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🌺 Hawaii⚡ No NEM Since 2015 — Battery Essential

Hawaii
Solar Permit Plans.
NEC 2020. Smart DER Programs.
Battery Not Optional — It's the Model.

Hawaiian Electric ended traditional net metering for new customers in 2015 — the first major US utility to do so. Today's new solar customers choose between Smart Renewable Energy Export (export allowed, advanced meter required) or Customer Self-Supply (no export, battery-backed). With Oahu rates above 40 cents per kWh, every kilowatt-hour of self-consumed solar is worth more here than anywhere in the US. The permit plan set has to match the program.

NEC 2020 — effective March 15, 2022 Smart Renewable Energy Export — new default CSS — battery-backed, no export Advanced inverter required — all new systems All 4 Counties
NEC 2020Hawaii State Electrical Code — eff. Mar 2022
Smart DER ExportCurrent program — no size cap
CSS — Battery RequiredNo grid export; self-consume only
40¢+/kWhOahu retail rate — highest in US
NEC 2020Statewide — eff. March 2022
No NEM Since 2015Grandfathered only
Smart DER or CSSTwo programs — one choice
Advanced InverterRequired — all new systems
4 CountiesEach its own AHJ
AHJ-ReadyPer county building department
24–48 HrsTypical residential turnaround
🔄
Free RevisionsFor AHJ-requested corrections
🌎
150+ PartnersSolar installers, EPCs & roofers
Hawaii Solar Permits — 2026

First State to End NEM. Highest Rates in the US. Battery-First Economics.

Permit Design builds Hawaii solar permit plan sets for solar installers, EPCs, and roofing companies across all four counties. Hawaii's State Electrical Code adopts the 2020 NEC, effective March 15, 2022, with Hawaii State Building Code Council amendments. Building codes use the 2018 IBC and 2018 IRC with Hawaii amendments. Each of Hawaii's four counties — Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii County, and Kauai — serves as its own AHJ for building permits, with separate application processes and inspectors. There is no state-level building department for residential permits.

The more consequential Hawaii distinction is the solar program structure. Hawaiian Electric ended traditional net metering for new customers in 2015 — a full decade before most mainland utilities began rethinking NEM. New customers today choose between Smart Renewable Energy Export (connected to the grid, export credit issued, advanced meter required) and Customer Self-Supply (battery-backed, no grid export, sized around self-consumption). With Oahu residential electricity rates exceeding 40 cents per kWh — more than double the national average — the financial logic of self-consumption is stronger here than anywhere in the mainland US. Every Hawaii plan set must document the correct program, the required advanced inverter configuration, and hurricane wind loads specific to the island and location.

Last updated: June 2026 · NEC 2020 adoption, Hawaiian Electric program structure, and county AHJ requirements confirmed as of June 2026.

Hawaiian Electric Solar Programs

Net Metering Ended in 2015. Two Programs Exist for New Customers Today.

Hawaiian Electric operates the most complex residential solar program structure in the US. Understanding which program a customer is on — or will be enrolled in — determines the entire design approach, required equipment, and permit documentation.

OPEN — NEW DEFAULT PROGRAM
Smart Renewable Energy Export
Export Track — Advanced Meter + Inverter Required
Hawaiian Electric's current program for new customers who want to export excess generation. No system size cap (governed by Rule 14H). Requires an advanced meter and advanced inverter meeting IEEE 1547-2018 functions. Export credits are issued for energy delivered to the grid; the credit rate is set by the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission and updated every three years. Customers are auto-enrolled in the Shift and Save time-of-use rate, which is designed to incentivize shifting load away from evening peak hours. Starting October 1, 2024, existing CGS, CGS Plus, and Smart Export customers are being transitioned to this program seven years after their initial agreement date.
OPEN — BATTERY-BACKED ONLY
Customer Self-Supply (CSS)
No Export — Solar + Battery Required
Customer Self-Supply is designed for customers who want to maximize self-consumption rather than export to the grid. A CSS system pairs rooftop solar with battery storage — the battery charges from the solar during the day and powers the home in the evening. No grid export credit is issued; all value comes from offsetting retail-rate consumption. With Oahu rates above 40 cents per kWh, every kilowatt-hour self-consumed saves twice what a mainland home saves. CSS requires an advanced inverter. Battery storage is built into the program design — not an optional add-on.
GRANDFATHERED — CLOSED 2015
Net Energy Metering (NEM)
1:1 Retail Credit — Indefinitely Grandfathered
Original NEM customers receive retail-rate bill credits for exported solar — indefinitely, per the HPUC's grandfathering ruling. These customers are not required to transition to Smart Renewable Energy programs. NEM customers may add battery storage under the NEM Plus or NEM Plus Limited Export option. A property sale does not automatically transfer grandfathered NEM status — this requires a separate agreement review with Hawaiian Electric.
TRANSITIONING OUT — ROLLING SINCE OCT 2024
CGS / CGS Plus / Smart Export
Previous Programs — Seven-Year Transition Clock
Customer Grid-Supply (CGS, closed 2017), CGS Plus, and Smart Export programs are being transitioned to Smart Renewable Energy Export on a rolling basis — seven years after each customer's initial contract date. Hawaiian Electric began transitioning the first group on October 1, 2024. Customers receive advance notice by email or mail. Plan sets for systems on these programs should reference the current Smart Renewable Energy Export technical requirements if any equipment changes are submitted as part of a permit amendment.
Kauai is served by KIUC, not Hawaiian Electric. Kauai Island Utility Cooperative operates independently, generates more than 70% of its electricity from renewables during daytime hours, and sets its own solar interconnection programs and rates. Solar installers working on Kauai should interact directly with KIUC for interconnection applications — HECO's Customer Interconnection Tool does not apply on Kauai.
Hawaii Code Structure

NEC 2020 Statewide · 2018 IBC + IRC · Hurricane Wind Loads Are Non-Negotiable

Hawaii's code stack is built around its unique physical environment — isolated island grids, hurricane exposure, salt air corrosion, and on the Big Island, active volcanic terrain. Every structural calculation for Hawaii solar must account for the specific island and location.

Electrical
NEC 2020 + Hawaii Amendments
✓ Effective statewide March 15, 2022
✓ §690.12: single RSD device
✓ Advanced inverter: IEEE 1547-2018
✓ UL 3741 PVHCS path recognized
Structural
2018 IBC + 2018 IRC with HI Amendments
✓ Hurricane wind loads — ASCE 7 Hawaii maps
✓ Salt air: corrosion exposure class CE
✓ Big Island: lava zone restrictions apply
✓ Each county enforces independently
Advanced Inverter
IEEE 1547-2018 — Mandatory
✓ Required on all new grid-tied systems
✓ Volt-VAR, frequency-watt, ride-through
✓ Must be configurable by HECO remotely
✓ Documentation required in plan set
Hawaii's wind loads are not mainland wind loads. ASCE 7's Hawaii-specific wind speed maps show design wind speeds well above what most mainland jurisdictions use for residential rooftop solar. Oahu's coastal and ridge locations have different exposure categories than sheltered valley sites on Maui or Kona-side Big Island locations. The salt air corrosion exposure class (CE per ASCE 7) requires corrosion-resistant hardware and fasteners specified by type in the plan set. Big Island installations in designated lava flow hazard zones (Zones 1 and 2, primarily in lower Puna and South Kona) face additional restrictions that some insurers will not cover — a permit consideration worth flagging before design.
Hawaii Counties — 4 AHJs

Four Counties, Four Building Departments, One Utility Structure

Hawaii has no state-level residential building department. Each county enforces its own permit process, and Kauai's utility (KIUC) operates completely separately from the Hawaiian Electric programs that govern the other three counties.

CountyIslandsBuilding AHJUtilitySolar Notes
HonoluluOahuDept. of Planning & Permitting (DPP)Hawaiian ElectricHighest solar saturation in state; DPP permit portal; rates 40¢+/kWh
MauiMaui, Molokai, LanaiMaui County Department of Public WorksHawaiian ElectricRates even higher than Oahu on Molokai and Lanai; wind-exposed coastal sites
Hawaii CountyBig IslandHawaii County Department of Public WorksHawaiian ElectricLava flow hazard zones in Puna; volcanic SO₂ affects material selection on Leeward coast
KauaiKauai, NiihauKauai County Planning DepartmentKIUC (not HECO)KIUC programs differ from HECO; 70%+ renewable generation daytime; own interconnection process
Hawaii mandates solar water heaters — relevant for permit coordination. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes, all new single-family homes built after January 1, 2010 must include a solar water heater as a condition of the building permit. This means most Hawaii residential solar PV permits are filed alongside existing solar water heater documentation or on properties already permitted with solar infrastructure. Electrical plan sets for combined solar PV + solar water heater installations should address the separate circuit feeds and roof penetration documentation for both systems.
What's Included

Hawaii Solar Permit Plan Set Contents

Every Hawaii plan set documents NEC 2020, the confirmed HECO program (Smart Renewable Energy Export or CSS), advanced inverter IEEE 1547-2018 functions, and ASCE 7 hurricane wind loads for the specific island and location.

Sheet 01
Cover Sheet
NEC 2020 citation with Hawaii State Building Code Council adoption date (March 15, 2022) and relevant Hawaii amendments. County AHJ identified — Honolulu DPP, Maui DPW, Hawaii County DPW, or Kauai Planning. Hawaiian Electric program confirmed (Smart Renewable Energy Export or CSS) or KIUC program for Kauai. Advanced inverter requirement noted per HECO technical standards.
Sheet 02
Site Plan
Property plan showing lot boundaries, HECO or KIUC service point, fire access routes, and wiring route from array to inverter to panel and battery (CSS) or grid meter (Smart DER Export). Island and location noted for ASCE 7 hurricane wind speed zone and salt air corrosion exposure class determination. Big Island lava flow zone noted where applicable.
Sheet 03
Roof Layout
Module placement diagram with pitch, orientation, and lag-point spacing referenced to 2018 IRC structural provisions and HECO Rule 14H setback requirements. Hurricane wind uplift zone applied per the ASCE 7 Hawaii wind speed map for the specific island — coastal and ridge exposures use higher design values than valley and leeward sites. Salt air corrosion exposure class CE noted for hardware specification.
Sheet 04
Single-Line Diagram
NEC 2020 Article 690 wiring diagram — single rapid shutdown initiation device per §690.12, §690.12(D) labeling, UL 3741 PVHCS path documented where applicable. Advanced inverter shown per HECO's IEEE 1547-2018 technical requirements. For CSS systems: battery interconnection, charge controller, and mandatory non-export configuration documented. For Smart DER Export: bidirectional advanced meter connection shown.
Sheet 05
Structural Calculations
Hawaii-licensed PE stamp covering roof framing or racking adequacy under hurricane wind loads. 2018 IRC for residential; 2018 IBC for commercial. ASCE 7 design wind speed and exposure category applied per the specific island location — not averaged statewide. Corrosion-resistant hardware documented per CE exposure class. Big Island projects in lava zones note restricted attachment requirements.
Sheet 06
Rapid Shutdown + Advanced Inverter
NEC 2020 §690.12 rapid shutdown — one-foot boundary, single initiation device, §690.12(D) label format. Hawaii-specific addition: advanced inverter function documentation per HECO's technical requirements (IEEE 1547-2018), including volt-VAR optimization, frequency-watt response, and remotely configurable ride-through settings. Advanced inverter documentation is a Hawaiian Electric interconnection requirement and a frequent AHJ checklist item in all four counties.
Sheet 07
Equipment Datasheets
UL-listed manufacturer cut sheets for modules, inverter, battery (CSS installations), racking, and MLPE — arranged to meet Hawaiian Electric's Customer Interconnection Tool submission format or KIUC's interconnection requirements on Kauai. Advanced inverter cut sheet confirms IEEE 1547-2018 certification. Battery documentation for CSS systems confirms non-export programming capability. HECO's BYOD Plus program eligibility noted where battery qualifies for the grid service incentive.
🏗️ Commercial Solar in Hawaii

Also doing commercial rooftop or ground-mount in Hawaii?

Hawaii commercial solar structural packages reference the 2018 IBC with Hawaii amendments, NEC 2020 Article 690 electrical, and Hawaiian Electric Smart Renewable Energy Export interconnection documentation with Rule 14H sizing review. ASCE 7 hurricane wind loads and salt air corrosion exposure class CE applied per the specific island and site exposure. Advanced inverter IEEE 1547-2018 documentation included per HECO technical standards. Engineering covers standing-seam and ballasted rooftops, carport canopy structures, and ground-mount systems — Big Island volcanic terrain and lava zone restrictions factored where applicable. Custom scope and turnaround quoted per project.

NEC 2020 (HI) 2018 IBC Hawaii Hurricane Wind Loads Smart DER Export
Commercial Quote →
Scope + turnaround quoted per project
Process

How Hawaii Solar Permit Plan Sets Work

01

Submit Your Hawaii Project

Give us the island, county, and street address. We confirm whether the project is served by Hawaiian Electric (Oahu, Maui, Big Island) or KIUC (Kauai), identify the correct HECO program (Smart Renewable Energy Export or CSS), note the ASCE 7 hurricane wind speed zone and corrosion exposure class, and flag any Big Island lava zone restrictions.

02

Built to NEC 2020 + Program Requirements

NEC 2020 Article 690 — single-device rapid shutdown per §690.12, advanced inverter IEEE 1547-2018 documentation per HECO technical standards, program-specific interconnection format. 2018 IRC structural with ASCE 7 hurricane loads for the specific island location and exposure category. Hawaii-licensed PE stamp on all structural sheets.

03

Delivered in 24–48 Hours

The full 7-sheet Hawaii package ships in 24–48 hours. Interconnection documentation matches the confirmed program — Smart Renewable Energy Export or CSS — formatted for submission through Hawaiian Electric's Customer Interconnection Tool or KIUC's process on Kauai. Free revisions until the Hawaii county AHJ approves.

First-Time Hawaii Clients

Try Us on Your First Hawaii Project. Free.

New to Permit Design? Submit your first Hawaii residential project and we'll build the complete 7-sheet package at no charge — NEC 2020 electrical with advanced inverter documentation, 2018 IRC structural with ASCE 7 hurricane wind loads for the specific island, and interconnection paperwork formatted for the confirmed Hawaiian Electric program or KIUC on Kauai.

⚠️ For licensed solar installers, EPCs, and roofing companies only. Individual homeowners and residential end customers are not eligible. One free residential plan set per company.

Claim Your Free HI Plan Set →
NEC 2020 with Hawaii amendments
IEEE 1547-2018 advanced inverter docs
Hurricane wind loads — island-specific
Smart DER Export or CSS documented
Free revisions until AHJ approval
FAQ

Hawaii Solar Permit Design — Frequently Asked Questions

NEC 2020. The Hawaii State Building Code Council adopted the 2020 National Electrical Code effective March 15, 2022. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes 107-28, each county must adopt NEC 2020 or it becomes the interim county electrical code. Hawaii's four counties — Honolulu, Maui, Hawaii County, and Kauai — each serve as the AHJ for building permits in their jurisdiction. NEC 2020 requires single-device rapid shutdown per §690.12, the UL 3741 PVHCS alternate compliance path, and §690.12(D) labeling.
Hawaiian Electric ended traditional net metering for new customers in 2015 — the first major US utility to do so. Customers who installed solar under the original NEM program are grandfathered indefinitely. Since 2015, HECO offered CGS, CGS Plus, and Smart Export programs before transitioning to the current Smart Renewable Energy programs. Starting October 1, 2024, existing CGS, CGS Plus, and Smart Export customers are being rolled into Smart Renewable Energy Export seven years after their initial agreement date.
Smart Renewable Energy Export is Hawaiian Electric's current program for new rooftop solar customers who want to export excess generation. It has no system size cap (governed by Rule 14H), requires an advanced meter and IEEE 1547-2018 advanced inverter, and credits exported energy at a rate set by the Hawaii PUC and updated every three years. Customers are auto-enrolled in the Shift and Save time-of-use rate designed to incentivize evening load shifting.
Customer Self-Supply (CSS) is Hawaiian Electric's no-export solar program. CSS customers pair rooftop solar with a battery — the solar charges the battery during the day, and the battery powers the home in the evening. No grid export credit is issued. With Oahu rates above 40 cents per kWh, every self-consumed kilowatt-hour avoids a large retail charge, making CSS financially compelling for households with significant evening consumption. Battery storage is integral to the program design, not an option.
Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) is an electric cooperative serving Kauai independently from Hawaiian Electric. KIUC has been a national leader in renewable energy — generating over 70% of its electricity from renewables during daytime hours by 2026. KIUC's distributed solar programs, rates, and technical requirements differ from HECO's Smart Renewable Energy programs. Solar installers on Kauai should work directly with KIUC for interconnection applications rather than Hawaiian Electric's Customer Interconnection Tool.
Yes, for all new grid-connected systems. Hawaiian Electric requires advanced inverters because Hawaii's islands are isolated grids — unable to balance supply and demand by drawing from neighboring states. Advanced inverters provide volt-VAR optimization, frequency-watt response, and remotely configurable ride-through settings per IEEE 1547-2018, giving HECO the tools to maintain grid stability as solar penetration exceeds 30% of households on Oahu. Advanced inverter documentation is a plan set requirement and an interconnection submission requirement for both Smart Renewable Energy Export and CSS.
Hawaii uses the 2018 IBC and 2018 IRC with Hawaii amendments. Building permit authority rests with each county — Honolulu DPP, Maui DPW, Hawaii County DPW, and Kauai County Planning. Structural calculations must use ASCE 7 hurricane wind speed maps specific to Hawaii, salt air corrosion exposure class CE for hardware specifications, and Big Island lava flow zone restrictions where applicable. Hawaii also mandates solar water heaters on all new single-family homes built since January 1, 2010.
Significantly. Oahu residential rates averaged over 40 cents per kWh in 2026 — more than double the national average. At those rates, a kilowatt-hour of self-consumed solar avoids a retail charge 4-to-5 times higher than in an average mainland US market. Hawaii's CSS and Smart Renewable Energy programs are designed around this reality. Even without traditional net metering, battery-backed self-consumption delivers payback periods competitive with the best net metering states in the country.
Yes. Hawaii offers a 35% state income tax credit on the cost of a solar PV system, capped at $5,000 per system — one of the most generous state solar credits in the US. No sales tax applies to solar systems in Hawaii. The federal Section 25D residential clean energy credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. See DSIRE Hawaii for a current listing of all state and utility incentives.
Permit Design delivers Hawaii solar permit plan sets within 24-48 hours. Every plan set references NEC 2020 with Hawaii amendments, includes advanced inverter IEEE 1547-2018 documentation, applies ASCE 7 hurricane wind loads for the specific island location, and is formatted for the confirmed program — Smart Renewable Energy Export, Customer Self-Supply, or KIUC's program on Kauai. Free revisions until the Hawaii county AHJ approves.
Hawaii Solar Market — 2026

Hawaii Solar by the Numbers

#1
Per-Capita Solar Adoption
Hawaii leads the nation in residential solar adoption per capita, with more than one in three Oahu single-family homes with rooftop solar as of 2025. The combination of extremely high electricity rates, generous state tax credit, and programs designed for self-consumption has made Hawaii solar one of the strongest financial propositions in the US despite the end of traditional net metering.
40¢+/kWh
Oahu Residential Rate
Oahu residents paid over 40 cents per kWh in 2026 — the highest residential rate in the US. Maui and Big Island rates are higher still in some areas, particularly on Molokai and Lanai. At those rates, a 6 kW solar system with battery storage can offset $2,500 or more in annual electricity costs for a typical household, making Hawaii solar economics among the most compelling in the country.
35% / $5K
State Solar Tax Credit
Hawaii's 35% state income tax credit, capped at $5,000, remains one of the most generous in the US — partially offsetting the expiration of the federal Section 25D residential credit at the end of 2025. The credit applies to the cost of the solar PV system and, for CSS installations, the qualifying battery storage component.
70%+
Kauai Daytime Renewables (KIUC)
KIUC — the electric cooperative serving Kauai — generated more than 70% of its electricity from renewables during daytime hours by 2026, making it one of the highest daytime renewable penetration rates of any utility in the US. KIUC's distributed solar programs reflect this advanced integration and differ materially from the HECO programs governing the other three Hawaiian counties.
Battery Essential
CSS: Self-Consume or Export Nothing
Customer Self-Supply has made battery storage effectively mandatory for new Hawaii solar customers who choose the no-export track. The combination of CSS's design (charge battery by day, power home by evening) and Hawaii's 40-cent retail rate means battery payback in Hawaii is dramatically faster than in any mainland market — shifting one kilowatt-hour from grid to stored solar saves 40+ cents, not 10 to 15.
4 Counties
Each Its Own AHJ + Unique Site Factors
Hawaii's four counties cover dramatically different terrain, wind exposures, and utility programs. Oahu's urban density, Maui's coastal cliffs, Big Island's lava zones and volcanic SO₂ exposure on the Kona coast, and Kauai's high-rainfall and high-wind east shore all drive different structural considerations — none of which appear in a generic plan set template.
Hawaii AHJ Rejections

Top 3 Reasons Hawaii Solar Permits Get Rejected

Three plan set issues account for most Hawaii permit delays across the four county building departments.

01
Missing or Incomplete Advanced Inverter Documentation
All new grid-connected solar systems in Hawaii must use advanced inverters meeting IEEE 1547-2018 standards. A plan set that omits the advanced inverter function documentation — volt-VAR, frequency-watt, and ride-through settings — will be flagged during Hawaiian Electric's interconnection technical review and often by the county building department as well, since the technical interconnection agreement is frequently part of the permit package.
IEEE 1547-2018 · HECO Technical Requirements
How we prevent it: Every Hawaii plan set includes a dedicated advanced inverter section documenting IEEE 1547-2018 function compliance, confirming the specific inverter model's certification, and referencing HECO's required configuration settings.
02
Mainland Wind Load Values — Not Hawaii ASCE 7 Maps
Hawaii's ASCE 7 wind speed maps are not the same as the continental US maps. Applying mainland wind speed values to a Hawaii rooftop solar structural calculation will significantly underestimate the design uplift forces — a correction that Hawaii county building departments and structural plan checkers catch regularly. This is especially common on plan sets produced by mainland-only design firms unfamiliar with Hawaii's separate wind hazard mapping.
ASCE 7 Hawaii Wind Maps · 2018 IBC/IRC
How we prevent it: Structural calculations use ASCE 7's Hawaii-specific wind speed values and exposure category for the specific island and site — never continental US default values.
03
Wrong Program Documented — NEM Format for a CSS or Smart DER System
Interconnection documentation formatted for traditional net metering, or for a closed program like CGS Plus or Smart Export, doesn't match what Hawaiian Electric's Customer Interconnection Tool expects for new Smart Renewable Energy Export or CSS applications. This includes billing configuration, meter type requirements, and the non-export programming documentation specifically required for CSS battery installations.
HECO Smart DER · CSS non-export config · Rule 14H
How we prevent it: Hawaii interconnection packages are built for the confirmed current program — Smart Renewable Energy Export or Customer Self-Supply — never adapted from legacy NEM or CGS templates.
🛡️

The Permit Design Commitment

What every solar installer, EPC, and roofing company can expect on every project.

24–48 Hour Turnaround on Standard Residential Solar Projects
No-Cost Revisions for AHJ Corrections Related to Our Design
Code-Compliant Plans Built to Current NEC, Utility & Local Requirements
Support Through Permit Approval — We Don't Disappear After Delivery
Reviewed & Verified By PE-stamped plan sets across all 50 US states · Hawaiian Electric Smart DER program documentation confirmed via HECO Customer Interconnection Tool · NEC 2020 Hawaii adoption verified via Hawaii State Building Code Council
AHJ-ReadyPer county
150+Installer partners
50US states covered
IEEE 1547Advanced inverter
Permit SupportThrough AHJ approval
Last reviewed: June 2026·About Permit Design →
NEC 2020Smart DER Export / CSSIEEE 1547-2018Hurricane Wind Loads

Hawaii Solar Permits —
Program-Matched. Hurricane-Rated.

NEC 2020 · Smart DER Export or CSS · IEEE 1547-2018 Advanced Inverter
ASCE 7 Hurricane Loads · 4 Counties · 24–48 Hours

First-time Hawaii client? Your first residential plan set is on us. Mention "free trial" in your order notes.