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Maui County, HI Parking Rules: Abandoned Vehicles (2026)

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

Key Facts

Abandonment threshold
Unattended more than 24 hours
Governing section
Maui County Code 10.48.200
Removal authority
Chief of police
Cost liability
Registered owner pays removal/storage
Notice requirement
Written notice if owner known

Summary

Maui County treats any vehicle left unattended on a public highway for more than twenty-four hours as abandoned. Section 10.48.200 of the Maui County Code bans abandoning vehicles outright, lets the police chief remove them, and bills the registered owner for the removal expense.

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.

No person shall abandon any vehicle on the public highway. The chief of police is authorized to remove or cause to be removed any such abandoned vehicle from the highway, and the registered owner of such vehicle shall be liable for reasonable expenses incurred by such removal. Leaving vehicles unattended for more than twenty-four hours shall constitute abandonment within the meaning of this section.

Full Breakdown

48 of the Maui Traffic Code flatly states that no person shall abandon any vehicle on the public highway, and it defines abandonment for purposes of the section as leaving a vehicle unattended for more than twenty-four hours. Once a vehicle meets that twenty-four-hour threshold, the chief of police is authorized to remove it or have it removed from the highway, and the registered owner becomes liable for the reasonable expenses of that removal. 210, which lets police officers and, in certain circumstances, property owners move a vehicle to the nearest garage or other safe location when it is left unattended on a bridge, causeway or tunnel and obstructs traffic, when it is disabled and the occupants cannot arrange for its custody, or when it is illegally parked and creates a hazard.

Whoever removes the vehicle must try to notify the registered owner in writing of the removal and its reason and, if the owner cannot be identified or the vehicle goes unclaimed for three days, must send a written report to the County treasurer identifying the date, time, place, and reason for removal along with the storage location. 210(D), the registered owner remains liable for all reasonable expenses of both the removal and the subsequent storage of the vehicle.

Violations & Fines

Leaving a vehicle unattended on a public highway for more than twenty-four hours violates Section 10.48.200 and exposes the registered owner to removal and towing at their own expense. The chief of police may tow the vehicle to a garage or other safe location, and the owner remains responsible for all reasonable removal and storage costs under Section 10.48.210 until it is retrieved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can a vehicle sit unattended before it's abandoned in Maui County?
More than twenty-four hours. Section 10.48.200 of the Maui County Code defines leaving a vehicle unattended on a public highway for over twenty-four hours as abandonment, which authorizes the chief of police to remove the vehicle and bill the registered owner for the cost.
Who pays to tow an abandoned vehicle in Maui County?
The registered owner. Section 10.48.200 makes the owner liable for the reasonable expenses of removal once the vehicle is deemed abandoned, and Section 10.48.210(D) extends that liability to storage costs as well, so the bill covers both towing and holding the vehicle until it's claimed.
Does the County try to notify me before towing my vehicle?
Yes, when the owner can be identified. Section 10.48.210(B) requires whoever removes the vehicle to give the registered owner written notice of the removal and the reason for it; if the owner can't be found and the vehicle sits unclaimed for three days, a report goes to the County treasurer instead.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Maui County

All Maui County rules

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