Honolulu (Oahu) short-term rental laws (2026)
The City and County of Honolulu sets the rules for all of Oahu. Short-term rentals are legal only in resort-zoned areas and a couple of apartment-zoned areas. Elsewhere, only a rental holding an old nonconforming use certificate may operate, and the city issues no new ones.[1]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.
Is Airbnb legal in Honolulu (Oahu)?
Legal in resort zones only
Outside resort zones and the mapped apartment areas, only a rental with an old nonconforming use certificate may operate.
14 official sources · verified October 1, 2026
Photo: Spenser Sembrat on Unsplash
- PermitRequired · $1,000 to register, $500 a year
- Primary residenceVaries
- Number on listingRequired
- Night capNone published
Honolulu short-term rental rules
Honolulu allows short-term rentals only in resort zones and a few mapped apartment areas. One is in Waikiki. The others adjoin the Ko Olina, Turtle Bay and Hoakalei resorts. Each unit needs its own registration certificate from the Department of Planning and Permitting. Registration costs $1,000, and each yearly renewal costs $500. You carry at least $1,000,000 of liability insurance per occurrence. Every ad carries that registration number, plus the tax map key of the property. The department's page says it enforces the rules on stays under 30 consecutive days, while the ordinances say 90. The fine for an unpermitted rental can reach $10,000, with $10,000 more for each day it continues.[1]
Every Honolulu (Oahu) rule, sorted by what it asks
Filter by topic. Each line carries the number of its official source, listed at the bottom of the page.
You must
- Register each unit separately[2]
- Renew every year, one to three months before expiration[7]
- Register again after any change of owner or operator[7]
- Show the registration or NUC number and the tax map key in every ad[7][2]
- Get a letter from the owners association confirming the rental is permitted[3]
- Bed and breakfast home: hold the home exemption and at least 50% ownership[3]
- Bed and breakfast home: have the homeowner or a permanent resident present[1]
- Keep a two-year registry of guest names, phone numbers and dates[7]
- Keep the information binder in a conspicuous place in the unit[7]
- Post a 24-hour phone number for the owner or operator[7]
- Impose quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.[7]
- Install smoke detectors in sleeping rooms and connected hallways[7]
- Make the unit available for inspection on reasonable notice[7]
- Carry $1,000,000 of liability insurance per occurrence[3]
- Pay the 3% Oahu TAT to the City, separately from the state[11]
You must not
- Operate outside resort zones and mapped apartment areas without an NUC[1]
- Sleep more than two adults per bedroom[7]
- Host gatherings of 10 or more people who are not overnight guests[7]
- Put up exterior signage showing the unit is a rental[7]
- Transfer the registration to a new owner[7]
- NUC rental in a residential or apartment district: let guests park on nearby public streets[7]
What a new permit costs
City registration fees, per unit
$1,000first registration
- Initial registration$1,000
What other cases cost
- Annual renewal$500
- Nonconforming use certificate renewal$500
- Written zoning verification$300
How to apply in Honolulu (Oahu)
Official name: Short-term rental registration certificate
- 1
Check the address on the city's eligibility map, or order a written zoning verification.[1]
- 2
Gather the statement of compliance, proof of ownership, tax licenses, association letter and insurance.[3]
- 3
Apply online through HNL Build, the city's permitting portal, and pay the $1,000 fee.[1]
- 4
Place the information binder in the unit, with the floor plan, parking plan, house rules and registration certificate.[7]
- 5
Add the registration number and tax map key to every ad.[2]
Five jurisdictions, same questions
The Honolulu (Oahu) column comes from the official sources on this page. The other columns show the headline rule from each WonderGuest page. Open a page for the full detail.
| Question | Honolulu (Oahu) | Maui County | Kauai County | Hawaii County (Big Island) | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit | Required$1,000 to register, $500 a year | RequiredCapped by area, fee not published | RequiredOutside the VDA: closed, $750 renewal | Required$500 unhosted, $250 hosted | Required$300 or $450, every 3 years |
| Primary residence | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Night cap | None published | None in the county code | None published | None published | None published |
| Number on listing | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| Where allowed | Resort zones and mapped apartment areas | Hotel districts, or with a county permit | Visitor Destination Areas only | Unhosted: resort and commercial districts | Not in C-3, L, I-1 or I-2 districts |
| Occupancy tax | 3% Oahu TAT, on top of the state's | 3% county TAT, on top of the state's | 3% county TAT, on top of the state's | 3% county TAT plus 11% state TAT | 6% state hotel tax |
| Fine without permit | Up to $10,000, then $10,000 a day | Up to $20,000, then $10,000 a day | Up to $10,000 per day | $1,000 to $10,000, plus a daily fine | $100 to $500 per violation per day |
| Maui County short-term rental rules | Kauai County short-term rental rules | Hawaii County (Big Island) short-term rental rules | San Antonio short-term rental rules |
Coming up
What's changing
Effective October 15, 2026
A nonconforming use certificate whose renewal is not approved by October 15, 2026 expires automatically. Renewals moved to the HNL Build portal on August 1, 2026.[1]
FAQ
Honolulu (Oahu) short-term rental questions
Can I Airbnb my house on Oahu?
Is the minimum stay on Oahu 30 days or 90 days?
How much does it cost to register a short-term rental in Honolulu?
What does a Honolulu vacation rental ad have to show?
What tax does Oahu add to a short-term rental?
Sources
- Short-term rentals, City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, read on October 1, 2026
- Short-term rental FAQ, City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, read on October 1, 2026
- Informational guide for STR registration (August 2025), City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, read on October 1, 2026
- Informational guide for STR renewal (August 2025), City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, read on October 1, 2026
- Informational guide for NUC renewals (January 2026), City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, read on October 1, 2026
- Statement of compliance (revised August 2026), City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, read on October 1, 2026
- Ordinance 25-52 (approved November 17, 2025), City and County of Honolulu, read on October 1, 2026
- Ordinance 24-14 (approved June 25, 2024), City and County of Honolulu, read on October 1, 2026
- Ordinance 22-7 (approved April 26, 2022), City and County of Honolulu, read on October 1, 2026
- STR update to the Council Zoning Committee (January 16, 2025), City and County of Honolulu, Department of Planning and Permitting, read on October 1, 2026
- Oahu Transient Accommodations Tax FAQs (January 2026), City and County of Honolulu, Department of Budget and Fiscal Services, read on October 1, 2026
- Real property tax rates, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, City and County of Honolulu, Real Property Assessment Division, read on October 1, 2026
- Act 17, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024 (SB 2919 CD1), Hawaii State Legislature, read on October 1, 2026
- Tax Announcement 2025-03, TAT law changes from the 2025 session, Hawaii Department of Taxation, read on October 1, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 1, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
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Nightly rate, occupancy, Airbnb fee, management, mortgage, taxes and depreciation. You get cash flow, cash-on-cash return and what is left after the IRS.
Airbnb cleaning checklist generator
Build a printable turnover checklist by room, with restock, photos to take and a place for the cleaner to sign. Free PDF, no sign-up.