STR rules · verified 1mo ago
Short-term rental rules in Hawaii, HI
Hawaii County (the Big Island) regulates short-term vacation rentals through Hawaii County Code Chapter 25 (Zoning) §25-4-12 and §25-5-11 as amended by Ordinance 18-114 (Bill 108, 2018), which created the modern Short-Term Vacation Rental (STVR) registration regime, effective September 2019. Under Ord. 18-114, new STVRs are permitted ONLY in Hotel/Resort, Resort Node, General Commercial, and certain multi-family commercial zones; new STVRs are NOT allowed in single-family residential or agricultural zones. Properties operating lawfully before April 1, 2019 may apply for a Nonconforming Use Certificate (NUC). STVR registration fee is $500 initial / $250 annual renewal (unhosted); Bed & Breakfast Establishments (B&B, hosted) operate under a separate, broader zoning footprint. Ordinance 24-58 / Bill 121 (multi-year reform package 2023-2024) was extensively debated but shelved in November 2024 without enactment, leaving Ord. 18-114 as the controlling regime in 2026.
What's behind the sign-in
- Registration fees — initial + annual renewal cost, per permit type
- Permit caps + waitlists — exact cap values, current waitlist counts
- Owner-occupancy rules — days/year requirement, permit-class splits
- Zoning carve-outs — which districts allow / disallow STR
- Tax stack — TOT, hotel, county + state layers
- Stay limits — min/max nightly, max nights/year
- Operational requirements — parking, insurance, fire inspection, neighbor notice
- Penalties — per-night fines, revocation thresholds
- City-specific gotchas — HOA carve-outs, pending legislation, recent court rulings
- Refresh on demand — re-run the agentic pipeline against the city's current ordinance
Frequently asked
Are short-term rentals legal in Hawaii, HI?
Hawaii is currently restricted for short-term rentals. Permitted but with material constraints — caps, owner-occupancy rules, zoning carve-outs, or active ordinance review. For the actual fees, caps, owner-occupancy rules, and city-specific gotchas, sign in.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Hawaii?
Almost certainly yes — almost every U.S. city now requires a short-term rental permit, vacation rental permit, or transient lodging permit before you can legally list. The specifics for Hawaii (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://www.planning.hawaiicounty.gov/resources/short-term-vacation-rentals.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Hawaii?
Most cities charge per-night fines (a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per violation), escalating to cease-and-desist letters and platform delisting on repeat. Airbnb and Vrbo now share permit-validation feeds with most major cities, so unpermitted listings get blocked at the platform level. Sign in to see the specific penalty schedule for Hawaii.
How current is this data for Hawaii?
This record was verified 1mo ago against the city's published ordinance (.gov or the city's official municipal-code publisher). Cached cities re-verify on a cadence — daily for cities under active legislation, weekly otherwise. Signed-in users can hit Refresh on any city to force a fresh pull. If you're underwriting a deal, always confirm against the city's code-enforcement office before closing.
Can my HOA or condo association ban STRs even if Hawaii allows them?
Yes. City permits authorize you under municipal law, but your HOA, condo association, or co-op board sets contractual rules that override the city for your unit. Many HOAs adopted blanket STR bans between 2018 and 2024 in response to neighbor complaints. Read the CC&Rs, bylaws, and rental addendums before you buy with an STR plan — the city saying yes does not mean your building says yes.