Property Maintenance in Hawaii County, HI (2026)

2 rules for unincorporated Hawaii County, Hawaii.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Hawaii County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Property Blight

Hawaii County declares any substandard, structurally unsafe, or dangerous building a public nuisance that must be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or removal. The Department of Public Works can order the owner to fix or vacate the structure, and noncompliance is a criminal offense with daily fines.

Unsafe Building Nuisance Abatement, Big Island

Significant Restrictions

Hawai'i County Code § 5-9-1

Buildings or structures which are substandard, structurally unsafe, or are otherwise dangerous or hazardous to human life, or which in relation to existing use constitute a hazard to safety, health or public welfare by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation to the state of falling into decay or partial ruin, fire hazard, insanitary condition, defective installation, abandonment where a ...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Vacant Lot Maintenance

Hawai'i County Code section 14-150 requires every owner of an occupied or unoccupied lot fronting a public street or highway to clear refuse, uncultivated undergrowth and unsafe flora from within 100 feet of that frontage whenever the growth poses an imminent fire, health, safety, property-damage or crime hazard. Neighbors can force a mayoral inspection, and the County will clear an ignored lot itself and bill the owner.

Vacant Lot Clearing Rules in Hawai'i County

Some Restrictions

Hawai'i County Code 14-150

Every owner of any occupied or unoccupied lot the frontage of which abuts or adjoins any public street or highway within the County, shall clear the lot of all refuse, uncultivated undergrowth, and unsafe flora thereon to a depth of not exceeding one hundred feet from any street or highway adjoining, whenever on the lot there is refuse, uncultivated undergrowth, or unsafe flora to an extent tha...

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

All Hawaii County ordinances

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