TMK guide · Land rules

Shoreline setback

How far back from the certified shoreline a building must sit.

A shoreline setback is the strip of land along the ocean where building is limited. State law in HRS chapter 205A, part III, sets a minimum, and each County sets its own rule, often wider. Some Counties use the erosion rate of the beach and the depth of the lot to set it.

The line is measured from the certified shoreline: the upper reach of the waves, surveyed by a licensed surveyor and certified by the State. The shoreline moves, so a certification has an end date.

Inside the setback, most new structures need a variance.

What the law says, and who keeps it

• HRS chapter 205A, part III, shoreline setbacks
• DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands

What the ParcelSheet card shows

Whether the lot fronts the shoreline, and how the County rule for that island would set the setback, with the code linked. A certified shoreline survey decides the real line.

Who to ask

The County Planning Department for the setback rule. A licensed surveyor and the State for a certified shoreline.

See it on a real lot

• TMK 4-4-2-016-063, Kapaʻa, Kauaʻi
• TMK 2-2-3-010-014, Pukalani, Maui
• TMK 1-3-3-025-016, Pālolo, Oʻahu

Checked 2026-10-17. This page explains a term in plain words. It is not legal advice; the County or State office named above decides.

More land rules

• Special Management Area (SMA)
• State Land Use Districts
• FEMA flood zones and what X shaded means
• FIRM panels and LOMAs
• Tsunami evacuation and extreme tsunami zones
• Sea level rise exposure area
• Lava flow hazard zones 1 to 9
• CPR lots (condominium property regime)
• ʻOhana units and accessory dwelling units
• Cesspool conversion (Act 125)
• Important Agricultural Lands (IAL)
• Conveyance tax
• Property tax classes by County
• TMK (Tax Map Key)