City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Hilo, HI
How Hilo regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- Residential-zoning exclusion
- Zoning-limited
- Pre-cutoff grandfathering
- Registration required
- Active enforcement
Based on: Hawaiʻi County Code §25-4-16(a)(1) — STVRs permitted only in V/CG/CV and designated Resort-area districts
Summary of the rule
PRIMARY (HCC §25-4-16(a)(1)): STVRs permitted ONLY in V/CG/CV districts; residential & commercial districts within General Plan Resort and Resort Node areas; and RM-district condominium units (HRS 514A/514B). Not a general residential/agricultural use — this is the SUPPLY constraint (geographic exclusion).
View the ordinance source ↗✓ Verified
Last reviewed Sep 10, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Hilo · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch tracks changes from public sources — council agendas, state bills, local news — not a complete legal compendium.
A city permit is not the whole picture — HOA, condominium, deed, or lease rules may be stricter.
City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.