By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: Maui County’s new property tax rates took effect July 1, 2026, and the gap between classifications is now wide. On a $700,000 condo, the annual county bill runs about $660 as an owner-occupied home with the exemption filed, versus about $9,100 as a short-term vacation rental. The exemption filing deadline is December 31.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui, and whenever someone is eyeing a Maui condo as a vacation rental, a second home or a future full-time residence, property tax is one of the first numbers I run with them. Your tax bill is now heavily classification-dependent, and that can mean thousands of dollars a year and a very different answer on whether an investment still makes sense.

When did Maui’s new property tax rates take effect?

July 1, 2026. The first-half bills went out with a due date of August 20, and the second-half bills land in February.

For FY2026–27, every non-owner-occupied and short-term rental tier saw a rate increase or a tightened bracket. Owner-occupied rates, by contrast, held roughly flat, and the top owner-occupied tier actually dropped.

Why did Maui County change property tax rates?

The pattern is consistent: owner-occupants and long-term rental housing get gentler treatment, while non-owner-occupied and short-term rental properties absorb the increases. It’s the tax-policy companion to the zoning fights at the County Council over Bill 9 and Bill 88, which govern which condos can legally operate as vacation rentals at all.

Where the zoning bills decide if a unit can be a short-term rental, the tax rates increasingly decide whether it’s still worth it financially even when it can.

What are Maui’s 2026 property tax rates by classification?

Here’s how Maui County’s rates per $1,000 of assessed value break down for the current fiscal year:

Classification	Value bracket	Rate per $1,000
Owner-Occupied (primary home, exemption filed)	Up to $1.5M	$1.65
	$1.5M–$4.5M	$1.80
	Over $4.5M	$5.00
Long-Term Rental (leased to the same tenant for 12+ consecutive months)	Up to $1.5M	$2.90
	$1.5M–$3M	$5.00
	Over $3M	$8.50
Non-Owner-Occupied (second home, not rented, no homeowner exemption)	Up to $1M	$6.25
	$1M–$2.5M	$9.00
	Over $2.5M	$17.00
Short-Term Rental / Transient Vacation Rental	Up to $900K	$13.00
	$900K–$3M	$15.00
	Over $3M	$17.00
Apartment	Any value	$3.50 (flat)

These rates apply per $1,000 of net taxable assessed value, not market value. Assessed values can lag behind what a property would actually sell for, so don’t back into your tax bill using the list price alone. The relative gap between classifications is the real story.

How much is the property tax on a Maui condo?

It depends almost entirely on how you use it. Take a $700,000 condo, a fairly typical price point in South or West Maui right now. Under current rates, here’s roughly what the annual county bill looks like:

How the $700,000 condo is used	Approximate annual county tax
Owner-occupied primary residence, $300,000 home exemption filed	about $660
Long-term rental to a qualifying tenant, $200,000 long-term rental exemption filed	about $1,450
Non-owner-occupied second home you visit but don’t rent	about $4,375
Short-term / vacation rental	about $9,100

That’s more than a thirteen-fold difference between the cheapest and most expensive classification on the exact same property. This is a simplified illustration. Actual bills depend on your assessed value, any credits and how the county applies brackets to your parcel, so confirm the number with Maui County’s Real Property Tax Division before you finalize a purchase decision.

When are Maui property taxes due?

Bills are due August 20 (first half) and February 20 (second half) each year. The window to file or update a homeowner exemption closes December 31 for the following fiscal year. If you’re closing between now and year-end, ask the county assessor’s office how your closing date affects which classification applies to your first bill.

My Take: What I’m Telling Condo Buyers

If you plan to live in the unit full-time, the news is good: owner-occupied rates are stable or falling at the top end. But the exemption is not automatic. You have to file a claim with the county by December 31 to have it in place for the following tax year. Miss it, and you’ll pay non-owner-occupied rates for a full year even if you’re living there.

If you’re buying as an investment and hoping short-term rental income carries the mortgage, give the tax line its own row in your spreadsheet. Between the higher STR tier and the uncertainty around which complexes keep vacation rental rights under Bill 9 and Bill 88, I’d stress-test every deal against a long-term rental scenario too. Some properties pencil out better as steady, lower-tax rentals to local tenants than as vacation units chasing a shrinking pool of STR-eligible buildings.

If you’re buying a second home you’ll use occasionally and won’t rent, budget for the non-owner-occupied rate. It’s meaningfully higher than a year ago, so factor it into total cost of ownership before you write an offer. For filing details, see my post on Maui’s December 31 property tax exemption deadline, and if you’re running vacation rental numbers, add in the 11% state TAT on Maui vacation rentals.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Please confirm your situation with a CPA or Hawaiʻi attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the owner-occupied property tax rate on Maui?

For the current fiscal year, $1.65 per $1,000 of net taxable assessed value up to $1.5M, $1.80 from $1.5M–$4.5M, and $5.00 over $4.5M, with the homeowner exemption filed.

What is the short-term rental property tax rate on Maui?

$13.00 per $1,000 up to $900K, $15.00 from $900K–$3M, and $17.00 over $3M.

Is the Maui homeowner exemption automatic?

No. You have to file a claim with the county, and the deadline to have it in place for the following tax year is December 31.

Are Maui property taxes based on the purchase price?

No. Rates apply to net taxable assessed value, which can lag behind market value, so confirm your specific number with the county’s Real Property Tax Division.

Ask Benjamin

Every property and every classification scenario is a little different, and the right answer often depends on details a spreadsheet can’t capture, like whether a specific complex is currently eligible for vacation rental use. If you want to see the real, all-in cost of owning a specific listing, I’m Benjamin Finnerty and I’m happy to run the numbers with you. Call or text 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com.