What is a TMK? How to read a Hawaiʻi Tax Map Key
A TMK, or Tax Map Key, is the number that names every parcel of land in Hawaiʻi. It reads left to right from the whole island down to one lot.
The parts of a TMK
- Island, 1 digit. 1 is Oʻahu, 2 is Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi), 3 is Hawaiʻi Island, 4 is Kauaʻi.
- Zone, 1 digit. A large district of the island.
- Section, 1 digit. A part of the zone. Island, zone and section together, such as 4-4-2, name a neighborhood sized area.
- Plat, 3 digits. One tax map sheet within the section.
- Parcel, 3 digits. The lot on that plat.
- CPR unit, 4 digits, only sometimes. A condominium property regime unit inside the parcel. A plain lot has none, or 0000.
So 4-4-2-016-063 is Kauaʻi, zone 4, section 2, plat 016, parcel 063, a lot in Kapaʻa. You will see the same number written as 442016063, (4) 4-4-2-016-063, or with a four digit unit on the end.
Where to find a TMK
On the property tax bill, the deed, the listing, or the county real property tax website. If you only have an address, type it into ParcelSheet or tap the lot on the map, and the sheet shows the TMK at the top.
What a TMK tells you, and what it does not
A TMK is an index. It does not tell you the zoning, the flood zone or the setbacks. Those come from county and State maps for that parcel, which is what a ParcelSheet sheet puts together, each with its source. The tax map lines are drawn for tax records, so they can sit a few feet off the ground. The legal boundary is in the recorded survey.
Questions
What is a TMK in Hawaiʻi?
TMK stands for Tax Map Key. It is the number the State and the counties use to identify every parcel of land in Hawaiʻi, and it appears on tax bills, deeds, permits and listings.
How many digits is a Hawaiʻi TMK?
Nine digits name the parcel: island (1), zone (1), section (1), plat (3) and parcel (3). A condominium or CPR unit adds four more digits at the end.
What does the first digit of a TMK mean?
The first digit is the county: 1 is Oʻahu, 2 is Maui County (Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi), 3 is Hawaiʻi Island and 4 is Kauaʻi.
Where do I find the TMK for a property?
On the property tax bill, the deed, the real estate listing, or the county real property tax website. ParcelSheet also finds it from a street address or a tap on the map.
Is a TMK the same as a legal description?
No. The TMK identifies the parcel for tax and mapping. The legal boundary is in the recorded deed and survey, and tax map lines can sit a few feet off the ground.