TMK guide · Land rules
State Land Use Districts
Every acre in Hawaiʻi is Urban, Rural, Agricultural or Conservation.
Hawaiʻi zones land twice. First the State puts every acre into one of four districts under HRS chapter 205: Urban, Rural, Agricultural or Conservation. Then the County zones the land inside those districts.
The State district sets the outer limits. Agricultural land is held to the farm and related uses the statute lists, whatever the County zoning says. Conservation land is regulated by the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, not the County.
Moving land from one district to another is a boundary amendment decided by the Land Use Commission, or by the County for smaller areas. It is a long process with hearings.
What the law says, and who keeps it
- HRS chapter 205, Land Use Commission
- State Land Use Commission
- DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands
What the ParcelSheet card shows
The State Land Use District the lot sits in, with the share of the lot in each district when it spans more than one, from the State GIS layer.
Who to ask
The State Land Use Commission for district boundaries. The County Planning Department for zoning and uses in Urban, Rural and Agricultural land. DLNR for Conservation land.
See it on a real lot
- TMK 4-4-2-016-063, Kapaʻa, Kauaʻi
- TMK 1-3-3-025-016, Pālolo, Oʻahu
- TMK 3-2-4-024-162, Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island
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)
- 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
- Shoreline setback
- Cesspool conversion (Act 125)
- Important Agricultural Lands (IAL)
- Conveyance tax
- Property tax classes by County
- TMK (Tax Map Key)