Checklist · reviewed August 7, 2026

Before Buying Land in Hawaiʻi

Check legal access, survey, slope, rock, drainage, utilities, wastewater, setbacks, hazards, permits, and realistic sitework costs.

Comparable facts

Land purchase diligence comparison

Check legal access, survey, slope, rock, drainage, utilities, wastewater, setbacks, hazards, permits, and realistic sitework costs before treating the land price as the project price.

Access and boundariesLegal access and practical construction access are confirmed. Survey, pins, easements, setbacks, and encroachments are understood.
Ground and waterSlope, rock, fill, drainage, erosion, and retaining needs are evaluated. Flood, lava, tsunami, wildfire, coastal, and other official hazard resources are checked.
Utilities and wastewaterElectric, water, catchment, wastewater, internet, refuse, and emergency access plans are realistic. Wastewater feasibility and required setbacks are evaluated before assuming a house location.
Rules and buildabilityCounty zoning, permitted uses, setbacks, height, lot coverage, and special approvals are checked. Subdivision, association, agricultural, conservation, shoreline, or deed restrictions are reviewed.
Complete land-to-home budgetClearing, driveway, grading, drainage, utilities, design, permits, financing, insurance, and contingency are included. The budget still works if the cheapest assumptions do not happen.
0 of 0 complete

Before buying land

Access and boundaries

Before buying land

Ground and water

Before buying land

Utilities and wastewater

Before buying land

Rules and buildability

Before buying land

Complete land-to-home budget

Official-source organizer

Organize the county records

Open the Hawaiʻi Property Research Launcher for county parcel, permit, GIS, hazard, water, wastewater, electric, and broadband starting points. A map is a question generator—not proof of access, buildability, utilities, or permitted use.

Related tools

Run both site and build estimates

Use the land-clearing and driveway calculator with the home-build budget calculator. The land price alone is not the project price.