Commercial Compliance Hub
Check requirements

16 permits · verified 2026-09-11

What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Hawaii County?

In short

A restaurant in Hawaii County, HI has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 10 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. County of Hawai'i Planning Department (and Planning Commission) charges $500 one-time, per application, paid via EPIC for the special management area (sma) use permit (major). 5 of the 16 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-11 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in Hawaii County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Sign Permitonly if it applies to youCounty of Hawai'i, Department of Public Works, Building DivisionHawai'i County Code §3-24(a) (Chapter 3, Signs): $25 for each sign for a new sign permit, and $100 for each sign for a permit for a sign erected before a sign permit was obtained. Under §3-24(b) a sign variance is $100 for each sign or 10% of the total value of the sign(s), excluding installation costs, whichever is greater. The fees are nonrefundable.one-time, per sign2026-09-11
Fire Prevention Permit — Places of Assemblyonly if it applies to youHawai'i Fire Department, Fire Prevention Branch$200 annualannual2026-09-11
Automatic Fire Extinguishing System Permit (Commercial Cooking Equipment)only if it applies to youHawai'i Fire Department, Fire Prevention BranchNo fee for the initial acceptance-test inspection of a commercial-kitchen automatic fire-extinguishing (hood suppression) system; a $100 fee applies for each subsequent reinspection, per the Fire Department's own current Fire Prevention Branch fee table.one-time, per system (reinspection billed separately if needed)2026-09-11
Food Handler CertificationHawaii Department of Health, Food Safety BranchNo fee3 years2026-09-04
Food Establishment PermitHawaii Department of Health, Food Safety Branch$300–$400 a year for a restaurant, banded by risk category and floor areaannual — a late renewal adds 20% of the annual fee2026-09-04

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

Local permits that apply to every type of business in Hawaii County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
General Business License — Hawaii County positiononly if it applies to youCounty of Hawai'i, Department of Finance, Vehicle Registration & Licensing DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-09-11
Commercial Building PermitCounty of Hawai'i, Department of Public Works, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Hawaii County pageone-time, per project — the permit itself expires 6 years after issuance (HCC §5-5-4)2026-09-11
Special Management Area (SMA) Use Permit (Major)only if it applies to youCounty of Hawai'i Planning Department (and Planning Commission)$500 one-time, per application, paid via EPICone-time, per project2026-09-11
Building Plan Review FeeCounty of Hawai'i, Department of Public Works, Building DivisionVaries — formula on the Hawaii County pageone-time, per project2026-09-11
Certificate of OccupancyCounty of Hawai'i, Department of Public Works, Building Division$200 one-time — applies only to a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy authorizing partial occupancy before project completion; the standard Certificate of Occupancy issued at final inspection carries no additional published fee beyond the Building Permit fee already chargedone-time, no expiration once issued2026-09-11
Plan Approvalonly if it applies to youCounty of Hawai'i Planning Department (and Planning Commission)No feeone-time, per project — remains valid so long as the approved plan is followed2026-09-11

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

HI registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
General Business License — Hawaii positiononly if it applies to youHawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration DivisionNo feenot applicable2026-09-04
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youHawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division$51 one-time filing, including the $1 state archives feeperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youHawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division$51 one-time filing, including the $1 state archives feeperpetual, but an annual report is due every year2026-09-04
Annual Reportonly if it applies to youHawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division$15 a year on paper; a $10 late fee applies per year delinquentannual — due at the end of the calendar quarter containing the entity's own original registration date2026-09-04
General Excise Tax LicenseHawaii Department of Taxation$20 one-time registrationno expiration — remains active until closed, surrendered or revoked for abandonment2026-09-04

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

How much does it actually cost to permit a restaurant in Hawaii County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 16 records listed for a restaurant in Hawaii County, HI, 6 apply to every business of this type and 10 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

Of the 6 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $220.00. That is a floor, not a total. 5 of the 16 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 4 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Sign Permit: Hawai'i County Code §3-24(a) (Chapter 3, Signs): $25 for each sign for a new sign permit, and $100 for each sign for a permit for a sign erected before a sign permit was obtained. Under §3-24(b) a sign variance is $100 for each sign or 10% of the total value of the sign(s), excluding installation costs, whichever is greater. The fees are nonrefundable.

Automatic Fire Extinguishing System Permit (Commercial Cooking Equipment): No fee for the initial acceptance-test inspection of a commercial-kitchen automatic fire-extinguishing (hood suppression) system; a $100 fee applies for each subsequent reinspection, per the Fire Department's own current Fire Prevention Branch fee table.

Food Establishment Permit: $300–$400 a year for a restaurant, banded by risk category and floor area

The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Hawaii County permits page and the HI state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Hawaii County?

Permits for a restaurant in Hawaii County, HI come from 7 separate offices: County of Hawai'i, Department of Finance, Vehicle Registration & Licensing Division, County of Hawai'i, Department of Public Works, Building Division, County of Hawai'i Planning Department (and Planning Commission), Hawai'i Fire Department, Fire Prevention Branch, Hawaii Department of Health, Food Safety Branch, Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Business Registration Division, Hawaii Department of Taxation. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a restaurant need in Hawaii County that other businesses do not?

Sign Permit

Hawai'i County Code contains a dedicated Chapter 3, 'Signs,' separate from Chapter 5 (Construction Administrative Code); the County Clerk's own County Code index page lists 'Chapter 3 Signs (PDF)' as its own entry. Chapter 3, Division 7 (Fees), §3-24, sets the sign permit fee: 'For a new sign permit, $25 for each sign', or $100 for each sign where the sign was erected before a sign permit was obtained, with sign variances at $100 per sign or 10% of the sign's value, whichever is greater (Ord. 04-142). Under §3-25 these fees support administration and enforcement of the County's sign law. A sign permit is therefore priced per sign under Chapter 3, not on Chapter 5's general-construction valuation table. A separate electrical permit is required for any electrical work related to an illuminated sign, per the Sign Permit Application form's own instructions.

Automatic Fire Extinguishing System Permit (Commercial Cooking Equipment)

An acceptance test of the commercial-kitchen automatic fire-extinguishing (hood suppression) system must be performed and witnessed by the Fire Department before cooking operations begin. The Fire Department's own current fee table prices the initial inspection at no charge and only bills $100 if a subsequent reinspection is required. The same fee page prices an equivalent Water-Based Fire Protection Systems acceptance test (automatic sprinklers, standpipes, private hydrants) identically: no charge initially, $100 for any subsequent inspection.

Shared with other businesses in Hawaii County

The other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Hawaii County, HI; what each one involves is set out on the Hawaii County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across HI and are covered on the HI state page.

How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Hawaii County?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 4 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Fire Prevention Permit — Places of Assembly. A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Hawaii County, HI, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops4410
Food trucks3231
Retail stores4232
Fitness studios5233
Salons and barbers5144
Veterinary clinics5144
Auto repair shops6145
Childcare centres3053
Contractors and trades5055

Sources

Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the fitness studios page and food trucks page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Hawaii County permits page and the HI state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Hawai'i County Code — the County Clerk's own current index page, read directly, listing 'Chapter 3 Signs (PDF)' (updated 08/03/26) as its own chapter, separate from 'Chapter 5 Construction Administrative Code (PDF)' (updated 02/05/25); Supplement 20, updated to include ordinances through 26-60 (effective 08/26/26)County of Hawai'i, Office of the County Clerk · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-18
  2. Sign Permit Application — the Department of Public Works Building Division's own current form, carrying the same 'Valuation $ / Fee $' fields used throughout the general Building Permit fee structure, with no separate sign-specific fee schedule stated anywhereCounty of Hawai'i, Department of Public Works, Building Division · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-11
  3. Fire Prevention Branch — the Hawai'i Fire Department's own current itemized permit fee table under Hawai'i County Code Chapter 17, §1.12.8: Places of Assembly $200/yr (20.1.1.1), Flammable Finishes Spray Booth $200/yr (43.1.1.4), Carnival/Fair $200 (10.14.1), Farmers/Open/Flea Market $100 bi-annual, Flammable/Combustible Liquids Tank $200 one-time, commercial-cooking-equipment and water-based fire-protection acceptance tests at no initial charge with a $100 subsequent-inspection fee, and fireworks feesHawai'i Fire Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.