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Maui County, HI Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing law
Maui County Code Chapter 12.02
Duty holder
Owner of land abutting a county street
Cure period
20 days after certified-mail notice
Enforcement
County cleans and bills owner
Exemption
Agricultural owners over 15 acres
Penalty
Set by § 19.530.030 (§ 12.02.060)

Summary

Maui County requires every property owner whose land abuts a county street to keep the adjoining sidewalk or shoulder "clean, passable and free from weeds and noxious growths," giving the owner only twenty days after notice to clear it before the county does the work and bills the owner, under §§ 12.02.020 and 12.02.030.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Maui County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Every property owner whose land abuts or adjoins a County street shall continually maintain, and keep clean, passable and free from weeds and noxious growths, the sidewalk or shoulder areas which abut or adjoin the owner's property.

Full Breakdown

010 to include a fee simple owner, lessee, agent or trustee in control of real property, but excludes owners of real property in agricultural districts whose lots exceed fifteen acres. "Weeds" carries the same three-part hazard test used elsewhere in the code: vegetation that is a fire hazard when dry, that shelters vermin, or that overgrows and obstructs a road, alley, path or sidewalk. 020 imposes the core duty: every owner whose land abuts or adjoins a county street must "continually maintain, and keep clean, passable and free from weeds and noxious growths," the sidewalk or shoulder abutting the property.

030 gives the county its remedy if an owner ignores a notice: after twenty days without action, the county may clean the sidewalk itself and charge the cost to the owner, collectible by a district court action if not paid. 040 requires that notice be sent by certified mail to the owner's last known address. 050 makes a noncompliant owner indemnify the county for injuries the overgrowth causes and lets the county seek an injunction to abate a violation. 030 of the code.

Violations & Fines

An owner who lets weeds or noxious growth take over the sidewalk or shoulder fronting their land, and who fails to clean it within twenty days of the county's certified-mail notice under § 12.02.030, is liable for the county's cleanup cost, collectible in district court, and subject to the penalty referenced at § 19.530.030 per § 12.02.060; the owner must also indemnify the county for any resulting injury under § 12.02.050.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is responsible for weeds on the sidewalk in front of my Maui property?
You are. Section 12.02.020 requires "every property owner whose land abuts or adjoins a County street" to "continually maintain, and keep clean, passable and free from weeds and noxious growths, the sidewalk or shoulder areas which abut or adjoin the owner's property."
How long do I have to clear sidewalk weeds after the county notifies me?
Twenty days. Section 12.02.030 lets the county clean the sidewalk itself, at the owner's expense, if the owner "fails, within twenty days after such notice, to clean such sidewalk, or fails and neglects to keep such sidewalk clean and free from weeds and noxious growths."
Are agricultural landowners exempt from Maui's sidewalk-weed rule?
Large parcels are. Section 12.02.010 excludes from the definition of "owner" anyone owning real property "within agricultural districts whose lots exceed fifteen acres," so those larger agricultural lots fall outside the sidewalk maintenance duty.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Maui County

All Maui County rules

How Maui County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Maui County to another location·View the Hawaii landscaping rules overview

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