Hawaii parking laws: understanding the basics
It can be difficult to find a parking space in Hawaii. Some people feel that they don’t have to obey the law and that they do not have to be courteous to others when they need to find a place to park, but if you break the law, fines are certainly in your future. In addition, you might wind up having your vehicle towed. Therefore, you need to follow the laws and you need to be considerate of pedestrians and other motorists. The regulations across the state are very similar. The fines could vary based on where the infraction occurs though, so make sure you understand the laws in your city or town to see if they differ.
The parking laws
Drivers are not permitted to park on a sidewalk. In addition, they cannot park in a manner that partially or entirely blocks a public or private driveway. You do not want to interfere with the use of the driveway. If it happens, you can expect your vehicle to be towed. You cannot park in an intersection. Even if you are not in the intersection, but you are close enough to it that it interferes with traffic, then you could get a fine or have the vehicle towed.
You must always park within 12 inches of the curb. When you park, you have to be far enough away from any fire hydrants so that there would be no interference with using the hydrant in the event that a fire engine needed to have access. Do not park so close to a crosswalk that you block the view of other drivers or pedestrians. Naturally, you are not allowed to park on a bridge, in a tunnel, or in an elevated structure.
Double parking, which is parking on the roadway side of another vehicle, is prohibited as well. It is illegal even if you remain in the vehicle. In addition, you cannot park in a passenger or freight loading zone.
You are not allowed to park anywhere that would cause there to be less than 10 feet of width on the street for other vehicles to pass. There still needs to be plenty of room for the traffic to move past your vehicle without any interference. You cannot park on public roads to make repairs to your vehicle unless it is an emergency. You cannot park and wash your vehicle, and you cannot display it for sale on the side of the road.
Naturally, you are not allowed to park in handicapped spaces either unless you have special plates or placards.
A big part of where you can and cannot park is common sense as well. In Hawaii, you are not permitted to park anywhere that your vehicle might become a hazard to the other traffic that is on the roads with you. If you do, the authorities will tow away your vehicle, and you will have to pay a large fine.
Always make sure you know where you are leaving your car, and double check for signs to make sure you are allowed to park there.
