Is My Maui Short-Term Rental Affected by Bill 9? Timeline, Zoning and Property Checklist

Maui Bill 9 is now law, but it does not prohibit every short-term rental in Maui County. The answer for a particular property depends on its parcel, unit, community plan area, current zoning and the legal authority under which it operates.

Last verified: August 10, 2026

Quick answer: Maui County enacted Bill 9 as Ordinance 5909 on December 15, 2025. The ordinance phases out certain transient vacation rental uses in Apartment Districts after December 31, 2028, in the West Maui Community Plan area and after December 31, 2030, elsewhere in Maui County. A property may follow a different path if it is a valid timeshare, operates under a variance, is otherwise permitted by law, or later receives an applicable hotel or H-3/H-4 zoning approval. A Minatoya-list match, tax classification or Airbnb listing alone is not enough to determine the result.

Editorial note: This article provides general information based on Maui County public records. It is not legal advice or a County determination that a particular property may or may not operate as a transient vacation rental. Property records, approvals and private restrictions must be checked separately.

Bill 9 Is No Longer a Proposal

Many articles and social posts still describe Bill 9 as a proposal that would end some West Maui vacation rentals in July 2025 and others in January 2026. Those dates came from the original 2024 proposal and are no longer the operative schedule.

Maui County Council approved the amended bill on final reading, and Mayor Richard Bissen signed it on December 15, 2025. It became Ordinance 5909, amending the County zoning code for transient vacation rental uses in Apartment Districts. The County's Bill 9 announcement also makes an important point that is often lost in headlines: Bill 9 does not eliminate every short-term rental in Maui County.

The difference between the original proposal and the enacted law is one reason this topic needs a visible Last verified date. A page that repeats the 2024 dates may look current while giving an owner, buyer or lender the wrong planning horizon.

The Current Bill 9 Timeline

The enacted ordinance establishes two amortization periods for covered transient vacation rental uses.

These dates answer only one part of the question. They apply when the property has a transient vacation rental use covered by Ordinance 5909 and has not established another legal basis to continue.

The ordinance expressly excludes validly existing timeshare units, uses permitted and operating within the terms of a variance, and uses otherwise permitted by law. Those phrases require property-specific evidence; they should not be converted into a general exemption for an entire building or neighborhood.

Ordinance 5909 also directed the Finance Director, with assistance from the Planning Director, to notify affected owners by March 1, 2026, using the real property tax address of record. An owner should preserve any notice received. But the absence of a letter is not, by itself, proof that a property is outside the ordinance. A mailing address may be stale, records may conflict, or a unit may require further review.

Does Bill 9 Affect Every Maui Airbnb or Vacation Rental?

No. The enacted measure focuses on a specific land-use history: transient vacation rental uses in Apartment Districts that had been permitted under older ordinances and code provisions.

Maui County reported that 6,208 Minatoya-listed units were actively operating as short-term rentals as of May 29, 2024. At the same time, the County said that approximately 6,500 other TVR parcels, thousands of hotel units, and more than 2,400 timeshare and bed-and-breakfast operations would remain part of Maui's visitor-accommodation inventory.

Those numbers require careful reading:

• A parcel is not necessarily one rental unit. A condominium project may involve a master parcel, CPR units and multiple addresses.
• “Not handled by the same phase-out” does not mean “automatically legal.” A property still needs the authority required by its zoning, permit type and other applicable rules.
• A County statistic is not a parcel determination. It cannot answer whether one address may continue operating.

The better question is not “Did Maui ban Airbnbs?” It is:

Under what land-use authority is this specific property operating today, and does Ordinance 5909 remove that authority on a future date?

A Hypothetical Property Shows Why the Answer Is Not Obvious

Suppose an owner has a condominium in Kihei that has been marketed for short stays for years. The listing appears on a dated County short-term-occupancy list. The unit has paid transient-accommodations taxes, and the association permits vacation rentals.

None of those facts, standing alone, completes the analysis.

The owner still needs to determine:

1. the correct Tax Map Key, including the specific condominium unit;
2. the County zoning that applies to the property now;
3. the applicable community plan area;
4. the legal basis that originally allowed transient vacation rental use;
5. whether Ordinance 5909 phases out that basis;
6. whether the property has a valid variance, timeshare status or another authorization; and
7. whether any subsequent hotel, H-3 or H-4 land-use change has actually been approved for the property.

Tax payments can show that revenue was reported. Association rules can show what the private governing documents allow. Neither fact substitutes for County land-use authorization.

Use a Two-Stage Property Test

A reliable Bill 9 screen separates two different questions.

Stage 1: Is the property within Ordinance 5909's phase-out scope?

Collect and compare:

• street address, building name and unit number;
• Tax Map Key, or TMK;
• condominium property regime or CPR unit, when applicable;
• Community Plan area;
• current County zoning;
• any match on the County's Short-Term Occupancy List;
• the code provision, approval or nonconforming-use history that allowed the rental; and
• any notice issued under Ordinance 5909.

If the property is an Apartment District transient vacation rental operating under the older authority removed by Ordinance 5909, it may be in the phase-out group. The applicable deadline then depends on whether the property is in West Maui or elsewhere in the County.

Stage 2: Does the property have another current legal basis to continue?

Then check for:

• existing hotel zoning;
• valid timeshare status;
• a variance and compliance with its conditions;
• another permit or land-use authority;
• an approved change to H-3 or H-4 Hotel District zoning; or
• another property-specific zoning or community-plan action.

This second stage matters because a historical Minatoya-list path and a later hotel-zoning path are not the same legal theory. The tool or reviewer should identify the evidence supporting the current path rather than simply returning “found on list.”

H-3 and H-4 Are a Pathway, Not an Automatic Exemption

The H-3/H-4 discussion is the most likely source of new confusion.

Maui County's adopted-legislation page shows that legislation establishing the H-3 and H-4 Hotel Districts was adopted on June 22, 2026. That development created new zoning categories intended to support possible transitions for some properties affected by Bill 9.

But three different events must not be collapsed into one:

1. A Temporary Investigative Group recommended a pathway. The TIG identified approximately 4,519 units for possible transition.
2. The County established the H-3 and H-4 zoning districts. This created the legal categories and development standards.
3. A specific property receives the required land-use approvals. This is the property-level step that determines whether the new zoning actually applies.

The Planning Department's H-3/H-4 staff report explains that an affected A-1 or A-2 property could continue transient vacation rental use if subsequent land-use changes to H-3 or H-4 are approved. Being recommended, eligible to apply, or located in a project discussed by the TIG is not the same as receiving final approval.

For an owner or buyer, the decisive evidence is therefore not a news story about 4,519 units. It is the property-specific ordinance, zoning action, community-plan amendment or other approval—and its effective status.

How to Check a Maui Property, Step by Step

1. Resolve the exact property and TMK

Begin with the street address, unit number and condominium or project name. Find the Tax Map Key used by Maui County to identify the property. For condominiums, confirm that the record corresponds to the specific unit rather than only the master parcel.

Do not assume two units in the same project have identical records. Unit-level ownership, approvals or CPR identifiers can affect the evidence trail.

2. Determine the Community Plan area

This controls which Bill 9 deadline could apply. A property inside the West Maui Community Plan area follows the 2028/2029 schedule; a covered property elsewhere in Maui County follows the 2030/2031 schedule.

Save the source used to make this determination. “West side of the island” is not a substitute for the official Community Plan boundary.

3. Check current County zoning

Identify the County zoning designation and the date of the source. This is especially important during a transition involving new H-3/H-4 districts and property-specific land-use actions.

Maui County's digital zoning resources are helpful starting points, but a map snapshot may not reflect a later zoning change. The County's Digital Zoning Map Update Project explains the source dates and limitations of the digital map. If the answer affects a purchase, sale, financing decision or continued operation, seek current confirmation rather than relying on a screenshot alone.

4. Check the Short-Term Occupancy List—but read its warning

The Planning Department publishes an Apartment District Properties Allowed to Be Used for Short-Term Occupancy list dated June 27, 2024.

That list is evidence, not a final entitlement. The document itself warns that it may contain errors and does not grant an entitlement unavailable under zoning or other County Code provisions. It directs users to obtain confirmation from the Planning Department.

Record:

• the project name and address shown;
• master TMK and unit information;
• zoning and Community Plan fields;
• the stated reason short-term occupancy was allowed; and
• the list's publication date.

A useful compliance report should display the date next to the list match instead of presenting it as a live database result.

5. Search MAPPS for property-specific records

Maui County MAPPS contains searchable public information about permits, plans, inspections, code cases and business licenses. County instructions say public records can be searched without an account using an address, TMK, case number or other search term. MAPPS search instructions

Search by both address and TMK. Look for:

• zoning and community-plan change applications;
• approved plans and effective ordinances;
• conditional permits or variances;
• short-term rental home records, if relevant;
• code-enforcement cases;
• withdrawn, denied or incomplete applications; and
• records tied to the master parcel or project name.

An application marked “submitted” or “in review” is not the same as an approved and effective land-use change.

6. Identify the actual operating authority

Ask a simple but demanding question:

Which document permits this unit to accept transient guests today?

Possible answers may include older Apartment District authority, hotel zoning, a variance, timeshare status, a short-term rental home permit or another approval. Preserve the exact document and its conditions.

If the answer is merely “the unit has always been rented,” “the platform accepted the listing,” or “the tax office has it in a vacation-rental class,” the legal basis remains unresolved.

7. Verify any claimed H-3/H-4 approval

If a broker, manager or seller says the property is “on the H-3/H-4 list,” ask for:

• the Council or MAPPS action number;
• the affected TMKs and units;
• the final approving ordinance or decision;
• the effective date;
• any conditions; and
• confirmation that the action is final rather than recommended or pending.

This request turns a vague marketing claim into a reviewable record.

8. Check private restrictions separately

County permission does not answer every operating question. Review the declaration, bylaws, house rules, management agreement, lender requirements and insurance policy. A property can clear a County land-use screen and still face private restrictions or inadequate coverage.

Conversely, HOA approval does not create County zoning authority.

9. Record conflicts instead of forcing a yes-or-no answer

Public systems may disagree because they were updated at different times. A 2024 occupancy list, a 2022 map layer and a 2026 zoning action should not be treated as equally current.

When records conflict, a responsible preliminary result is:

Manual confirmation required: public records do not support a reliable automated conclusion.

For a formal County review of zoning, Community Plan and related land-use designations, owners can examine Maui County's ZAED Land Use Designation process and contact the Planning Department about the appropriate confirmation for the property.

Evidence Table for an Address-Level Bill 9 Review

How a Preliminary Address Check Should Report the Result

A public-record screening should avoid a simplistic “legal” or “illegal” badge. Better outcomes are:

Likely within the Ordinance 5909 phase-out

The available records indicate an Apartment District TVR use covered by the ordinance, with no confirmed current exemption or subsequent zoning approval. The report should show the applicable deadline and every supporting source.

Likely outside this specific phase-out

The records indicate that the property does not rely on the Apartment District authority removed by Ordinance 5909. This does not guarantee compliance with every other STR, permit, tax or private requirement.

Possible exemption or zoning pathway—manual confirmation required

The property may be a valid timeshare, operate under a variance, or have an H-3/H-4 or other hotel-zoning path. The available records are not sufficient to confirm final status.

Conflicting or insufficient public records

The address, TMK, zoning, unit or approval records do not align. The user should obtain County confirmation before relying on the result.

Every outcome should include:

• the property facts used;
• source links and source dates;
• the matched deadline, if any;
• unresolved questions;
• confidence level; and
• the date the result was last verified.

What Owners, Buyers and Sellers Should Do Now

If you currently operate a potentially affected rental

• preserve the Ordinance 5909 notice and envelope;
• download current TMK, zoning, permit and association records;
• identify the original legal authority for transient rental use;
• calendar the applicable phase-out date without waiting for a platform reminder;
• verify whether any H-3/H-4 claim is actually approved; and
• obtain professional review before making a major renovation, sale or operating decision.

If you are buying a Maui vacation-rental property

Do not rely on listing language such as “legal vacation rental,” “Minatoya,” “Bill 9 exempt” or “H-4 eligible” without the supporting public records. Make the relevant zoning, approval, association and operating documents part of due diligence.

The economic difference between operation through 2028, through 2030 or indefinitely under another authorization can be material. A projection that assumes uninterrupted short-term-rental income should identify the legal basis for that assumption.

If you are selling

Separate confirmed facts from possible pathways. Provide the current zoning, TMK, relevant notices, permit history and final approval documents. Describe a pending rezoning application as pending, not approved.

Where Pine Fits

Bill 9 is a good example of why address-level compliance work is difficult: the answer may be spread across an ordinance, a dated occupancy list, zoning maps, TMK records, MAPPS plans, notices and private governing documents.

Start a Maui property check in Pine to organize the address, TMK, zoning record, County notice, permit history and unresolved questions in one place. Pine can help create a dated evidence trail and a focused checklist for follow-up; it does not replace a County determination or legal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Maui Bill 9 already law?

Yes. Maui County Council approved Bill 9 and Mayor Richard Bissen signed it on December 15, 2025. It became Ordinance 5909. Articles using the original 2024 proposal dates should not be relied on for the current phase-out schedule.

Does Bill 9 ban every Airbnb on Maui?

No. Ordinance 5909 targets certain transient vacation rental uses in Apartment Districts. Other hotel, timeshare, bed-and-breakfast, permitted short-term-rental and otherwise lawful uses may follow different rules. Each property requires a separate review.

What are the Bill 9 deadlines?

For covered uses in the West Maui Community Plan area, the amortization period ends December 31, 2028, and the use must cease January 1, 2029. For covered uses elsewhere in Maui County, the period ends December 31, 2030, and the use must cease January 1, 2031.

Is every property on the Minatoya list affected?

Do not determine the answer from the nickname or a list match alone. Confirm the property's current zoning, the legal basis shown in County records, the specific unit and whether a later exemption or land-use approval applies.

Does appearing on the County's Short-Term Occupancy List prove my rental is legal?

No. The County's June 27, 2024 list says it does not grant an entitlement unavailable under zoning or other County Code provisions, may contain errors and should be confirmed with the Planning Department.

Are all 4,519 TIG-recommended units now exempt?

No. The 4,519 figure was a recommendation for a possible H-3/H-4 transition. Establishing the H-3/H-4 districts did not, by itself, rezone every recommended property. Look for a final property-specific land-use approval.

What are H-3 and H-4 Hotel Districts?

They are new Maui County hotel zoning categories created in 2026 to provide a possible transition path for certain former A-1 and A-2 Apartment District properties. A property must still receive the applicable subsequent land-use approval before the new zoning governs it.

How do I find my Maui TMK?

Use Maui County real property and mapping resources to identify the Tax Map Key, then confirm the specific condominium or CPR unit. Search MAPPS using both the address and TMK because records may be indexed differently.

Does paying GET, TAT or property taxes prove zoning approval?

No. Tax registration and payment may be required for an operating rental, but they do not substitute for County land-use authorization. Preserve the tax records while separately verifying zoning and permits.

Does an HOA's approval mean the short-term rental is allowed?

No. HOA or condominium documents address private restrictions. County zoning and permits address public land-use authority. A property should satisfy both sets of requirements, along with insurance, tax and other applicable rules.

What if the County map, occupancy list and MAPPS records disagree?

Record the conflict and the date of each source. Do not choose the most favorable result automatically. Request current confirmation from the Maui County Planning Department or obtain appropriate professional review before relying on the property for continued short-term-rental income.

Official Sources

• Maui County: Mayor Bissen signs Bill 9
• Maui County Ordinance 5909
• Maui County: Adopted Legislation
• Maui County Planning Department: H-3/H-4 Staff Report
• Maui County: Short-Term Occupancy List dated June 27, 2024
• Maui County MAPPS
• Maui County: Searching Public Records in MAPPS
• Maui County: Short-Term Rentals
• Maui County: Digital Zoning Map Update Project
• Maui County: ZAED Land Use Designation Form

This article provides general information, not legal, tax, investment or land-use advice. Maui County records and property approvals can change. Confirm the current status of the exact parcel and unit with the appropriate County office and qualified professionals before relying on short-term-rental income or making a transaction decision.