Department of Transportation Services

Permit Processing Hours:

8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 12:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., 

Monday through Friday (except holidays). 
Noon to 12:45 p.m., counter is closed for lunch.

Documents Required when Submitting Permit Application

An approved and scaled traffic control plan, detailing the location and type of traffic controls in relationship to the work area involved, whenever a request is for, but not limited to, the following:

1. Complete closure of a roadway;
2. Twenty-four (24) hour complete closure of a sidewalk;
3. Closure of three (3) or more traffic lanes; or
4. Whenever excavations (digging) are done on a City right of way.

The applicant should check with the department to determine if a traffic control plan will be required, prior to applying for the street usage permit.

Additional Clearances Needed

Before a Street Usage permit can be issued, the applicant must secure permission and/or obtain other clearances and/or permits from, but not limited to the following:

1. Mayors Office of Culture and Arts, phone number 768-6622 , prior to using grounds surrounding City Hall, and Annexes and Permit Issuance Unit
2. Department of Design and Construction, phone number 768-8431, prior to erecting, constructing, altering, removing, or demolishing any building or structure; prior to any electrical or plumbing work; and/or prior to constructing or altering any sidewalk, curb or driveway in public right-or-way.
3. Honolulu Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau, phone number 943-3854, prior to erecting any structure in the roadway which interferes with dry stand-pipes and/or fire hydrants.
4. Department of Transportation Services, Transit Mobility Division, phone number 768-8374, prior to the use of any portion of Hotel Street, between River and Richards Streets and/or prior to disturbing and/or interfering with a bus stop.
5. , prior to using any City parks, beaches, malls and landscaped medians.
6. Excavation/Trenching approvals:
   1. Department of Planning and Permitting, phone number 768-8000, prior to excavating the roadway and/or grading property, permit number required.
   2. Hawai’i One-Call Center 1-866-423-7287, tag/ticket number required. For further info, visit http://www.callbeforeyoudig.org/.
7. Department of Facility Maintenance:
   1. Traffic Electrical Maintenance Services Branch, phone number 564-6111, prior to the disturbance of any street lights.
   2. Road Maintenance Division, phone number 768-3600, prior to the disturbance of any traffic signs, posts, and pavement markings.
8. Honolulu Police Department, Enforcement and Collections, phone number 832-7836 prior to or upon causing the disturbance of any parking meter.

Fees Associated with Permit

Before any person and/or company, other than a governmental agency, encloses, obstructs or causes any parking meter space or any portion thereof, to be enclosed or obstructed, incidental to erecting, constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, improving, removing, converting or demolishing any building or structure, such person and/or company, shall pay to the Department of Transportation Services a parking meter fee. Parking meter fees shall be payable in full at the time of issuance of the permit. Checks must be made payable to City and County of Honolulu.

Once a permit has been issued and the scheduled work is postponed or canceled, contact the Street Usage Section immediately at 768-8387. If the permit has expired before notification can be made, no refund will be afforded to the applicant. Should a refund be granted, the applicant must come into our office to sign and date original permit with the statement “Did not use the meter(s) from (type in date) to (type in date).”

The following is a schedule for parking meter fees and its hours of operation:

1. On-Street: $12/meter/day plus $5 processing fee, Monday through Saturdays, except holidays, (from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.).

Municipal Parking Lots

         * Civic Center – $4.00 a day, Monday through Friday, except holidays 
           (from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).

1. Kailua – $4.50 a day, per meter, Sunday through Saturday, no exceptions (24 hours).
2. Kaimukī – $3.00 a day, per meter, Sunday through Saturday, no exceptions (24 hours).
3. Kūhiō – $6.00 a day, per meter, Sunday through Saturday, no exceptions (24 hours).
4. River – Sunday through Saturday, no exceptions (24 hours).
5. Salt Lake – $2.00 a day, per meter, Sunday through Saturday, no exceptions (24 hours).
6. Kalākaua – $4.00 a day, per meter, Sunday through Saturday, no exceptions (have Department of Parks & Recreation sign permit) (from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.)

Special Conditions for Issuance of Permit

1. Work days and/or hours may be revised during the first week of school, during the Christmas or holiday season or when a parade/special event is scheduled in the area.
2. The applicant shall provide a minimum of two (2) lanes for through traffic. On streets too narrow to make this practicable, the applicant may work in one-half the roadway, keeping the other half open to traffic and alternating the flow of traffic.
3. When materials excavated for substructure construction is placed adjacent to the trench of excavation, it shall be placed in such a manner as to economize space, minimize interference with traffic and must conform to procedures set by the Department of Environmental Services. If necessary, such materials shall be confined by suitable bulkheads or other devices. If the street is not of sufficient width to hold excavated material without using part of an adjacent walkway, a passageway at least one-half the width of such walkway, but not less than three (3) feet wide shall be kept open at all times.
4. When substructure excavations cross street intersections, safe crossing for vehicles and pedestrians shall be provided and maintained. Pedestrian crossings shall be of a safe non-skid material, be separate from vehicle crossing and be provided with handrails except in areas opened for vehicular traffic. During non-working hours, all excavations on the roadway and sidewalk area shall be covered with a safe non-skid bridging material.
5. No equipment shall be stored within street rights-of-way except at locations designated in writing and approved by Department of Transportation Services.
6. No material shall be stockpiled or otherwise stored within street rights-of-way.
7. Where pedestrian walkways exist, they shall be maintained in passable condition or other facilities for pedestrians shall be provided. Passage between walkways at intersections shall likewise be provided.
8. Special attention is called to private and public rights-of-way. Driveways shall be kept open unless the owners of the property using these right-of-way are otherwise provided for satisfactorily. During the construction of driveways and driveway ramps, satisfactory accesses shall be provided by the applicant.

Conditions for Requesting a Street Closure

A roadway may be closed only with the express permission of the Department of Transportation Services. The request must be made in writing, giving the reasons and must be accompanied with an approved traffic control plan detailing the closure and showing the signage proposed that indicates the road closure, the detour signage, and the measures that will be taken to provide immediate emergency access and the type of provisions that will be made for the access needs of affected residents and/or businesses. The plan must be submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the proposed closure date. Should approval be granted, the applicant shall be responsible for, but not limited to the following conditions:

1. Place public notice in a newspaper of general circulation for a minimum of three (3) consecutive issues in advance of the start of the work and closure of the street.
2. Notify all affected residents and/or businesses in writing two weeks before the street closure informing them that they will have limited access to their homes and/or businesses. The notice must state the reason for the closure and list the specific times for closure; and
3. Notify the Police Department, Fire Department, the Emergency Services Department ambulance services and any public transit or public utility company that may be affected by the intended work.

Restrictions

1. The Department of Transportation reserves the right to amend, at any time, without notice and at their discretion, the set conditions and restrictions to reduce or minimize the dangers and hazards to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, impacts upon the surrounding community and the public’s health, safety and welfare, including, but not limited to:
   1. Prohibited parking areas including:
      1. Zones where stopping, standing, or parking is prohibited to all vehicles;
      2. Zones reserved for special types of vehicles, including, but not limited to trucks, buses, taxis, emergency vehicles; and
      3. Areas where it would create a traffic hazard.
   2. Permits will not be valid:
      1. To park non-commercial or private passenger vehicles;
      2. To use the roadway to solicit business or advertising the goods, wares or merchandise of a particular business establishment or vendor or advertising the support of a political candidate;
      3. When it conflicts with an existing permit; or
      4. Between the hours of 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., and 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday except holidays, unless otherwise permitted by DTS.
2. In areas where the loading and unloading is restricted by ordinance, no permit will be issued authorizing a vehicle to be left unattended or to park a vehicle to load and unload merchandise within the restricted hours. Exceptions will only be made on a case by case basis and not for a prolong period. An example is when there is a need to have the vehicle in the immediate vicinity due to the nature of the renovation or construction work.

Applicant’s Duties & Responsibilities

The applicant shall be responsible for, but not limited to the following:

1. The applicant shall provide, install and maintain all necessary signs, lights, flares, barricades, markers, cones and other protective facilities and shall take all necessary precautions for the protection and for the convenience and safety of public traffic. All such protective facilities and precautions to be taken shall conform to the “HAWAII ADMINISTRATION RULES GOVERNING THE USE OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES AT WORK SITES ON OR ADJACENT TO PUBLIC STREETS AND HIGHWAYS” adopted by the Director of Transportation, and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration’s “MANUAL ON UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES FOR STREET AND HIGHWAYS, PART IV – TRAFFIC CONTROLS FOR STREET AND HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS”, as amended.
2. The applicant shall provide additional warning signs of adequate size, wording and construction which shall be located and installed as directed, and the applicant shall abide by other directives which may be issued by the Department of Transportation Services to eliminate or minimize other traffic problems and hazards.
3. The applicant shall cooperate with the Engineer, the Department of Transportation Services and other authorized persons in locating all warning signs, lights, flares, barricades, markers, cones, walkways, detours and other protective facilities and precautions for the protection and for the convenience and safety of public traffic required under this section. If the applicant fails to promptly provide adequate warning signs, lights, flares, barricades, markers, cones, walkways, detours and other protective facilities and precautions for the protection and for the convenience and safety of public traffic, the City may, at its option, so provide them at the applicant’s expense. The applicant shall pay the cost of such work to the City, or the City may deduct the cost from any moneys due the applicant from the City.
4. The applicant shall ensure that all signs, markers, barricades, cones, lights, and other devices employed indicating the existence of special conditions and activities shall be kept in proper position during the existence of such special conditions and activities. Signs that do not apply to existing conditions and activities shall be removed or covered. Damaged, defaced or dirty signs shall not be used. All traffic signs, posts, and pavement markings disturbed and/or damaged by the applicant shall be replaced and/or repaired before the end of his work day.
5. The applicant shall be responsible for any damages and/or litigations with regard to their construction activities and repairs will be made such that they are as good as or better than the original condition.
6. The applicant shall provide paved detours as necessary.
7. The applicant shall reference, to the approval of the Department of Transportation Services, all existing traffic signs, posts and pavement markings prior to the commencement of work. The applicant shall replace or repair all traffic signs, posts, and pavement markings disturbed by his activities. The applicant shall notify the Department of Facility Maintenance at 768-3600 one (1) week prior to any work to be done on signs, posts and pavement markings.
8. The applicant shall contact the Honolulu Police Department, Enforcement and Collections at 832-7833 at least three (3) working days prior to disturbing any parking meter.
9. As required by the Department of Transportation Services, the applicant shall provide off-duty Police Officers to control the flow of vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic by contacting HPD personnel, Special-duty section at 723-3575.
10. The applicant shall erect appropriate “No Parking” signs alongside or opposite any street excavation or obstruction when stopping or parking would obstruct traffic, provided the following conditions are met:
    1. All signs must be constructed according to uniform standards set in these procedures;
    2. All signs must be in place for a minimum of 24 hours;
    3. All signs must state time of the parking prohibition;
    4. All signs must state day or dates, including the current effective dates, of the parking prohibition; and
    5. All signs must reflect the conditions established on permit.

    If no construction work is performed and/or documented for two consecutive days in which signs have been placed, applicant must remove signs for a minimum of 24 hours, before signs can be replaced.

Further Information

For further information, please call (808) 768-8387.