Hawaii County, HI Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (2026)
Amplified music rules in Hawaii County, HI, also called sound permit, PA system, or live music ordinances, set decibel limits, time-of-day restrictions, and when permits are required.
Key Facts
- Trigger
- audible 50 feet from the device
- 1st offense
- up to $100 fine
- 2nd offense (within 6 mo.)
- up to $500
- 3rd+ offense (within 1 yr.)
- up to $1,000 or forfeiture
- Permits issued by
- Chief of Police, 5 days' notice
- Exempt
- emergency vehicles, tour-bus PA systems
Summary
Hawai'i County bans playing a radio, speaker, or other sound-reproducing device on public property, or in a vehicle on a public street, if it's audible fifty feet away, under HCC §14-18. A first offense tops out at $100; a third within a year can cost up to $1,000 or forfeiture of the sound equipment.
Section 14-18(a): It shall be a violation of law for any person or persons to play, use, operate, or permit to be played, used, or operated, any radio, tape recorder, cassette player, or other machine or device for reproducing sound, if: (1) Such machine or device is located in or on: (A) Any public property, including any public street, highway, building, sidewalk, park, or thoroughfare; or (B) Any motor vehicle on a public street, highway, or public space; and (2) The sound generated by such machine or device is audible at a distance of fifty feet from the machine or device producing the sound. Section 14-19.3(a): Any person convicted of a violation... shall be punished by a fine of: (1) Up to $100 for the first offense; or (2) Up to $500 for the second offense... (3) Up to $1,000, or forfeiture of the sound system or components... up to a total of $1,000.
Full Breakdown
Section 14-18(a) makes it a violation to play, use, or operate a radio, tape recorder, cassette player, or other sound-reproducing machine on public property, including any street, sidewalk, park, or building, or inside a vehicle on a public street, if the sound is audible fifty feet from the device; simply possessing one of those devices is prima facie evidence you were operating it. 1 lets the Chief of Police issue a temporary permit exempting commercial, religious, political, civic, charitable, or athletic groups, or individuals, from that rule for events like carnivals, parades, fundraisers, fairs, bazaars, and public speeches; the application must go in at least five days ahead, stating the date, time, duration, and nature of the activity, and the chief must decide within three days, with authority to cap the sound level, duration, or time of day.
2 exempts County, State, and federal activities, permitted private activities, sightseeing-vehicle PA systems addressing their own passengers, and ambulances or emergency vehicles. Enforcement under §14-19 favors citation over arrest: police may issue a citation without physical arrest, reserving arrest for someone who refuses to give a name and address or who refuses to stop the activity after being cited.
Violations & Fines
Section 14-19.3 escalates penalties within a rolling window: up to $100 for a first offense, up to $500 for a second offense within six months of the first, and up to $1,000 (or forfeiture of the sound system or components up to $1,000 in value, or a combination) for a third or later offense within a year of the first. Once a full year passes from the first offense, the next violation resets to the first-offense tier.
Frequently Asked Questions
How loud can I play music in a Big Island park before it's illegal?
Can I get a permit for amplified sound at an outdoor event?
Will I be arrested for playing loud music in public?
What happens if I get cited a second time for loud music?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawaii County
Compare Hawaii County to another location·View the Hawaii noise ordinances overview
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