction. No promises about outcomes — just a clear read on what the issue appears to involve.
Unpermitted work questions
Related issues homeowners often search for
- After-the-Fact PermitsAfter-the-Fact Permit HelpRead more →
- SellingSelling With Unpermitted WorkRead more →
- RefinancingRefinancing With Unpermitted WorkRead more →
- BuyingBuying With Unpermitted WorkRead more →
- Code ViolationCode Violation HelpRead more →
- HNL BuildHNL Build Prescreen or Permit Delay HelpRead more →
Not sure whether the work was permitted? Share what raised the concern.
You do not need to figure it out first. Send a photo, report, email, permit record, or brief description and get a plain-language review from a local architectural professional.