Plan Printing for Honolulu: Full-Size Stamped Sets for the DPP Permit Counter
Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting takes building permit plans through ePlans, and it has stopped accepting paper submittals. Paper still shows up at the finish line, though. Once every department approves, DPP wants two full-size printouts of the batch-stamped plans brought to its permit counter when you pay for and collect the permit, and you’re on the hook for enough copies to run the job site. Send us the stamped PDF and we’ll print those sets at $1.95 a sheet in black and white or $3.75 in color. Orders placed by 3 PM ET ship the same day, and we ship to all 50 states, Hawaii included.
Prices (flat, 18×24 to 36×48)
| Per sheet | |
|---|---|
| Black & white | $1.95 |
| Color | $3.75 |
Where Honolulu orders go
The City and County of Honolulu covers the whole island of Oʻahu, so the DPP rules below apply whether the project sits in Kakaʻako or Kaimukī, up in Mānoa, over in Kailua or Kāneʻohe, or out toward Kapolei and ʻEwa Beach. Send the sets to the architect’s office, the contractor’s yard or the house itself.
What Honolulu DPP asks for
DPP’s building permit page, its permit FAQ and its plan-format guidance spell out how drawings move through ePlans and when they turn back into paper:
| Rule | What DPP says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic intake | “All projects are now required to be submitted via ePlans. (Paper plan submittals will not be accepted.)” | DPP, BP – Building Permit |
| Permit-counter sets | “Two full size sets of the batch stamped approved plans shall be printed and brought with you to the DPP permit counter when you come in to pay for and pick up your permit.” | DPP, BP – FAQ |
| Job-site copies | “You will also be responsible for printing out adequate numbers of copies for your job site.” | Same |
| Agencies outside ePlans | “if your plans need to be reviewed by agencies who are not using ePlans, you will have to take a hard copy to them for review.” | Same |
| Sheet size | “Minimum page/ | DPP, BP – Permit Process Improvements |
| Stamp space | “5.75” W x 3.75″ H at the top right edge of each sheet.” | Same |
| Color | “Fully colored plans are not allowed.” | Same |
| Text height | “Provide a minimum of 1/8″ height for text and symbols for legibility.” | Same |
Turning DPP’s rules into a print order
- Count two sets for the counter, then add the site. If the approved set is 18 sheets, the counter alone is 36 prints. Add one more set per crew or trailer that needs drawings on the job.
- Order at 24×36. DPP’s floor is 36 by 24 inches in landscape, every sheet the same, so the stamped PDF should already be that size. Print it at 100% to keep the scale honest; our guide to printing a PDF to scale shows how to check. More on the size itself: 24×36 blueprint printing.
- Black and white covers it. DPP doesn’t allow fully colored plans, so the $1.95 rate fits a stamped set. Here’s when color plan prints are worth it.
- Leave the stamp box alone. DPP’s batch stamp lands in the 5.75 × 3.75 inch corner at the top right, and that’s what has to be legible on the printed sheet.
- A hard copy for another agency. If a reviewer outside ePlans has to see the drawings, a separate paper set for that office can go on the same order.
DPP and your design professional decide what gets filed and how many sets you need. We don’t submit anything to the City or stamp drawings, so confirm the count with them before you order.
Who we print for in Honolulu
- Contractors picking up a permit who need the two stamped counter sets on hand.
- Homeowners adding an ADU or ʻohana unit who want a set for the builder and one for the house. See plan printing for homeowners.
- Architects sending approved plan sets straight to a client or a site on Oʻahu.
- Anyone carrying drawings to a reviewing agency that works on paper.
What a DPP order costs (printing cost; you pick shipping at checkout)
| Job | Sheets | Print total |
|---|---|---|
| Two counter sets of a 14-sheet house plan, B&W | 28 | $54.60 |
| Two counter sets + one site set, 14 sheets each, B&W | 42 | $81.90 |
| Two counter sets of a 30-sheet commercial set, B&W | 60 | $117.00 |
| One hard copy of 10 sheets for another agency, B&W | 10 | $19.50 |
Frequently asked questions
How many printed sets does Honolulu DPP want at permit pickup?
DPP’s FAQ says two full-size sets of the batch-stamped approved plans must be printed and brought to the permit counter when you pay for and pick up the permit.
Can I still drop off paper plans for a Honolulu building permit?
No. DPP’s building permit page says every project goes through ePlans and paper plan submittals are not accepted.
What size should Honolulu permit plans be printed?
DPP sets a minimum sheet size of 36 by 24 inches, in landscape, with every sheet the same size. Order 24×36 to match.
Do I need extra copies for the job site?
Yes. Beyond the two counter sets, DPP says you are responsible for printing enough copies for your job site.
Can my Honolulu plans be in color?
DPP’s plan-format guidance says fully colored plans are not allowed. Black-and-white prints are $1.95 a sheet.
How fast can stamped Honolulu sets ship?
Orders placed by 3 PM ET ship the same day.
