Maui County short-term rental laws (2026)
Maui County prohibits transient vacation rentals in every zoning district, then carves out exceptions. Hotels are one. A house qualifies only with one of the county's two home permits. The same code governs Maui, Molokai and Lanai.[1]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 1, 2026.
Is Airbnb legal in Maui County?
Banned outside hotel zones
A house needs a capped county permit. Apartment-district rentals end in 2029 in West Maui and in 2031 elsewhere.
14 official sources · verified October 1, 2026
Photo: Luke Scarpino on Unsplash
- PermitRequired · Capped by area, fee not published
- Primary residenceVaries
- Number on listingRequired
- Night capNone in the county code
Maui short-term rental rules
Maui County bans rentals of less than 180 days by default. The exceptions are hotel districts and homes holding a county permit. In a house, you need a short-term rental home permit, and each community plan area has a cap. West Maui allows 50 permits, Kihei-Makena 46 and Molokai none. You must have owned the home for at least fifteen years, and you may hold only one permit. Apartment-district vacation rentals are being phased out. They must stop on January 1, 2029 in West Maui and on January 1, 2031 elsewhere. Operating without a required permit can cost $20,000 at most for the first fine, with a daily fine capped at $10,000.[2]
Every Maui County 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
- Hold a short-term rental home permit to rent a house under 180 days[2]
- Have owned the house for at least fifteen years before applying[2]
- Apply to renew at least sixty days before the permit expires[2]
- Show the permit number and tax map key in all advertising[2]
- Notify neighbors within 500 feet by certified mail when you apply[2]
- Apartment districts: stop by January 1, 2029 in West Maui, 2031 elsewhere[9]
- Rent to one group under a single rental agreement[2]
- Keep a manager who can reach the home within one hour[2]
- Post a two-square-foot sign with the permit and a 24-hour number[2]
- Display the house policies and have each adult guest sign them[2]
- Keep quiet hours from 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.[2]
- Install smoke detectors in all guest bedrooms[2]
- Allow a compliance inspection within one hour of notice[2]
- Hold state TAT and GET licenses for the home[2]
- Pay the 3% county TAT to Maui County[7][13]
You must not
- Rent for under 180 days outside a hotel district without a county permit[1]
- Rent an accessory dwelling as a short-term rental home[2]
- Hold more than one short-term rental home permit[2]
- Offer more than six bedrooms on Maui, or three on Lanai and Molokai[2]
- Host more guests than twice the approved bedrooms[2]
- Allow parties, group gatherings or street parking[2]
- Use amplified sound audible beyond the property line[2]
- Advertise before the permit is approved[2]
- Apply for a short-term rental home permit on Molokai, where the cap is zero[2]
How to apply in Maui County
Official name: Short-term rental home permit
- 1
Get a Land Use Designation Form processed for the property. It must be attached to the application.[11]
- 2
Have the house inspected by a home inspector certified by the American Society of Home Inspectors.[2]
- 3
Submit the application online through MAPPS, the county's permitting system.[11]
- 4
Notify owners and lessees within 500 feet by certified mail. Post a four-square-foot notice sign at the front of the property.[2]
- 5
Wait for the decision. The county says processing may take several months, and neighbor protests can send the application to the planning commission.[11]
Five jurisdictions, same questions
The Maui County 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 | Maui County | Honolulu (Oahu) | Kauai County | Hawaii County (Big Island) | Riverside County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit | RequiredCapped by area, fee not published | Required$1,000 to register, $500 a year | RequiredOutside the VDA: closed, $750 renewal | Required$500 unhosted, $250 hosted | Required$740 new, 1 year |
| Primary residence | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Not required |
| Night cap | None in the county code | None published | None published | None published | None in the ordinance |
| Number on listing | Required | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| Where allowed | Hotel districts, or with a county permit | Resort zones and mapped apartment areas | Visitor Destination Areas only | Unhosted: resort and commercial districts | Unincorporated areas, with local caps |
| Occupancy tax | 3% county TAT, on top of the state's | 3% Oahu TAT, on top of the state's | 3% county TAT, on top of the state's | 3% county TAT plus 11% state TAT | 10% county TOT, Airbnb collects |
| Fine without permit | Up to $20,000, then $10,000 a day | Up to $10,000, then $10,000 a day | Up to $10,000 per day | $1,000 to $10,000, plus a daily fine | $1,500, then $3,000 and $5,000 |
| Honolulu (Oahu) short-term rental rules | Kauai County short-term rental rules | Hawaii County (Big Island) short-term rental rules | Riverside County short-term rental rules |
Coming up
What's changing
Effective January 1, 2029
Transient vacation rentals in apartment districts of the West Maui community plan area, which includes Lahaina, must cease under Ordinance 5909.[9]
Effective January 1, 2031
Transient vacation rentals in apartment districts in the rest of Maui County, including Kihei and Wailea, must cease under Ordinance 5909.[9]
FAQ
Maui County short-term rental questions
Can I do Airbnb in Maui?
Is Maui banning short-term rentals?
How many short-term rental home permits does Maui allow?
Are short-term rentals allowed on Molokai and Lanai?
How much does a Maui short-term rental home permit cost?
Sources
- Maui County Code, chapter 19.37, transient vacation rentals, County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Maui County Code, chapter 19.65, short-term rental homes, County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Maui County Code, section 19.04.040, definitions, County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Maui County Code, chapter 19.12, apartment districts, County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Maui County Code, chapter 19.14, hotel districts, County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Maui County Code, chapter 19.530, enforcement, County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Maui County Code, chapter 3.47, transient accommodations tax, County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Maui County Code, chapter 3.48, real property tax, County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Ordinance No. 5909 (effective December 15, 2025), County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Ordinance No. 6014 (effective July 8, 2026), County of Maui, read on October 1, 2026
- Short-term rental home permit application, County of Maui, Department of Planning, read on October 1, 2026
- Bill 88 (2026), H-3 and H-4 hotel districts, Maui County Council, read on October 1, 2026
- Department of Finance letter on the county TAT (August 11, 2026), County of Maui, Department of Finance, 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.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb profit calculator
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.