If you’ve driven past Kamaʻole Beach Parks in Kihei recently, you may have noticed new Park Maui signs and parking kiosks appearing in the lots. They’re part of Park Maui, Maui County’s new parking management program designed to change how parking works at some of the island’s busiest beaches and public areas.
The program launched at the paved parking lots at Kamaʻole Beach Parks I and III in Kihei in July 2026 and is intended to expand in phases to additional locations around Maui.
For visitors, that means paid parking at participating beach parks.
For Maui residents, parking remains free, but there are some new rules to know, including resident-only parking before 10 a.m. on weekends and County-observed holidays at participating Kamaʻole lots.
And even if you’re a Hawaiʻi resident and parking for free, you can’t simply park and head to the beach. You still need to register your vehicle each time you park.
Here’s how it all works.
Why Is Maui Changing Beach Parking?
One of the primary goals behind Park Maui is to make it easier for residents to access the beaches and public spaces in their own communities.
At heavily visited beach parks, residents can find themselves competing with large numbers of visitors for a limited number of parking spaces. Park Maui is designed to give residents greater access while managing parking demand from visitors.
The County lists several goals for the larger program, including improving resident access to beach parks, reducing congestion, improving parking turnover and generating revenue that can help support parking operations, transportation, parks, and cultural and environmental resources.
The first beach parking locations are Kamaʻole Beach Parks I and III in Kihei, giving the County an opportunity to evaluate the system before expanding Park Maui to additional locations.
The Biggest Change for Residents: Priority Beach Access
This may be the most important part of the new program for Maui residents.
At the participating Kamaʻole I and III paved parking lots, parking is reserved exclusively for Hawaiʻi residents before 10 a.m. on weekends and County-observed holidays.
That means a visitor cannot arrive at 7 a.m., pay the $10 parking fee and take one of those spaces. During the resident recreation period, the participating parking spaces are reserved for residents.
The beaches themselves remain open to everyone. The restriction applies to parking in the participating lots.
After 10 a.m., visitors can use the lots by paying the applicable parking fee.
Maui Residents Still Park Free
Hawaiʻi residents with a valid Hawaiʻi driver’s license can continue to park free all day, every day at participating Park Maui beach locations.
However, there’s an important new step.
You Still Have to Check In
Do not simply park and walk to the beach because you’re a resident.
Even though your parking is free, you need to start a parking session each time you park.
At the Park Maui kiosk:
- Select the kamaʻāina option.
- Enter your license plate number.
- Scan the barcode on the back of your valid Hawaiʻi driver’s license.
- Complete the registration before heading to the beach.
You can also register through the Park Maui mobile app by adding your vehicle and verifying your Hawaiʻi residency.
The system is tied to your license plate, so there’s no paper ticket that needs to be displayed in your vehicle.
MREA Tip: If you’re planning a beach morning, give yourself an extra couple of minutes the first time you use the system. Don’t assume that because you have a Hawaiʻi driver’s license your vehicle is automatically recognized as resident parking.
What If You’re a Part-Time Maui Resident?
This is an important distinction, particularly for Maui property owners who spend only part of the year on the island.
For purposes of Park Maui, the resident parking benefit requires a valid Hawaiʻi driver’s license.
If you own a home or condo on Maui but maintain an out-of-state driver’s license, you won’t qualify for the free kamaʻāina parking rate under the current system.
Part-time residents and other nonresidents currently pay:
- $10 daily
- $50 for a 7-day pass
- $150 for a 30-day pass
And remember: at participating lots, paying for parking does not override the resident-only period before 10 a.m. on weekends and County-observed holidays.
Where Is Park Maui Currently in Effect?
The beach parking program launched at the paved lots at Kamaʻole Beach Park I and Kamaʻole Beach Park III in Kihei.
Kamaʻole I
The paved Kamaʻole I lot is part of Park Maui.
There is also a dirt parking lot across South Kīhei Road near the ABC Store. That lot was not included in the initial Park Maui launch and remains another parking option while the County completes nearby South Kīhei Road repairs.
This can be particularly useful to know because the Kamaʻole I paved lot itself has only 18 regular parking spaces.
Kamaʻole III
The paved Kamaʻole III parking lot is also part of Park Maui and has 84 parking spaces.
What About Kamaʻole II?
Kamaʻole II was not included in the initial July launch due to road repairs following the March Kona low storms. Residents should check Park Maui for the latest information as the program and participating locations change.
What Maui Residents Should Remember
If you don’t want to remember every detail, these are the big ones:
Parking is still free for Hawaiʻi residents.
You’ll need a valid Hawaiʻi driver’s license to receive the resident rate.
You still need to register every time you park.
Use the kiosk or Park Maui app before heading to the beach.
Residents get priority before 10 a.m. on weekends and County holidays.
At participating Kamaʻole lots, nonresidents cannot simply pay to park during these hours.
The beach is not resident-only.
The new rules apply to the participating parking lots, not to access to the beach itself.
Part-time residency doesn’t automatically qualify.
Under the current system, the kamaʻāina parking benefit is verified using a valid Hawaiʻi driver’s license.
Park Maui Is Just Getting Started
Kamaʻole I and III are part of the initial rollout, but Park Maui is designed as a phased program that can expand to other high-demand beach parks and public parking areas around the island.
That makes the new Kamaʻole system worth learning even if these aren’t the beaches you regularly visit.
As additional locations are added and parking rules evolve, we’ll continue updating this guide to help Maui residents understand where Park Maui is operating and what they need to know before heading to the beach.
For current participating locations, parking rates and official program updates, visit Park Maui.
With Aloha,
