The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting announced Tuesday that applicants will be required to use an artificial intelligence tool to submit residential project permit applications.
CivCheck is an artificial intelligence pre-application review tool that checks for compliance with code regulations and local permitting requirements before applicants submit a permit application, according to DPP.
According to the public sector innovation group GovTech, “the system uses computer vision and rules-based AI to identify missing documents and code issues, improving application completeness, increasing review consistency and helping address housing development delays without adding staff.”
Projects that include new construction, additions, alterations of residential homes, accessory units and ʻOhana dwellings will be required to use the tool starting Sept. 1. According to a news release, additional project types will be made available on CivCheck later this year. DPP will let applicants for commercial projects voluntarily use the software later this year before making it mandatory.
The Center for Public Sector AI, the AI research arm of GovTech, awarded DPP national recognition in the project category for using AI to improve residential permit reviews.
DPP Director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna stated in a news release, "CivCheck is a proven tool for helping applicants prepare better quality and more complete permit applications before they enter DPP's formal review process. CivCheck for eligible residential projects will reduce the back and forth between the applicant and the review agencies, thereby speeding up the overall permitting process."
Clariti, the Vancouver-based firm that develops permitting software, reported that decisions are 55% faster as a result of CivCheck, and review cycles dropped 58%. The data compared 19 residential permits processed by CivCheck with 17 projects that did not use CivCheck in the first quarter of 2026.
“Innovation is about finding better ways to serve our community, and this national recognition demonstrates what can happen when government embraces new technology with purpose,” Mayor Rick Blangiardi said. “By using tools like CivCheck, we are reducing permit review times, improving efficiency, and making it easier for residents to move their projects forward while continuing to uphold the safety standards that protect our communities.”
CivCheck costs more than $1 million for the residential module and $515,250 for the commercial module, according to a DPP spokesperson.
Julia Fink, executive vice president of AIA Honolulu, stated in an email to Aloha State Daily that AIA Honolulu has advocated for improvements to permitting and supports efforts to modernize the building permit process.
Fink said that several member firms participated in the pilot this year. “In testing a new residential project, they received prompt, detailed feedback on zoning and code compliance, demonstrating the platform's potential as a pre-screening and quality control tool. However, using the system also proved to be a labor-intensive process that involved some redundant tasks and, understandably, a learning curve for both users and reviewers,” she said.
AIA Honolulu members expressed concerns about the protection of their intellectual property.
Fink told ASD, “Architectural drawings represent significant professional expertise and are protected works. As plans are submitted through an AI-powered review platform, architects need assurance that their work is being handled appropriately. Greater transparency is needed regarding how submitted plans are stored, secured, retained, and whether they may be used to train artificial intelligence models or for any purpose beyond the permit review process.”
Fink said that members have not yet experienced a corresponding reduction in formal building permit review times, and that many permitting delays occur after plans leave DPP for review by outside agencies.
“We remain optimistic about the role AI can play in improving the permitting process, but success should ultimately be measured by meaningful reductions in permit timelines, increased predictability for applicants, and clear safeguards that protect the work product of licensed design professionals,” Fink said.
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Haley Lehman can be reached at haley@alohastatedaily.com.
