(a) Each county or other local subdivision of the State which requires the issuance of a permit as a condition precedent to the construction, alteration, improvement, demolition, or repair of any building or structure shall also require that each applicant for such a permit file as a condition to the issuance of a permit a statement that the applicant and all specialty contractors are licensed in accordance with this chapter, giving the license numbers and stating that the licenses are in full force and effect, or, if the applicant is exempt from this chapter, the basis for the claimed exemption; provided that if the applicant claims an exemption under section 444-2.5, the applicant shall certify that the building or structure is for the applicant’s personal use and not for use or occupancy by the general public. Each county or local subdivision of the State shall maintain an owner-builder registration list which shall contain the following information:

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Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 444-9.1

  • Board: means the contractors license board. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 444-1
  • Contractor: means any person who by oneself or through others offers to undertake, or holds oneself out as being able to undertake, or does undertake to alter, add to, subtract from, improve, enhance, or beautify any realty or construct, alter, repair, add to, subtract from, improve, move, wreck, or demolish any building, highway, road, railroad, excavation, or other structure, project, development, or improvement, or do any part thereof, including the erection of scaffolding or other structures or works in connection therewith. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 444-1
  • county: includes the city and county of Honolulu. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-22
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
  • Sale: means any arrangement between two or more persons as a result of which there is, or is to be, a transfer of property for a consideration. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 444-1
(1) The name of any owner or lessee who claims an exemption from this chapter as provided in section 444-2.5;
(2) The address of the property where exempt building or improvement activity is to occur;
(3) A description of the type of building or improvement activity to occur;
(4) The approximate dates of construction activity; and
(5) Whether any electrical or plumbing work is to be performed and if so, the name and license number of the person or entity who will do the work.

The absence of such registration is prima facie evidence that the exemption in section 444-2.5 does not apply.

(b) The county shall verify the license against a list of licensed contractors provided by the state contractors licensing board, which list shall be updated at least quarterly. The county shall also verify that the applicant is in fact the contractor so licensed or the contractor’s duly authorized agent.
(c) The county shall provide applicants for the exemption under section 444-2.5 with a disclosure statement in substantially the following form:

“Disclosure Statement

State law requires construction to be done by licensed contractors. You have applied for a permit under an exemption to that law. The exemption provided in section 444-2.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, allows you, as the owner or lessee of your property, to act as your own general contractor even though you do not have a license. You must supervise the construction yourself. You must also hire licensed subcontractors. The building must be for your own use and occupancy. It may not be built for sale or lease. If you sell or lease a building you have built yourself within one year after the construction is complete, the law will presume that you built it for sale or lease, which is a violation of the exemption, and you may be prosecuted for this. It is your responsibility to make sure that subcontractors hired by you have licenses required by state law and by county licensing ordinances. Electrical or plumbing work must be performed by contractors licensed under chapters 448E and 444, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Any person working on your building who is not licensed must be your employee which means that you must deduct F.I.C.A. and withholding taxes and provide workers’ compensation for that employee, all as prescribed by law. Your construction must comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, building codes, and zoning regulations. If you violate section 444-2.5 or fail to comply with the requirements set forth in this disclosure statement, you may be fined $5,000 or forty per cent of the appraised value of the building as determined by the county tax appraiser, whichever is greater, for the first offense; and $10,000 or fifty per cent of the appraised value of the building as determined by the county tax appraiser, whichever is greater, for any subsequent offense.”

The county shall not issue a building permit to the owner-applicant until the applicant signs a statement that the applicant has read and understands the disclosure form.

(d) A county building inspector or other building official shall report to the regulated industries complaints office the name and address of any person, who, in the opinion of the building inspector or official, has violated this chapter by accepting or contracting to accomplish work which would classify the person as a contractor under this chapter.

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