Hawaii County, HI Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- HRS Chapter 342F, section 30.8
- Weekday and Saturday hours
- 8:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday through Saturday
- Sunday and holiday hours
- 9:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sundays and State or Federal holidays
- Distance trigger
- Residentially zoned area or within 100 feet (30.48 meters)
- Equipment covered
- Leaf blowers and weedwhackers only
- Conditions required
- Both timing and location must be met for use to be unlawful
- DOH Info Line
- 808-586-4400
Summary
Leaf blowers and weedwhackers become unlawful on the Big Island when two conditions are met at the same time: the work happens outside the permitted hours, and it happens in a residentially zoned area or within 100 feet of one. Permitted hours are 8:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Saturday and 9:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sundays and State or Federal holidays. The State Department of Health applies the rule under HRS Chapter 342F.
When is leaf blower and/or weedwhacker usage unlawful ? The use of other lawn and landscaping equipment is not regulated by our section. 2 conditions must be met , per Hawai’i Revised Statutes Chapter 342F, 30.8: 1) The activity occurs outside the hours of 8:00 am – 7:00 pm, Monday through Saturday, or outside the hours of 9:00 am – 7:00 pm on Sunday and/or a State/Federal Holiday 2) The activity occurs within a residentially zoned area OR within 100 feet (30.48 meters) of a residentially zoned area.
Full Breakdown
Hawaii County follows a single statewide rule for leaf blowers and weedwhackers: Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 342F, section 30.8, titled "Weed Whackers; Leaf Blowers; Noise Regulations; Additional Restrictions." The State Department of Health (DOH) Noise Section applies it, and its published FAQ spells out the test. Use of either tool is unlawful only when two conditions are met together.
The first condition is timing. The permitted hours are 8:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Saturday, and 9:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sunday and on any State or Federal holiday. The second condition is location. The activity must occur inside a residentially zoned area or within 100 feet (30.48 meters) of one. A crew working a commercially zoned lot more than 100 feet from the nearest residential zone does not meet the second condition, so this section does not reach it even after dark.
If either condition fails, this section does not apply. A blower used at 10:00 am on a Saturday beside a house sits inside the permitted hours, so it is not unlawful under this section no matter how close the neighbors are.
The section is narrow on equipment. DOH states that the use of other lawn and landscaping equipment is not regulated by its section, so only leaf blowers and weedwhackers carry these hour limits.
The wider DOH Noise Section regulates noise from construction, industrial and agricultural activities and mechanical noise from stationary sources such as pumps, air conditioners, generators, compressors and ventilation or exhaust systems. Noise made directly by people, nuisance noise from animals, emergency sirens, and vehicles not actively used for construction, industrial or agricultural work are outside its jurisdiction. Sound-level limits that depend on the loudness of the noise, the time it was made and the Zone Class are set in Hawaii Administrative Rules, Title 11, Chapter 46, Community Noise Control, and DOH publishes a Noise Reference Manual for the Big Island. Questions go to the DOH Info Line at 808-586-4400.
Violations & Fines
Using a leaf blower or weedwhacker is a violation of HRS 342F-30.8 only when both tests are failed together: the time is outside 8:00 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Saturday (or outside 9:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sundays and State or Federal holidays), and the work is in a residentially zoned area or within 100 feet of one. The DOH page lists no fine amount for this section; penalty provisions sit in HRS Chapter 342F, the Noise Pollution statute that the page links.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hours can I run a leaf blower in Hawaii County?
Does the rule apply if my property is not zoned residential?
Do the hour limits cover lawn mowers and other landscaping tools?
Can I get a noise permit to run a leaf blower outside the permitted hours?
Who handles other noise complaints on the Big Island?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawaii County
How Hawaii County compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·Compare Hawaii County to another location·View the Hawaii noise ordinances overview
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