Hawaii County, HI Ordinances (2026)

Hawai'i is restrictive: consumer fireworks (firecrackers) are legal only with a $25 County Fire Department permit and only during narrow New Year's, Chinese New Year, and July 4 windows. Aerial fireworks and sky lanterns are banned for the public.

Small recreational cooking or warming fires are generally allowed, but the Hawai'i State Fire Code (NFPA 1, adopted island-wide) lets the fire department prohibit open flames when conditions are hazardous, and open-flame gas devices like tiki torches must clear combustibles.

Hawai'i County enforces the Hawai'i State Fire Code (NFPA 1) and building code, which require working smoke alarms in dwellings. Rentals and short-term vacation units must have functioning detectors; requirements follow the adopted state fire and residential codes.

Propane (LPG) storage on the Big Island follows the Hawai'i State Fire Code (NFPA 1, which incorporates NFPA 58). Small home barbecue cylinders are allowed, but larger container quantities and installations may require fire-department permits and clearance from buildings.

Hawai'i County has no single statewide defensible-space setback like California, but leeward and Kona wildfire risk is severe. Fire officials and DLNR urge clearing invasive grasses and creating defensible space around homes; several island communities are Firewise-certified.

Open burning is generally prohibited statewide under Hawai'i Department of Health air rules (HAR 11-60.1). Narrow exceptions cover cooking, fire training, and legitimate agricultural burning with a state permit. Backyard trash and green-waste burning is not allowed.

The Big Island faces two distinctive hazards: wildfire on the dry leeward and Kona-Kohala side, and volcanic Lava Flow Hazard Zones mapped by USGS. Both drive insurance, building, and defensible-space concerns even though there is no California-style fire-zone clearance ordinance.

Small recreational cooking and warming fires are generally allowed, but burning trash or yard waste is prohibited under state open-burning rules. The Hawai'i Fire Department may ban all open fires during dry, windy, high-wildfire-risk conditions.

Hawaii County (the Big Island) is the only U.S. NFIP community where parcels can simultaneously sit in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, a USGS lava-flow hazard zone, and a Hawaii Emergency Management Agency tsunami evacuation zone. Floodplain development is governed by Hawaii County Code Chapter 27 (Floodplain Management), administered by the Department of Public Works Engineering Division. The county requires a Flood Development Permit for any work in a Special Flood Hazard Area and imposes a 1-foot freeboard above the Base Flood Elevation, exceeding the federal NFIP minimum. Hawaii County is a CRS-participating community providing flood insurance discounts on the roughly 4,400 NFIP policies countywide. USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory lava flow hazard Zones 1 and 2 cover much of Puna, Kau, and South Kona, and Zone 1 properties (active rift zones of Kilauea and Mauna Loa) are typically uninsurable for lava and difficult to mortgage.

The state DOH sets maximum sound levels by zoning class: Class A (residential) 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night; Class B (apartment, business, resort) 60 / 50 dBA; Class C (agriculture, industrial) 70 dBA at all times, measured at the property line.

Under the state DOH Community Noise Permit program, construction on the Big Island is generally limited to 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. weekdays and 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Saturdays, with no work Sundays/holidays and noise capped at 78 dBA at the property line without a permit.

Hawaii County has no separate city curfew because the county is the only local government. Statewide DOH rules (HAR 11-46) drop the nighttime noise limit to 45 dBA in residential (Class A) areas from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Persistent barking, howling, or crowing that disturbs neighbors is treated as a public nuisance under Hawaii County animal-control rules and the statewide noise program; the county contracts animal-control enforcement and officers respond to habitual-barking complaints.

Statewide law (HRS 291-24.5) bans using or installing a muffler that noticeably increases a vehicle's noise above the factory level. Hawaii has begun deploying acoustic noise cameras, and police enforce loud-exhaust violations island-wide.

State law (HRS 342F-30.8) makes it unlawful to run a leaf blower or similar powered equipment outside 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday, or outside 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. on Sundays and holidays, when within or within 100 feet of a residential zone.

Amplified music, PA systems, and loudspeakers must stay within the HAR 11-46 dBA limits at your property line (55 dBA day / 45 dBA night in residential zones). Exceeding them requires a DOH noise permit or variance.

Outdoor concerts, luaus, and live music must keep sound within the HAR 11-46 property-line limits (45 dBA at night in residential zones). Commercial or amplified events that exceed the limit need a DOH community-noise permit or variance in advance.

Industrial and agricultural equipment, generators, compressors, and AC units are stationary noise sources under HAR 11-46. On agricultural or industrial (Class C) land the limit is 70 dBA day and night; near homes the lower Class A limits apply at the property line.

Aircraft noise is preempted by federal law (FAA), so neither Hawaii County nor the state DOH sets aircraft noise limits. Complaints about tour helicopters and planes are handled by the FAA and the State DOT Airports Division, not the county.

Every short-term vacation rental on Hawai'i Island must hold a County STVR Registration before operating. Rentals in unpermitted zoning districts also need a Nonconforming Use Certificate (NUC). Permits are issued by the County of Hawai'i Planning Department under Ordinance 18-114 (Bill 108).

STVR Registration is filed with the County of Hawai'i Planning Department under Rule 23. Applicants submit a completed form, $500 fee, final building permit approvals, current GET/TAT licenses, a Real Property Tax Clearance Certificate, scaled site and floor plans, and a notarized Affidavit of Compliance.

A Hawai'i County STVR may rent no more than five bedrooms at any given time. The maximum number of guests residing in the rental at once must be consistent with the definition of "Family" under Hawai'i County Code Chapter 25.

Hawai'i County's Bill 108 STVR rules apply to rentals where the owner does NOT live on site. Short-term use of an owner's primary residence (as defined under IRC Section 121) is excluded from the STVR definition. There is no county-wide primary-residence-only mandate for STVRs.

All guest parking for a Hawai'i County STVR must be off-street and meet the parking standards in Hawai'i County Code Sections 25-4-50 through 25-4-54. Guests must park in the designated parking area, and the required number of spaces is set at registration.

A Hawai'i County STVR must name an Owner or Reachable Person who resides in the County, is reachable 24/7, can respond by phone within one hour, and can be physically present at the rental within three hours of a guest, neighbor, or County agency call.

Hawai'i Island STVR income is taxed at 10.25% State Transient Accommodations Tax plus a 3% County of Hawai'i TAT surcharge (13.25% combined), on top of the 4% General Excise Tax. The STVR Registration fee is a one-time $500; NUCs renew annually.

Hawai'i County STVRs must post and enforce a Good Neighbor Policy setting quiet hours from 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., during which STVR noise must not unreasonably disturb neighbors. Outside quiet hours, audible sound may not be more excessive than a normal residential area.

A Hawai'i County STVR is defined by a maximum stay: rental "for a period of thirty consecutive days or less." Rentals of 30-plus consecutive days are not STVRs. Bill 108 sets no annual night cap and no minimum-night requirement county-wide.

Bill 108 does not impose a specific liability-insurance minimum on Hawai'i County STVRs. It does require that every print and internet advertisement, including listings with a rental service or real estate firm, display the STVR Registration Number (and NUC Number if issued).

On the Big Island you may park on the street only in areas lawfully designated for parking. State law lets the counties prohibit or restrict parking where it is dangerous or blocks traffic, and violations are traffic infractions.

The County of Hawaiʻi removes abandoned or derelict vehicles under HCC 20-07-01 and HRS Chapter 290. Report one to Police Dispatch (808-935-3311); a 24-hour notice is affixed, and a vehicle not moved beyond a one-mile radius is classified abandoned and towed.

The County of Hawaiʻi sets no blanket overnight street-parking ban, but Hawaiʻi state law prohibits using any vehicle for human habitation while parked on a public road between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The county can also post time-limited no-parking hours.

The County of Hawaiʻi bans stopping or leaving any vehicle—including RVs, boats and trailers—on the paved traveled part of a highway except in areas lawfully marked for parking. A trailer left over 24 hours on any street is deemed abandoned.

The County of Hawaiʻi has no separate storage-parking ban aimed only at commercial vehicles. The general Chapter 24 street rules apply: commercial trucks may park only in lawfully designated areas and off the traveled roadway, and freight loading is time-limited.

Hawaiʻi County Code has no length- or weight-specific oversized-vehicle street ban, but any vehicle too large for a marked stall must still keep off the main traveled roadway and leave at least ten feet of the roadway clear for traffic.

In the County of Hawaiʻi, only the county and state may place official curb markings that prohibit or restrict parking. Residents may not paint curbs or post their own signs; obeying official signs and markings is required by state and county law.

On the Big Island you may not stand or park a vehicle in front of or within four feet of any public or private driveway (and up to 75 feet away where signs are posted). Blocking a driveway or alley entrance is also prohibited.

On the Big Island, marked freight loading zones may be used only while actively loading, for no more than 30 minutes, and only between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. except Sundays and holidays. Passenger loading zones are limited to three minutes.

The County of Hawaiʻi follows state law: places of public accommodation with at least 100 public parking spaces must provide at least one EV-charging space, and only actively charging vehicles may occupy it. New chargers must be networked Level 2.

Backyard barbecuing is allowed as a cooking fire, an express exception to Hawai'i's open-burning ban. Propane grills follow the Hawai'i State Fire Code (NFPA 1/58); at multi-unit buildings, open-flame grills are restricted near combustible construction.

Wood, pellet, and charcoal smokers are treated as cooking fires and are allowed, an exception to Hawai'i's open-burning ban. Traditional imu (underground ovens) are likewise cooking, not open refuse burning, but must be attended and safe given Big Island wildfire risk.

A retaining wall four feet or higher requires a building permit in Hawaii County, and grading or filling 100 cubic yards or reaching five feet vertical also needs a grading permit. Zoning still treats walls over six feet as accessory structures barred from required yards.

Hawaii County allows a perimeter fence up to six feet on the property line with no setback, but any fence over six feet must stay out of required yards, and no fence may block complete access around a main building.

The Hawaii County building code exempts fences six feet or less from a building permit. A taller fence or wall generally needs a permit, and any wall over six feet is a zoning accessory structure that cannot sit in a required yard.

On Hawaii Island a perimeter fence or wall six feet or less needs no yard setback and is not a structure. See-through strand fencing (barbed wire, hog wire, chain link) may reach eight feet. Corner-lot sight triangles cap fences at three feet.

Hawaii County zoning lets a shared boundary fence up to six feet sit on the line without setback. The County sets no cost-sharing or spite-fence rule; boundary disputes are civil matters handled between owners under Hawaii state law.

Hawaii County zoning does not ban specific fence materials, but it distinguishes them by height: solid fences of any material are capped at six feet without setback, while see-through strand materials like barbed wire, hog wire, or chain link may reach eight feet.

Any fence material is allowed on the Big Island; height is what the code controls. Solid materials are limited to six feet without setback, and see-through strand materials such as barbed wire, hog wire, and chain link may go to eight feet.

A County of Hawai'i building permit is required to construct any residential pool. Public/commercial pools also need a State Department of Health permit to operate under HAR 11-10, but private single-family pools are exempt from that Health permit.

Residential pools must be enclosed by a barrier at least 48 inches high under the county-adopted building code. Openings cannot pass a 4-inch sphere, and gates must be self-closing with a self-latching device opening away from the pool.

A private spa, hot tub, or furo at a single-family home is exempt from State DOH public-pool rules. For barrier purposes, a spa or hot tub with a safety cover complying with ASTM F1346 need not have a fence enclosure.

Any pool over 18 inches deep must have a compliant safety barrier. Public pools also follow State DOH operating standards. Private residential pools at single-family homes are exempt from the DOH public-pool rules but still need the county barrier.

Above-ground pools over 18-24 inches deep still need a compliant barrier. If the pool wall itself serves as the barrier, the access ladder or steps must be removable, lockable, or surrounded by a compliant fence.

Big Island protection targets 'exceptional trees.' Under HRS Chapter 58, the county must provide special review before an exceptional tree is destroyed. A County Arborist Advisory Committee designates protected trees; removing one needs county review, not a routine permit.

In Hawai'i County an accessory structure such as a shed may not exceed 20 feet in height. A detached accessory structure over 6 feet tall cannot extend into a required front, side or rear yard, though it may sit next to a main building.

A carport is an accessory structure under HCC Chapter 25, so it may not exceed 20 feet in height and, if over 6 feet, cannot extend into a required yard. Attached porte-cocheres and roof overhangs get special projection allowances into yards.

Hawai'i County has no separate 'garage conversion' ordinance. A garage converted to habitable space is treated as new dwelling area under HCC Chapter 25 zoning and the County building code, so it must meet setbacks, parking, height and permit requirements.

Hawai'i County allows one ohana dwelling (accessory dwelling unit) on RS, RA, FA and A zoned lots. The lot must be a legal lot of record, meet height, yard and parking rules, and have adequate sewage, water, fire and street access.

Hawai'i County has no separate 'tiny home' category. A tiny house on a permanent foundation is a dwelling under HCC Chapter 25 (subject to zoning, permits and, if it is a second unit, ohana rules); a tiny house on wheels is generally treated as a vehicle, not a permitted dwelling.

Height caps are set per zoning district. The RS single-family district limits buildings to 35 feet. Accessory structures are capped at 20 feet, and no building may exceed its district height limit except for specific exempt features.

Hawaii County zoning does not cap lot coverage by a percentage. Instead it controls how much you can build through minimum building-site area, minimum width, and required yards. In the RS district each dwelling needs at least 7,500 square feet.

Setbacks vary by zoning district and lot size. In the common RS single-family district, front and rear yards run 15 to 25 feet and side yards 8 to 15 feet, increasing with lot area. Required yards must stay open and unobstructed from the ground up.

Raising poultry, bees and other livestock is a permitted use in Hawai'i County's Agricultural zoning districts under state law. In residential zones roosters and large flocks are restricted, and feral-fowl noise is a chronic Big Island issue handled through nuisance rules.

Hawaii bans most exotic animals statewide to protect its ecosystem. Snakes, iguanas, ferrets, hedgehogs, gerbils, hamsters and mongooses are illegal to import or keep on the Big Island; the State Department of Agriculture enforces the list and penalties are severe.

Hawai'i County has no breed-specific ban. State law bars any county from deeming a dog dangerous or vicious based only on its breed, so pit bulls and other breeds are legal on the Big Island; dangerous-dog status is judged by behavior, not breed.

Cattle, horses, goats and other livestock are permitted uses in the Big Island's Agricultural zoning districts under HRS 205-4.5, along with boarding stables and riding academies. Pen feeding, piggeries and apiaries must be on a site approved by the State Department of Health.

In County of Hawai'i parks, school grounds and airports a dog must be on a leash no longer than six feet, and dogs are banned entirely from County beach parks. Letting a dog stray onto public or private land is separately finable.

After Bill 144 (2024), Hawai'i County allows beekeeping in every zoning district island-wide. Apiaries must sit at least 25 feet from any property line (15 feet behind a flyway barrier), and lots under 20,000 sq ft are limited to about 15 standard hives.

Hawai'i County Code sets no fixed numeric limit on the number of dogs or cats a household may own. Instead, control comes through licensing, the barking-dog nuisance rule, kennel zoning for large numbers, and the state animal-cruelty/hoarding laws.

Hawai'i County has no separate hoarding ordinance; the matter is handled under state cruelty law. Depriving pet animals of necessary sustenance is cruelty in the second degree (HRS 711-1109), a misdemeanor that becomes a class C felony when ten or more pet animals are involved.

Cats are not licensed on the Big Island and there is no leash requirement, but feral-cat management is a live issue: County Ordinance 25-63 (Bill 51) bans feeding feral animals, including cats, on County property, while allowing sanctioned trap-neuter-return programs.

Ordinance No. 25-63 (Bill 51, 2025) makes it illegal to feed feral animals, including cats, chickens, pigs and goats, on County of Hawai'i property, to protect native wildlife. Fines are $50 for a first violation and $500 for each additional violation.

Home composting is allowed and encouraged in Hawai'i County. The county runs green-waste diversion at its transfer stations and recycling programs, but there is no permit for a backyard compost bin — just keep it from becoming a nuisance or rodent/pest attractant.

Hawai'i County has no fixed grass-height number. Overgrown lots are handled as public nuisances: under HRS 46-1.5(12) the county may compel clearing of uncultivated undergrowth from unoccupied lots and bill or lien the owner if they ignore notice.

The County of Hawai'i can compel clearing of weeds and 'uncultivated undergrowth' from unoccupied lots as a public nuisance under HRS 46-1.5(12). After notice, the county may clear the lot and lien the owner for the cost.

There is no county rule requiring native landscaping, but the Big Island is ground-zero for invasive-species control. Planting or spreading state-listed noxious/invasive pests (coquí frog, miconia, little fire ant, albizia) is regulated by the state, not the county.

You may trim your own trees. For trees and vegetation along county roads, Public Works' Highway Maintenance Division handles roadside trimming and clearance. Designated exceptional trees need county review before any trimming that could destroy them.

The County of Hawai'i Department of Water Supply can restrict water use during shortages, drought, or equipment problems, often ordering 25% cuts (50% for irrigation). Its Rules let it 'restrict the use of water by any reasonable method of control.'

The County of Hawai'i has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating artificial turf on residential yards. Installation must still meet zoning setbacks, lot-coverage limits, and any drainage/grading permit requirements under the Hawai'i County Code.

You can generally remove ordinary trees on your own Big Island property without a county permit. The exception is a tree the county has designated 'exceptional' under HRS Chapter 58, which requires county review before removal.

Rainwater catchment is legal and common on the Big Island — many Puna and off-grid homes rely on it. The County Department of Water Supply does not recognize or regulate catchment, and no county permit is required for a private system.

County of Hawai'i parks are governed by HCC Chapter 15. There is no single island-wide curfew hour; instead the Parks Director sets each park's hours of operation, which are posted on signage at the park. Being in a closed park outside posted hours violates the code.

Hawai'i County Code 25-4-13 permits a home occupation as incidental and subordinate to a dwelling, in the State Land Use Urban District and any zoning district allowing a single-family dwelling, provided it does not change the character or external appearance of the home.

Hawai'i's homemade-food exemption lets you sell non-hazardous baked goods, candies, jams, mochi, and hand-pounded poi from a home kitchen without a food-establishment permit, provided you get food-safety certification, label products, and sell directly to the consumer.

No signs are allowed for a home occupation. HCC 25-4-13(b)(2) prohibits any exterior sign, symbol, display or advertisement relating to the home occupation, and interior signs may not be visible from public view.

A family child care home operates under the County's home occupation standards (HCC 25-4-13) plus State licensing. The State Department of Human Services licenses/registers family child care homes; the county home-occupation rules govern the residential zoning side.

Most home occupations need only a Home Occupation Declaration and Zoning Clearance from the Planning Department if they involve customer visits, deliveries, outside activity, outside storage, or group instruction. Rural or agricultural-district sites need a special permit.

The County of Hawai'i provides no curbside collection and no county-issued trash carts in most areas, so it sets no cart-color or container-type rule. Residents self-haul household rubbish to one of the county's 22 recycling and transfer stations, where it must be sorted per station signage.

The County of Hawai'i has no dedicated garage-sale permit ordinance. Occasional residential yard sales are generally allowed as incidental to your home; running a continuous retail operation from a residence, however, can trigger the zoning code's home-occupation and signage rules under Hawai'i County Code Chapter 25.

The County of Hawai'i has no dedicated vacant-lot mowing ordinance. An overgrown or debris-filled empty lot is addressed as a zoning code violation reported to the Planning Department (Chapter 25) or, if it becomes a fire, health, or sanitation hazard, as a public nuisance under state law (HRS Chapter 322).

The County of Hawai'i has no standalone mainland-style 'blight' ordinance. Run-down, junk-filled, or nuisance properties are handled through the Planning Department's zoning code-violation complaint process (Hawai'i County Code Chapter 25) and, for health hazards, state public-nuisance law (HRS Chapter 322).

The County of Hawai'i sets no maximum grass or weed height for private residential yards. Overgrowth is only actionable when it creates a zoning violation or a genuine fire, health, or sanitation nuisance, reported to the Planning Department or the state Department of Health respectively.

The County of Hawai'i does not provide curbside household or business rubbish collection. Most residents self-haul their trash and recyclables to one of the 22 recycling and transfer stations. Hawai'i County Code 20-03-01 requires disposal at a county-approved facility.

Because the County of Hawai'i runs no curbside collection, there are no set-out times or curb-placement rules for household bins in most areas. Waste is deposited at transfer and recycling stations into county compactors and marked drop-off bins, not left at the curb for pickup.

There is no curbside bulky-item pickup. Residents self-haul large items to the recycling and transfer stations, which accept soft compactable bulky items such as mattresses, stuffed chairs, and couches, plus residential do-it-yourself construction debris, at no charge (limit one residential load per day).

Hawai'i County offers free drop-off recycling and HI-5 beverage-container redemption at its transfer and recycling stations, but household recycling is largely voluntary self-haul. Recyclables should be separated from rubbish before disposal, and greenwaste drop-off for composting is free for residents.

Illegally dumping rubbish, appliances, or a derelict vehicle on public land, roads, or another person's property is prohibited by Hawai'i County Code Chapter 20 and by state litter law (HRS Chapter 339). County civil fines run up to $1,000 per day; state litter fines run $100 to $500 per offense.

Hawai'i County has a real dark-sky ordinance (HCC Chapter 14) protecting the Mauna Kea observatories. It requires shielded outdoor fixtures, restricts lamp types, and mandates that low-pressure sodium be the only source for Class II outdoor lighting island-wide.

Hawai'i County's dark-sky ordinance (HCC Ch. 14) controls light trespass by requiring outdoor fixtures to be shielded and, for many lights, turned off from 11:00 p.m. to sunrise. Fully shielded, downward-directed lighting is the standard to keep glare off neighbors and the night sky.

Hawai'i County Sign Code (HCC Chapter 3) allows temporary, unlighted signs relating to a meeting, special event or condition of the property in every district without a permit. In residential, open and agricultural districts a temporary sign may not exceed eight square feet.

Garage-sale signs qualify as temporary signs under Hawai'i County's Sign Code (HCC Ch. 3). They are allowed in all districts without a permit but must relate to a special event or condition of the property and, in residential/agricultural areas, may not exceed eight square feet.