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Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 4-1 (2026)

  Districts, generally

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §4-1  Districts, generally.  For election, taxation, city, county, and all other purposes, the State shall be divided into the following districts; provided that the establishment of election districts shall be exclusively governed by article IV of the constitution of the State of Hawaii and chapter 25:

     (1)  The island and county of Hawaii shall be divided into nine districts as follows:

          (A)  Puna, to be styled the Puna district;

          (B)  From the Hakalau stream to the boundary of South Hilo and Puna, to be styled the South Hilo district;

          (C)  From the boundary of Hamakua and North Hilo to the Hakalau stream, to be styled the North Hilo district;

          (D)  Hamakua, to be styled the Hamakua district;

          (E)  North Kohala, to be styled the North Kohala district;

          (F)  South Kohala, to be styled the South Kohala district;

          (G)  North Kona, to be styled the North Kona district;

          (H)  South Kona, to be styled the South Kona district; and

          (I)  Kau, to be styled the Kau district.

     (2)  The islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Kahoolawe and the counties of Maui and Kalawao shall be divided into seven districts as follows:

          (A)  Kahikinui, Kaupo, Kipahulu, Hana, and Koolau, to be styled the Hana district;

          (B)  Hamakualoa, Hamakuapoko, portion of Kula, and Honuaula, the western boundary being a line starting from the sea at Kapukaulua on the boundary between the ahupuaas of Haliimaile and Wailuku, thence running inland following the boundary to the mauka side of the Lowrie ditch, thence following the mauka side of the ditch and its projected extension to the Waiakoa gulch which is the boundary between the ahupuaas of Pulehunui and Waiakoa, thence down along the boundary to the mauka boundary of the Waiakoa Homesteads (makai section), thence along the boundary to the ahupuaa of Kaonoulu, thence across the ahupuaa of Kaonoulu to the mauka boundary of the Waiohuli-Keokea Beach Homesteads, thence along the boundary to the mauka boundary of the Kamaole Homesteads, thence along the boundary and the extension thereof to the north boundary of the ahupuaa of Paeahu, thence along the boundary to the sea, and including the island of Kahoolawe, to be styled the Makawao district;

          (C)  All that portion of central Maui lying east of a line along the boundary of the ahupuaas of Kahakuloa and Honokohau to the peak of Eke crater, thence along the ridge of mountains and down the bottom of Manawainui gulch to the sea, and west of the boundary of Makawao district, to be styled Wailuku district;

          (D)  All that portion of Maui lying west of Wailuku district, to be styled the Lahaina district;

          (E)  The island of Molokai, except that portion of the island known as Kalaupapa, Kalawao, and Waikolu and commonly known or designated as the Settlement for Hansen's disease sufferers, to be styled the Molokai district;

          (F)  All that portion of the island of Molokai known as Kalaupapa, Kalawao, and Waikolu forming the county of Kalawao, to be styled the Kalawao district; and

          (G)  The island of Lanai, to be styled the Lanai district.

     (3)  For judicial purposes, the island of Oahu shall be divided into seven districts as follows:

          (A)  From Makapuu Head in Maunalua to Moanalua inclusive, and the islands not included in any other district, to be styled the Honolulu district;

          (B)  Ewa, excluding Waikakalaua, Waipio Acres, and Mililani Town, to be styled the Ewa district;

          (C)  Waianae excluding Waianae Uka, to be styled the Waianae district;

          (D)  From Kaena point to and including Waialee Stream excluding Wahiawa, hereinafter described, to be styled the Waialua district;

          (E)  From Waialee Stream to Lae o ka Oio, to be styled the Koolauloa district;

          (F)  From Lae o ka Oio to Makapuu Head in Waimanalo, to be styled the Koolaupoko district; and

          (G)  Wahiawa and Waianae Uka, including Waikakalaua, Waipio Acres, and Mililani Town, lying between Ewa and Waialua districts and more particularly described in the following manner:  Beginning at Puu Kaaumakua in the Koolau range and running to and along the south boundary of Waianae Uka (which is also the south boundary of Schofield Barracks Military Reservation) to Puu Hapapa in the Waianae range; thence continuing along Schofield Barracks Military Reservation northerly along the Waianae range to Puu Kaala, easterly along Mokuleia down ridge to Puu Pane, continuing to Maili Trig. station, and down ridge to Haleauau stream and down Haleauau stream to Kaukonahua gulch, and easterly along the gulch to the west boundary of the ahupuaa of Wahiawa; thence leaving Schofield Barracks Military Reservation and following up and along the west and north boundaries of the ahupuaa of Wahiawa to the Koolau range; thence along the Koolau range to the beginning; to be styled the Wahiawa district.

     (4)  For all purposes except for judicial, the island of Oahu shall be divided into seven districts as follows:

          (A)  From Makapuu Head in Maunalua to Moanalua inclusive, and the islands not included in any other district, to be styled the Honolulu district;

          (B)  Ewa, to be styled the Ewa district;

          (C)  Waianae excluding Waianae Uka, to be styled the Waianae district;

          (D)  From Kaena point to and including the ahupuaa of Waimea excluding Wahiawa, hereinafter described, to be styled the Waialua district;

          (E)  From Waimea to Lae o ka Oio, to be styled the Koolauloa district;

          (F)  From Lae o ka Oio to Makapuu Head in Waimanalo, to be styled the Koolaupoko district; and

          (G)  Wahiawa and Waianae Uka, lying between Ewa and Waialua districts and more particularly described in the following manner:  Beginning at Puu Kaaumakua in the Koolau range and running to and along the south boundary of Waianae Uka (which is also the south boundary of Schofield Barracks Military Reservation) to Puu Hapapa in the Waianae range; thence continuing along Schofield Barracks Military Reservation northerly along the Waianae range to Puu Kaala, easterly along Mokuleia down ridge to Puu Pane, continuing to Maili Trig. station, and down ridge to Haleauau stream and down Haleauau stream to Kaukonahua gulch, and easterly along the gulch to the west boundary of the ahupuaa of Wahiawa; thence leaving Schofield Barracks Military Reservation and following up and along the west and north boundaries of the ahupuaa of Wahiawa to the Koolau range; thence along the Koolau range to the beginning; to be styled the Wahiawa district.

     (5)  The islands of Kauai, Niihau, Kaula, and county of Kauai, shall be divided into five districts as follows:

          (A)  From Puanaaiea point to the ili of Eleele, including the islands of Niihau and Kaula, to be styled the Waimea district;

          (B)  From and including the ili of Eleele to and including Mahaulepu, to be styled the Koloa district;

          (C)  From and including Kipu to the northerly bank of the north fork and the main Wailua river, to be styled the Lihue district;

          (D)  From the northerly bank of the north fork and the main Wailua river to Kealaakaiole, to be styled the Kawaihau district; and

          (E)  From and including Kealaakaiole to Puanaaiea point to be styled the Hanalei district. [CC 1859, §498; am L 1878, c 24; am L 1880, c 11; am L 1886, c 44; am L 1887, c 37; am imp L 1890, cc 23, 58; am imp L 1893-4, c 86; superseded by L 1909, c 84, §1; am L 1913, c 34, §1 and c 112, §1; am L 1915, c 52, §1; am L 1921, c 24, §1; RL 1925, §144; am L 1925, c 13, §1; am L 1932 2d, c 68, §§1, 2; RL 1935, §7620; am L 1939, c 35, §1; RL 1945, §151; RL 1955, pt of §10-1; am L 1955, c 191, §1(a); am L 1959, c 6, pt of §1; HRS §4-1; am L 1988, c 245, §2; am L 1989, c 36, §2; am L 1991, c 15, §1; am L 1996, c 179, §1; am L 2012, c 133, §2]

 

Cross References

 

  Land districts, see §171-9.

  Reapportionment, see chapter 25.

  School board districts, see §13-1.

  Statistical boundaries, see §26-18.

  Tax districts, see §231-2.

 

Case Notes

 

  State tax maps could not be used to establish venue in DUI prosecution where maps did not represent legislatively authorized schematics of official district boundaries for non-taxation purposes.  80 H. 291, 909 P.2d 1106.

  Honolulu and Ewa boundary described in paragraph (3) not inherently ambiguous; can be proved through testimony of reputation in the community and is capable of accurate and ready determination by sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned.  80 H. 297, 909 P.2d 1112.

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1982–2022 · leading case: State v. Kwak, 909 P.2d 1106 (Haw. 1995).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
State v. Kwak, 909 P.2d 1106 (Haw. 1995). · cites it 20× “” In turn, HRS § 4-1 (Supp. 1992) contains a general description of the districts to which HRPP 18 refers.”
State v. Bereday, 210 P.3d 9 (Haw. App. 2009). · cites it 4× “With respect to the City’s territorial limits, HRS § 4-1 (Supp.2008) divides the island of Oahu for “city” and “county” purposes into districts.”
State v. Kwak, 909 P.2d 1112 (Haw. 1995). · cites it 3× “l area in which a court with jurisdiction may hear and determine a case”—is delineated in HRPP 18, which has provided in relevant part that venue lies in the division of the district court that serves the district “in which the offense or any part of it was committed!!]”…”
State v. Puaoi, 891 P.2d 272 (Haw. 1995). · cites it 2× “See HRS §§ 4-1(2)(E)-(F). The Kamehameha V Highway is located entirely in the Moloka'i district and does not run through the Kalawao district.”
Leone v. Cnty. of Maui, 284 P.3d 956 (Haw. App. 2012). “See Maui County Charter § 3-6 (2003) (designating the council as the county’s legislative body); § 4-1 (2003) (“[ejvery legislative act of the council shall be by ordinance”).”
State v. Black, 668 P.2d 32 (Haw. 1983). “It provides in part: If the trial is to be had in the district court, it shall be had in ■ the district, as defined in Section 4-1 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, in which the offense or any part of it was committed, or if no court is in operation in said district, in the…”
Hoku Lele, LLC v. City & Cnty. of Honolulu, 296 P.3d 1072 (Haw. App. 2013). “]” DPP Rules § 4-1 (1993). Because the zoning verification request was not an application under the LUO and was not appealable to the ZBA, the director’s review of the request cannot be considered an appealable “decision rendered on a request for reconsideration.”
State v. Miyashiro, 647 P.2d 302 (Haw. App. 1982). “1 The boundaries of the districts within the State of Hawaii are established by section 4-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes (1976).”
State v. Cabulizan, 511 P.3d 824 (Haw. App. 2022). · cites it 3× “" HCC § 4-1(d) and (g) (2016). In addition, "reasonable measures to prevent the dog from attacking" includes measures required "to prevent the dog from becoming a stray[.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 4-1(2)(E) — 1 case
State v. Puaoi, 891 P.2d 272 (Haw. 1995). “See HRS §§ 4-1(2)(E)-(F). The Kamehameha V Highway is located entirely in the Moloka'i district and does not run through the Kalawao district.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 4-1(3) — 2 cases
State v. Kwak, 909 P.2d 1106 (Haw. 1995). “” In turn, HRS § 4-1 (Supp. 1992) contains a general description of the districts to which HRPP 18 refers.”
State v. Kwak, 909 P.2d 1112 (Haw. 1995). “l area in which a court with jurisdiction may hear and determine a case”—is delineated in HRPP 18, which has provided in relevant part that venue lies in the division of the district court that serves the district “in which the offense or any part of it was committed!!]”…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 4-1(3)(A) — 1 case
State v. Kwak, 909 P.2d 1106 (Haw. 1995). “” In turn, HRS § 4-1 (Supp. 1992) contains a general description of the districts to which HRPP 18 refers.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 4-1(d) — 1 case
State v. Cabulizan, 511 P.3d 824 (Haw. App. 2022). “" HCC § 4-1(d) and (g) (2016). In addition, "reasonable measures to prevent the dog from attacking" includes measures required "to prevent the dog from becoming a stray[.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 4-1(k) — 1 case
State v. Cabulizan, 511 P.3d 824 (Haw. App. 2022). “" HCC § 4-1(d) and (g) (2016). In addition, "reasonable measures to prevent the dog from attacking" includes measures required "to prevent the dog from becoming a stray[.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 4-1(r)(3) — 1 case
State v. Cabulizan, 511 P.3d 824 (Haw. App. 2022). “" HCC § 4-1(d) and (g) (2016). In addition, "reasonable measures to prevent the dog from attacking" includes measures required "to prevent the dog from becoming a stray[.”
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