CITY RULES · HONOLULU, HI

Short-term rental rules in Honolulu, HI.

Regulator: Dept. of Planning & Permitting (DPP). Last checked: Oct 15, 2026. Checked against: review status and sources shown for each claim.

Informational guide, not legal advice. Review dates and sources appear beside individual claims. Unconfirmed research is separated below. Rules and property eligibility can change; confirm requirements with the city before acting.

How we review these rules

Checked against official source The linked official material supports this particular summary as of its review date.
City confirmation needed Official wording conflicts or leaves a property-specific question. Ask the city before relying on it.
Review pending Unconfirmed draft research, separated from the checked summaries and compliance checklist.

Guests: Good to know when booking or staying

These are host rules from the official sources that may show up in a listing or affect your stay.

Definition: DPP's current page describes STRs as stays shorter than 30 consecutive days and says it continues enforcing that threshold. Do not infer the legality of a particular 30–89-day rental from this summary. Checked against official source
Sources: Official source ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15
Where allowed: DPP limits STRs to resort districts and specified apartment areas, with registration required. Use its property-eligibility and compliance maps; older nonconforming use certificates have separate rules. Checked against official source
Sources: Official source ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15

Homeowners: Permits, taxes, caps and pending changes

What the official sources say a host or owner needs in Honolulu, HI.

Definition: DPP's current page describes STRs as stays shorter than 30 consecutive days and says it continues enforcing that threshold. Do not infer the legality of a particular 30–89-day rental from this summary. Checked against official source
Sources: Official source ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15
Where allowed: DPP limits STRs to resort districts and specified apartment areas, with registration required. Use its property-eligibility and compliance maps; older nonconforming use certificates have separate rules. Checked against official source
Sources: Official source ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15
Registration and NUC renewal: New STR registrations last one year, with renewal applications submitted between three months and one month before expiry. Grandfathered NUC renewals run September 1–October 15 annually. DPP's 2026 notice says NUC renewals not approved by October 15, 2026 expire automatically. Checked against official source
Sources: DPP STR FAQ — registration and NUC renewal ↗ · DPP 2026 NUC notice ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15
Historical 90-day-rule context: In its January 16, 2025 briefing, DPP described prospective enforcement and protection of pre-ordinance rental operations under the court ruling. That briefing does not establish a particular property's rights. Consult current DPP guidance for the under-30-day enforcement threshold. Checked against official source
Sources: DPP briefing, January 16, 2025, slide 14 ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15

Management clients: Compliance checklist

Items from the rules listed that need ongoing attention. We discuss applicable local rules with each owner before an arrangement begins, and the agreement sets out who is responsible for what.

Where allowed: DPP limits STRs to resort districts and specified apartment areas, with registration required. Use its property-eligibility and compliance maps; older nonconforming use certificates have separate rules. Checked against official source
Sources: Official source ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15
Registration and NUC renewal: New STR registrations last one year, with renewal applications submitted between three months and one month before expiry. Grandfathered NUC renewals run September 1–October 15 annually. DPP's 2026 notice says NUC renewals not approved by October 15, 2026 expire automatically. Checked against official source
Sources: DPP STR FAQ — registration and NUC renewal ↗ · DPP 2026 NUC notice ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15
Historical 90-day-rule context: In its January 16, 2025 briefing, DPP described prospective enforcement and protection of pre-ordinance rental operations under the court ruling. That briefing does not establish a particular property's rights. Consult current DPP guidance for the under-30-day enforcement threshold. Checked against official source
Sources: DPP briefing, January 16, 2025, slide 14 ↗ · Reviewed 2026-10-15

NOT YET VERIFIED

What we have not confirmed for Honolulu, HI.

Whether the 90-day rule could be enforced in future (DPP currently enforces the under-30-day rule across the board) Not yet verified
Tax rates (TAT/GET) Not yet verified
Pending bills Not yet verified

Do not rely on anything in this list until it is confirmed on the official city page.

OFFICIAL SOURCES

Read it from the city.

TOOL FOR HOSTS

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Property management software for short-term rental hosts.

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