How to get a short-term rental permit in Kihei, HI (2026)
Kihei requires Short-Term Rental Home (STRH) Permit — the fee is $1,916. Here's how to get and keep it.
Permit at a glance
| Permit required | Yes |
|---|---|
| Permit name | Short-Term Rental Home (STRH) Permit |
| Permit fee | $1,916 |
| Renewal | — |
Step by step
- 1
Confirm your property is eligible
Confirm the property's zoning allows short-term rentals. Maui County allows transient vacation rentals (any rental under 180 days) as of right in hotel districts; Kihei condos in apartment districts on the grandfathered Minatoya List may operate until the Bill 9 phase-out deadline of January 1, 2031 for South Maui (January 1, 2029 in West Maui). Bill 88 (passed June 19, 2026) created H-3 and H-4 hotel district classifications allowing Minatoya properties to seek individual rezoning to keep operating. Homes in residential, rural, and agricultural districts need an STRH permit, capped at 100 for the Kihei-Makena community plan area with no more than 5 in the Maui Meadows subdivision; the county's MAPPS application portal also cites Ordinance 5316's moratorium on new transient accommodations. Owner-occupied B&B permits and conditional permits are alternate paths.
- 2
Apply for the Short-Term Rental Home (STRH) Permit
Submit the Short-Term Rental Home (STRH) Permit application to Kihei and pay the $1,916 fee. FY 2027 budget Appendix B (fiscal year July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) sets the new STRH permit application fee at $1,916 (up from $1,676 in FY 2026), plus an additional $2,290 if a public hearing is required; renewal application fee is $1,566. Fees are set annually in the County budget ordinance. Note: units lawfully operating as transient vacation rentals in hotel districts or as grandfathered Minatoya List apartment-district condos do not need an STRH permit (the STRH permit applies to homes in residential/rural/agricultural areas); Bed & Breakfast permits (owner-occupied) are a separate permit type with similar fees.
- 3
Register for occupancy taxes
Register to collect and remit the applicable lodging/occupancy taxes for Kihei. Some are collected automatically by the booking platform and some you may need to remit yourself.
STR rules change without warning.
Get an email the moment Kihei changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.
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Verified July 21, 2026. Informational only — not legal, tax, or financial advice. Permit requirements and fees change; confirm current requirements with Kihei before applying.