A parking spot that was perfectly legal in December 2025 can now cost you $50 in Hawaii. Act 171 took effect on January 1, 2026, and it changed one rule that catches visitors off guard: you cannot park within 20 feet of any crosswalk or intersection in the state. No signs. No painted curbs. No warning.

The law amended HRS 291C-116 to read that “no vehicle shall be parked abutting the curb or edge of a vehicle travel way within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection, regardless of the presence or absence of official signs or curb markings.” That last clause is the one that matters. If there’s an intersection, count 20 feet from the crosswalk. If you’re inside that zone, you’re getting a ticket — painted curb or not.

Hawaii’s pedestrian fatality rate has been climbing. Vehicles parked close to crosswalks block sightlines — drivers can’t see pedestrians stepping into the road, and pedestrians can’t see oncoming traffic. The legislature cited this as a leading factor in crashes involving walkers and cyclists.

The 20-foot buffer zone creates clear visibility at every intersection. It’s a simple concept that most mainland cities have enforced for years. Hawaii is catching up. The fine revenue goes directly to the Safe Routes to School special fund, which funds pedestrian safety infrastructure statewide.

The most common misconception: this is a school-zone rule. It’s not. Act 171 applies to every public road in Hawaii — Waikiki side streets, Lahaina Front Street, Kailua-Kona’s Ali’i Drive, residential neighborhoods in Princeville. Every crosswalk, every intersection, every island.

Before January 1, parking near a crosswalk was only illegal if the curb was painted yellow or a “No Parking” sign was posted. Plenty of spots near intersections had no markings at all, especially in older neighborhoods and small towns. Those spots were technically legal. They’re not anymore.

This hits visitors hardest in exactly the places they tend to park: beach access points on narrow roads, downtown Hilo side streets, small-town Hale’iwa, and anywhere on Maui where PARK MAUI meters don’t reach. If you grabbed a spot near a crosswalk in any of those places last year, the same spot is now a $50 ticket.

Twenty feet is roughly the length of a full-size SUV — a Chevy Tahoe, Ford Expedition, or the kind of large vehicle you might rent for a family trip. If your car’s bumper is closer to the crosswalk than one SUV-length, you’re too close.

Another way to think about it: six big steps from the crosswalk line. If you’re unsure, add a few extra feet of buffer. The $50 ticket isn’t worth the gamble over a marginally closer parking spot.

When in doubt, look for marked stalls. Most beach parks and popular attractions have designated parking areas that keep you well clear of intersections. And if you’re renting a car through Discount Hawaii Car Rental, many rental counters now include a printed reminder about the new law with their paperwork.

Act 171 carves out a short list of exceptions. You won’t get a ticket if your vehicle is an authorized emergency vehicle, an official federal, state, or county vehicle on duty, a stalled or broken-down vehicle, or a vehicle stopped to assist a stalled vehicle.

Rental cars don’t qualify for any of those exceptions. Neither do rideshare pickups or hotel shuttles. If you’re dropping someone off near a crosswalk, stay in the vehicle and keep it running — stopped and attended is different from parked.

Park in designated lots and stalls whenever possible. Beach parks on all four islands have marked parking areas. The premium you pay for a meter or a lot ($3-$5/hour in most areas) is a fraction of a $50 ticket.

On Maui, the PARK MAUI system covers the busiest beach corridors in West and South Maui. Download the ParkMobile app before you arrive.

On O’ahu, Waikiki’s grid of one-way streets has crosswalks at nearly every block. The 20-foot rule eliminates a huge number of formerly legal curbside spots. Use the parking garages — the Waikiki Trade Center and Royal Hawaiian Center both offer validated parking for shoppers.

On the Big Island and Kaua’i, small-town street parking is where this law bites hardest. Hanalei, Kapa’a, Hilo’s Bayfront, and Kailua Village all have tight street grids with unmarked crosswalks. Look before you lock.

Act 171 isn’t complicated. Stay 20 feet from crosswalks and intersections. The tricky part is that Hawaii spent decades without enforcing this distance, so locals and repeat visitors have muscle memory for spots that no longer exist. Enforcement is ramping up statewide — Honolulu police confirmed they’re issuing citations under the new statute.

One SUV-length from the crosswalk. That’s the mental shortcut. Use it every time you park on a public road in Hawaii, and you won’t have a $50 surprise waiting on your windshield.