Hawaii County, HI Parking Rules: Street Parking Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Baseline rule
- No parking on paved travelway except designated spots
- Always-prohibited spots
- Sidewalk, intersection, crosswalk, bridge, tunnel
- Towing authority
- Officer may move or tow at owner's expense, § 24-188
- Driveway/alley rule
- Can't block abutting driveway in alley, § 24-193
- Default penalty
- Up to $100 fine or 90 days jail (§ 1-10)
- Enforcement evidence
- Plate number is prima facie proof, § 24-200
Summary
Hawaii County bans parking anywhere on a paved highway except in areas lawfully designated for parking, and section 24-189 lists exact places that are always off-limits: sidewalks, intersections, crosswalks, and any spot alongside an obstruction where a parked car would block traffic. Police can move or tow a car that breaks these rules without a separate hearing first.
Section 24-187, Parking restricted: No person shall stop, park, or leave standing any motor vehicle, whether attended or unattended, upon the paved or main traveled part of the highway in the County except in those areas lawfully designated for parking. Section 24-189(a): Except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic, or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or a special traffic-control device, no person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle: (1) On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street; (2) On the sidewalk; (3) Within an intersection except where designated by parking stalls; (4) On a crosswalk; (6) Alongside or opposite any street, excavation, or obstruction when stopping, standing, or parking would obstruct traffic. Section 24-188(a): Whenever any police officer finds a motor vehicle in violation of section 24-187, the officer is authorized to move the vehicle or require the driver or other person in charge of the vehicle to move the vehicle to a position where the vehicle will not obstruct traffic or off the primary lanes of vehicular travel.
Full Breakdown
Section 24-187 sets the baseline rule for every Hawaii County road: no person may stop, park, or leave standing a motor vehicle, attended or unattended, on the paved or main traveled part of the highway except in an area lawfully designated for parking. Section 24-189(a) then lists nine specific situations that are always prohibited even without posted signs, including parking on the roadway side of a car already at the curb, on a sidewalk, within an intersection outside a marked stall, on a crosswalk, on a bridge or in a tunnel, and alongside any excavation or obstruction where the parked vehicle would obstruct traffic; item (9) lets the county add further no-stopping zones by schedule 34 (section 24-286) once signs are posted.
Enforcement is immediate rather than complaint-driven: section 24-188 authorizes any police officer who finds a vehicle violating 24-187 to move it themselves or order the driver to move it clear of traffic, and if the officer cannot move it and the driver is unreachable or refuses, the officer may have it towed at the registered owner's expense. A related rule two sections over, section 24-193, separately bans parking in an alley in a way that blocks a driveway entrance to abutting property or leaves less than ten feet of roadway clear.
None of Division 1 (Parking Regulations) writes its own fine, so a violation is punished under the Code's general penalty, section 1-10: a fine of not more than $100 per offense or imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both, and the court may add attorneys' fees for the County under 1-10(b). Registration-plate evidence rules elsewhere in Article 8 (section 24-200) let the plate on file stand as prima facie proof of who parked the car for enforcement purposes.
Violations & Fines
Stopping, standing, or parking on the paved travelway outside a designated space (§ 24-187), or in one of the specific prohibited spots listed in § 24-189(a) such as a sidewalk, crosswalk, or intersection, exposes the vehicle to immediate relocation or towing under § 24-188 at the owner's expense, on top of a citation. Since Division 1 sets no dedicated fine, the general penalty of section 1-10 applies: up to $100 per offense or up to 90 days in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I park anywhere on a Hawaii County street if there's no sign?
Can police tow my car without a hearing if it's illegally parked?
Is it illegal to park in front of someone else's driveway on the Big Island?
What's the fine for illegal on-street parking in Hawaii County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawaii County
Compare Hawaii County to another location·View the Hawaii parking rules overview
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