Maui County, HI Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Sit-Lie Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- County bus stops/transit facilities only
- Standard
- Inhibits full/appropriate public use
- Penalty
- Up to 30 days jail or $1,000
- Arrest risk
- If refusing officer's order to leave
- Added by
- Ord. No. 3628 (2009)
Summary
Maui County's sit-lie rule lives inside the transit code, not a citywide sidewalk ordinance: section 11.04.010(A)(19) bans sitting, lying, sleeping, or occupying a County bus stop or transit facility in a way that blocks its full and appropriate use by the public. It does not reach sidewalks or streets away from transit property.
19.No person shall sit, lie, sleep, or occupy any County bus stop, transit facilities, and transit facility amenities in a manner that inhibits its full and appropriate use by the public.
Full Breakdown
04 governs conduct on the County bus system and at park-and-ride facilities, and paragraph 19 is written as a functional test rather than a flat ban: sitting or lying is prohibited only when it inhibits the full and appropriate use of the bus stop, transit facility, or transit amenity by the public, leaving room for a rider waiting on a bench versus someone blocking the shelter entirely. unless the director authorizes it, and paragraph 17 separately bans erecting tents, tarps, or bedding at the same locations.
Drivers, other transit agents, and police officers can order a person to stop occupying the space under paragraph 14's cease-and-desist authority, and refusing to leave after that request is its own violation. 04, it does not function as a general sidewalk sit-lie ordinance for streets or commercial districts elsewhere in the County; the code reviewed here contains no such broader rule.
Violations & Fines
A paragraph 19 violation falls in the higher penalty band under section 11.04.020(B), covering paragraphs 8 through 23: a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $1,000 fine. Refusing to leave after a driver, transit agent, or police officer's cease-and-desist request under paragraph 14 exposes a person to physical arrest rather than just a citation, under section 11.04.020(D)(2).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to sit or lie down at a Maui County bus stop?
What happens if I refuse to leave a Maui bus stop when asked?
Does Maui County have a citywide sit-lie ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Maui County
Compare Maui County to another location·View the Hawaii homelessness & encampment rules overview
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