Can I Legally Rent My Maui Property as a Short-Term Vacation Rental?

The Regulatory Reality

Maui County has significantly restricted short-term vacation rentals — defined as rentals of fewer than 180 consecutive days — in response to the island's housing needs. The Short-Term Rental Home (STRH) permit program is effectively closed to new applications in most zones. Transient Vacation Rental (TVR) permits remain valid where they are attached to specific hotel or resort-zoned properties and are transferable with the sale.

Where Legal STR Zoning Exists

Legal short-term rental operation on Maui is concentrated in specific resort communities that carry hotel or resort zoning — including select buildings at Wailea Beach Villas, the Andaz Residences, Honua Kai, certain Ka'anapali beachfront properties, and Kapalua Resort condominiums. These are not the only options, but they represent the communities where the zoning framework generally supports it. Every property is different and must be verified individually.

Compliance Is Non-Negotiable

Maui County actively enforces STR regulations. Fines for unpermitted operation begin at $1,000 per day. The county uses digital monitoring to identify listings on Airbnb, VRBO, and similar platforms. A verbal assurance from a seller or a positive listing description is not a substitute for verified permit status. If you are considering a property where STR is legally permitted, confirm it in writing — zoning verification, active permit documentation, HOA rules, and GET and TAT compliance history.

→ Maui County STR Information

Jolanta's Feedback

My strong preference is that buyers fall in love with a property first — the location, the view, the community, the way it fits their life. Short-term rental potential, where it exists, should be a secondary consideration that may add flexibility — not the reason for the purchase.

That said, I know this market well. I am familiar with the communities and specific buildings where legal STR zoning exists, and I can share that knowledge with buyers who ask. If a property you are considering has STR potential and that matters to you, I will make sure you have accurate, verified information — so you can make a fully informed decision, not one based on assumptions or marketing language.

The right property is the one that works for your life. Everything else is secondary.