Off-grid site report
Kalawao County, HI
21.1774, -156.9484 · 197 ft elevationRead this before you act on anything below. This is my researched starting point for Kalawao County, HI, not legal advice and not a guarantee. Rules change, and the deciding facts on any specific parcel (setbacks, perc results, overlay districts, deed restrictions, road frontage) live at the county or town office, not in any database. Before you buy land or build, confirm the current rules directly with the local zoning and health offices - the sources on this page tell you exactly who to call.
The local rulesKalawao County, HI
Zoning & raw-land occupancy
Largely prohibitedKalawao County has no independent planning or zoning department of its own; the only county statutes that apply directly to Kalawao are those on health matters. Nearly all land is controlled by DHHL, DLNR, or the National Park Service, and occupancy is governed by a Department of Health entry permit system rather than a zoning code, so private raw-land settlement isn't a realistic option. source
Dwellings, tiny homes & RVs
Unclear - verifyThis isn't confirmed because there's no evidence of a private residential building stock here at all. Overnight accommodations are available only to guests of residents, and housing is allocated by the state to permitted resident-patients rather than built or owned privately, so I'd ask the Hawaii Department of Health about how the tiny existing settlement's housing actually works before assuming any tiny home or RV rule applies.
Building permits & codes
Unclear - verifyI couldn't confirm whether any building code is separately enforced in Kalawao, since it has no charter-based building department. Construction in the Kalaupapa Settlement appears to run through Department of Health and National Park Service administration rather than a public building-permit counter, so check with those two agencies directly. source
Septic & composting toilets
Varies locallyKalawao is directly under the Hawaii Department of Health's own jurisdiction, so wastewater matters would likely run through the same statewide DOH Wastewater Branch program that covers the rest of Hawaii, but no county-specific septic rule for Kalawao was found. Confirm specifics with DOH Wastewater Branch. source
Greywater reuse
Unclear - verifyNo Kalawao-specific greywater program was found in my research. Any greywater reuse would presumably default to the statewide Department of Health framework, but this is not confirmed for Kalawao specifically, so ask DOH directly.
Rainwater harvesting
Unclear - verifyNo Kalawao-specific rainwater catchment rule turned up in my research. The statewide catchment framework would likely be the fallback, but this isn't confirmed for Kalawao, so confirm with the Hawaii Department of Health.
Private wells & water rights
Varies locallyWater infrastructure in the Kalaupapa Settlement appears to be state-run rather than built out through individual private wells, with the state operating a kitchen and paying residents' living expenses. Any private well would fall under the statewide Commission on Water Resource Management framework as a baseline, but this hasn't been separately confirmed for Kalawao.
Living disconnected from utilities
Largely prohibitedKalawao County is not a realistic place to attempt independent off-grid living. It's a closed, state-supported community where the state pays for residents' living expenses and supplies arrive by an annual barge and regular charter flights, and general public entry requires a Department of Health permit that doesn't grant rights to occupy or build on land, so unauthorized off-grid homesteading isn't a legal option here. source
Sun30-year normals
- Peak-sun hours, annual average
- 6.1 hrs/day
- Worst month (sizes an off-grid array)
- 5.0 hrs/day
- Yearly output per 1 kW of panels
- 1,695 kWh
JFMAMJJASOND
Weather1991-2020
- Precipitation
- 25 in/yr
- Snowfall
- 0 in/yr
- Heating degree days
- 3 (mild)
How far help isstraight-line
- Hospital
Molokai General Hospital - 7.3 mi
- Fire station
Old Stone Fire Station - 2.4 mi
- Hardware store
- none within range
- Grocery
Kualapuu Market - 6.0 mi
From OpenStreetMap. Road miles will be longer, often much longer in hill country.
Plan this spot
These open with this location's real numbers already filled in (ZIP 96742).
Size a solar systemHeat loss & insulationFirewood per winterRainwater harvestGarden sizePanel tilt
Looking at a specific parcel in Kalawao County, HI?The rules above are the jurisdiction. The land check runs the parcel itself: flood zone, soils and septic suitability, wetlands, slope, access, climate, and these verdicts, from a parcel number or coordinates.
Check a parcel →Share or save this report:New report
Sources: US Census Bureau geocoder; NLR PVWatts v8 (solar); NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 climate normals (nearest station) or Open-Meteo (ZIP-centroid) for weather; Open-Elevation; OpenStreetMap contributors. Public data retrieved Aug 22, 2026; agencies update their layers on their own schedules. Planning data, not a survey or legal advice.
New here, or not sure where this fits? Start here walks through the whole thing in order.