Hawaii Act 171’s parking rule took effect on January 1, 2026. Act 171 creates a statewide restriction on parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection when your vehicle is abutting the curb or edge of a travel way. Official signs and curb markings do not have to be present for the restriction to apply. A violation can carry a fine of up to $50.

The rule now appears in HRS 291C-116: “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.” Crosswalks and intersections are separate triggers. The statewide code can recognize a crosswalk at an intersection even without painted lines, so do not assume an unpainted curb is available. Pick a space clearly beyond the restricted area.

Act 171’s findings say pedestrian fatalities and injuries were rising and report a 26 percent increase in pedestrian fatalities between the 2009–2013 and 2014–2018 five-year periods. The law identifies parked vehicles near crosswalks and intersections as a visibility problem: drivers may not see someone entering the roadway, while pedestrians may not see approaching traffic.

The 20-foot buffer opens that sightline. It gives people walking and people driving more room to see each other before the crossing becomes a blind corner. Fines collected under the law go to the Safe Routes to School Program Special Fund, which the Act directs toward public-safety infrastructure improvements.

This is not a school-zone rule. It is part of the statewide traffic code, so it can apply on roads covered by that code, including a Waikīkī side street, Lahaina Front Street, Kailua-Kona’s Aliʻi Drive, or a residential street in Princeville. The question is simple: are you parked along the curb or travel-way edge within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection?

Beach areas, town centers, and neighborhood streets can all put curb parking close to corners. Treat missing paint or a missing sign as a reason to check your distance more carefully, not as permission to park.

The law does not give drivers a curbside measurement method or tell you exactly where to start measuring. Do not turn a close call into parking-lot geometry. Choose a space clearly beyond both the corner and any crosswalk instead of trying to calculate an exact boundary from the driver’s seat.

Do not use a vehicle length as your measuring stick. It does not establish the legally relevant starting point or endpoint. A space that looks barely clear can still put your vehicle inside the restricted area.

My rule is to leave visibly more than 20 feet instead of trying to land exactly on the line. If the space feels close, it is not the space to fight for. Move farther down the block.

Marked stalls and designated lots can make the choice clearer, but they do not erase posted restrictions or other parking rules. Read the signs, check curb paint where it exists, and leave extra room at every corner.

Act 171 lists exceptions for authorized emergency vehicles, official federal, state, or county vehicles performing official duties, vehicles yielding to authorized emergency vehicles, stalled or broken vehicles, vehicles assisting a stalled vehicle, and vehicles otherwise authorized by law.

These are not visitor-convenience exceptions. A rental car, rideshare, or hotel shuttle is not automatically exempt. Under HRS 291C-1, parking does not include temporarily standing while actually loading or unloading merchandise or passengers. Separate stopping, standing, loading-zone, and posted restrictions can still prohibit a stop at a corner. Check the restrictions before stopping.

Use a legal marked stall or designated lot when one is available. Paid parking rates vary by facility, island, and time, so check the current listing before you commit. A legal lot or marked stall can remove uncertainty about the corner-distance rule.

On Maui, PARK MAUI currently operates beach parking at the paved lots for Kamaʻole Beach Parks I and III in Kīhei. The program has its own mobile app and also provides web-payment instructions. Check the current PARK MAUI beach parking information before heading out; the program does not cover every Maui beach area.

On Oʻahu, Waikīkī’s frequent intersections make corner spaces a poor gamble. A garage removes that particular calculation. The Royal Hawaiian Center lists shopper parking validation with a purchase threshold, but confirm the current terms before entering.

On the Big Island and Kauaʻi, use the same corner check in Hanalei, Kapaʻa, Hilo, Kailua-Kona, and anywhere else curb parking runs close to an intersection. Stop before you lock the car. Look for the crosswalk, identify the corner, and leave a generous buffer.

Do not park abutting the curb or travel-way edge within 20 feet of a crosswalk or intersection. The hard part is visual. Drivers may be used to curb spaces that looked available or were governed by a different county rule before the statewide law took effect.

Leave a clear margin beyond 20 feet when possible. Use legal lots or marked stalls when possible, and check for every other posted or local restriction. That approach helps you comply with Act 171 and avoid a fine of up to $50.