Animal Ordinances in Maui County, HI (2026)
8 rules for unincorporated Maui County, Hawaii.
Verified from official government sources
Dog Leash Laws
Maui County requires every dog owner to keep the dog 'under restraint' at all times, meaning enclosed on the owner's property or on a leash no longer than ten feet held by a responsible person. A short list of exceptions covers law enforcement, hunting, competition, dog parks, farm work and service dogs.
Maui County Dog Restraint and Leash Law
Some RestrictionsMaui County Code §§ 6.04.010, 6.04.040(A)
"Under restraint" means kept on real property with the express consent of the property owner, in a manner which prevents the dog from exiting the property of its own volition. Examples shall include, but not be limited to, fully enclosed property, kennels, and tethers; or kept secured by a leash or lead of not more than ten feet in length held by or tied to a responsible person; or, if in the b...
Breed Restrictions
Maui County's dangerous dog ordinance is written to be breed-neutral: section 6.04.046 tells enforcement officers a dog's breed cannot be considered when deciding whether it is dangerous. A dog is designated dangerous only for what it actually did, such as biting or threatening someone, not for its breed.
Maui County Has No Breed-Specific Dog Law
Few RestrictionsMaui County Code § 6.04.046(A)(2), (A)(3)
A.Dangerous dog designation.1.An enforcement or animal control officer may designate a dog as dangerous if the officer has probable cause to believe that the dog has committed any of the following:a.While on or off the owner's property, attack a person, causing bodily injury to the person; ... 2.A dog's breed shall not be considered when making the determination of whether a dog is dangerous.3....
Beekeeping
Maui County's zoning code lists beekeeping as a permitted use, by right, in every sub-district of the Maui Research & Technology Park, including its Residential sub-district: the district's use table under Maui County Code § 19.38.060 marks beekeeping "P" for Employment/Campus, Mixed-Use, Residential, Civic, and Open Space/Park alike. Countywide, Title 19's definitions also classify beekeeping as agriculture, but no chapter sets hive limits or setbacks.
Maui County Permits Beekeeping as Ag Use
Few RestrictionsMaui County Code § 19.38.060
Employment/ Campus Mixed -Use Residential Civic Open Space/Park ... P P P P P Greenhouses, flower and truck gardens, nurseries, community gardens, beekeeping, and other similar agricultural uses excluding animal and livestock raising
Wildlife Feeding
Maui County bars feeding animals or staging food or water for them in any County park or recreational facility unless a director-issued permit specifically allows it. The same section bans establishing new feral-animal colonies, letting owners maintain only existing colonies under a controlled reduction plan.
Maui County Ban on Feeding Park Wildlife
Significant RestrictionsMaui County Code § 13.04A.070(A)(6), (B)(14)-(15), (D)(7)-(8)
6.Establish feral animal colonies. ... 14.Feed any animal or animals, or stage any food or water for any animal or animals, except as provided in subsection D.15.Manage feral animal colonies. Any colony management authorized by a permit, license, lease, or contract issued in accordance with this code must be designed to reduce and eliminate the colony. ... 7.No one shall feed any animal or anim...
Pet Limits
Maui County sets no fixed head-count cap on dogs or cats. The county's amended Residential Code bars horses, cows, swine, goats, chickens, ducks and pigeons within twenty feet of any dwelling, but exempts dogs, cats, birds and other small domesticated pets from that setback, requiring only that such pets be kept in a "reasonable number."
Maui County: Pets Limited to a Reasonable Number
Light RestrictionsMaui County Code § 16.08A.R326
R326 Animals. No horses, cows, calves, swine, goats, chickens, ducks, pigeons or other animals or fowl shall be kept in or within twenty feet from any dwelling. This section shall not apply to pets, such as dogs, cats, birds and other small, domesticated animals; provided, that such pets shall be limited to a reasonable number.
Mandatory Spay/Neuter
Maui County doesn't require every owned pet to be sterilized, but no dog or cat can leave animal control on adoption unless it is already neutered or the adopter signs a written promise to have it done. Breaking that promise lets the county take the animal back.
Maui County Shelter Adoption Spay/Neuter Rule
Light RestrictionsMaui County Code § 6.04.070
An adoption fee as established in the annual budget ordinance of the County shall be assessed at the time of adoption. No dog or cat shall be released for adoption as a pet without being neutered or without a written agreement from the adopter guaranteeing that the dog or cat will be neutered. Animal control shall reclaim a dog or cat when the agreement has been violated by failure to neuter th...
Microchipping
Maui County does not require every pet to be microchipped, but a dog officially designated 'dangerous' must be permanently identified with an implanted microchip within thirty days. Animal control keeps the microchip number and the name of the person who implanted it on file.
Maui County Dangerous Dog Microchip Rule
Some RestrictionsMaui County Code § 6.04.046(C)(4)(a)
4.Within thirty days of the dangerous dog designation, the owner shall:a.Permanently identify the dangerous dog by injecting into the dog an identification microchip using standard veterinary procedures and practices, which microchip shall include an identification number for the dog and the identification of the person performing the procedure to be registered with animal control; and
Veterinary Clinic Zoning
Maui County's zoning code allows veterinary clinics, including indoor boarding tied to an established clinic, as a permitted use only in the Employment/Campus and Mixed-Use sub-districts of the Maui Research & Technology Park. The same use table under Maui County Code § 19.38.060 marks the use "X," prohibited, in that district's Residential, Civic, and Open Space/Park sub-areas.
Maui County Zoning for Veterinary Clinics
Some RestrictionsMaui County Code § 19.38.060
Employment/ Campus Mixed -Use Residential Civic Open Space/Park ... P P X X X Veterinary clinics, including indoor boarding facilities associated with an established veterinary clinic
All Maui County ordinances
See every category we cover for Maui County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Maui County Ordinance Hub →