Updated October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm any specific property with the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) or a Hawaii real estate attorney.
The short answer: on Oahu, rentals of less than 90 consecutive days are legal only in a few places. Those are resort-zoned areas (Waikiki, Ko Olina, Makaha, Hoakalei and Turtle Bay), certain mapped apartment lots next to them, and units with a grandfathered Nonconforming Use Certificate (NUC). Everywhere else, the minimum rental period is 90 days, and every legal short-term rental must be registered with the city and renewed each year.
Where are short-term rentals allowed on Oahu?
Honolulu allows bed and breakfast homes and transient vacation units only in resort-zoned areas and in specific apartment areas shown on the city's maps. Civil Beat lists the five resort areas as Waikiki, Ko Olina, Makaha, Hoakalei and Turtle Bay.
Ordinance 25-52 (Bill 62, approved November 18, 2025) adds maps for the apartment areas where they are also allowed:
- Waikiki mauka of Kuhio Avenue
- Areas near Ko Olina Resort
- Areas near Turtle Bay Resort
- Lots next to Hoakalei Resort and Lagoon
If the ordinance text and its maps disagree, the maps control. Before you buy, check the property's tax map key (TMK) against those maps.
What is the minimum rental period outside those areas?
Outside the permitted areas, the minimum is 90 consecutive days. Ordinance 22-7 (Bill 41) raised it from 30 days in 2022.
There is one exception. On December 21, 2023, U.S. District Judge Derrick K. Watson issued a permanent injunction, still in effect, exempting rentals of 30 to 89 days that were already operating before the 90-day rule took effect (Courthouse News, via VRMA). New rentals started after that date do not get the exemption.
What is a Nonconforming Use Certificate (NUC)?
A NUC is a grandfathered permit for a vacation rental that was operating before October 22, 1986. The city stopped issuing new NUCs in 1989, so no new ones are available.
An existing NUC must be renewed every year between September 1 and October 15. A new owner can keep it only by renewing it before it expires. Once a NUC lapses, it is gone (DPP FAQ).
What does registration require?
Under Ordinance 25-2, as amended by Ordinance 25-52, each short-term rental unit needs its own registration. Registration lasts one year and is renewed annually, between three months and one month before it expires. The main requirements are:
- Not transferable. Registration does not pass to a buyer. A new owner or operator must register again.
- Proof and attestations. Proof of ownership, tax licenses, and a letter from the association dated within the past year. The owner also attests that the unit is not income-restricted, received no housing subsidy, and had no eviction in the past 12 months.
- Insurance. At least $1,000,000 per occurrence in liability coverage.
- House rules. Quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., no more than two adult guests per bedroom, no gatherings of 10 or more non-guests, and a guest registry kept for two years.
- Renewal can be denied. The director may refuse renewal after a violation notice within a year or for significant negative community impacts.
What must short-term rental ads include?
Ads for rentals under 30 days must show the registration or NUC number and the TMK (DPP FAQ). An unregistered unit cannot advertise daily rates or stays under three months. Its ad must say: "This property may not be rented for less than 90 consecutive days."
If an illegal ad isn't removed within seven days of a violation notice, the fine is up to $5,000, then up to $10,000 per day (Ordinance 25-52).
Can Honolulu phase out existing short-term rentals?
The state now allows it. Act 17 (SB 2919), signed May 3, 2024, lets counties phase out transient vacation rentals in any zoning district. As of this update, we have not found a Honolulu ordinance that sets a phase-out schedule.
That could change. Anyone buying a short-term rental should treat today's rules as subject to change and build that risk into the price.
What taxes apply?
Short-term rental income on Oahu carries three taxes. Confirm current rates with the Hawaii Department of Taxation before you budget.
| Tax | Rate |
|---|---|
| State Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) | 11% (raised from 10.25% on January 1, 2026, by Act 96; Hawaii Tribune-Herald) |
| Oahu county TAT | 3% |
| General Excise Tax (GET), Oahu | 4.5% |
Together that is 18.5% of gross rental income (11% + 3% + 4.5%). Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo generally collect state GET and TAT. Owners remain responsible for the county TAT and their own filings.
Property tax is higher, too. For July 2026 to June 2027, Honolulu taxes the Transient Vacation class at $9.00 per $1,000 on the first $800,000 of value and $11.50 above that. A standard Residential home pays $3.50 (City and County of Honolulu).
What should I check before buying a short-term rental?
- Zoning and maps. Confirm the TMK is in a resort district, a mapped apartment area, or holds a valid NUC.
- Registration status. Ask whether the unit is registered today. Remember that the buyer must register again.
- Building rules. Many associations restrict or ban short-term rentals in their own documents, even where zoning allows them. Read the bylaws and house rules, and get the association letter.
- The seller's short-term rental disclosure. Honolulu requires sellers to state whether the property can legally be used as a short-term rental (Honolulu Board of REALTORS).
- Financing. Condo-hotel buildings often don't qualify for standard loans. Talk to a lender early.
- Tenure. Check whether the unit is fee simple or leasehold, and when a lease ends.
- The numbers. Budget for 18.5% in rental taxes, the higher property tax class, insurance and management.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent my house in Mililani or Kailua on Airbnb?
Generally no, not for stays under 90 days, unless it holds a NUC or falls within the city's permitted areas.
Does a short-term rental registration transfer when I buy?
No. Registration is not transferable, and the new owner must apply again.
Are 30-day rentals legal again?
Only for rentals covered by the 2023 court injunction, meaning those operating before the 90-day rule. For everyone else outside the permitted areas, the minimum is 90 days.
Where can I see legal short-term rental condos for sale?
Start with our short-term rental condos for sale and fee simple STR condos.
Talk with us
If you're weighing a short-term rental purchase, we'll help you check zoning, building rules and registration before you write an offer. Call The Salazar Group | Premier Island Homes Hawaii, Coldwell Banker Island Properties, at (808) 204-4663.
Sources: City and County of Honolulu Ordinance 25-52 and DPP FAQ; Hawaii State Legislature, SB 2919 (Act 17, 2024); City and County of Honolulu FY2027 tax rates; Honolulu Civil Beat; Hawaii Tribune-Herald; Courthouse News; Honolulu Board of REALTORS. Links appear in the text above.