Aloha, What?! 17 Weird Hawaii Laws That Make Even Pineapples Giggle

Ah, Hawaii! The mere mention of this Pacific paradise probably conjures images of sandy beaches, hula dancers, surfers riding those legendary waves, and breathtaking sunsets. A dream destination for tourists worldwide, the Aloha State is known for its lush landscapes, volcanoes, and rich Hawaiian culture.

But behind the postcards and Instagram shots lies something else – weird Hawaii laws that are so quirky they could make a pineapple giggle! While youโ€™re snorkeling off the coast of Maui or hiking to see lava flows on the Big Island, take a moment to appreciate Hawaiiโ€™s legal oddities.

From surprising pet restrictions to questionable party etiquette, these weird laws might just make you say, โ€œAlohaโ€ฆreally?!โ€

Billboards? No, thank you!

weird Hawaii laws billboards

You wonโ€™t see towering billboards messing with your Instagram-worthy view of those wonderful Hawaiian sunsets. The locals made this very clear: billboards are a big “nope” because nothing should compete with the islandโ€™s natural beauty. Lawmakers agreed, and poofโ€”no giant, ugly looking ads. Now, you can just focus on the palm trees and rainbows!

You canโ€™t have a twin and both work for one company

Itโ€™s illegal to work in the same company as your twin. We wonder what kind of shenanigans led to this becoming an actual law? Hmmโ€ฆ

No pet birds near public eateries

weird Hawaii laws pet birds

Itโ€™s best to leave your pet bird at home or risk getting fined if you bring them with you in and near public eateries where they could bother people.

Seatbelts all around

If youโ€™re in a car, you must wear a seatbelt even if youโ€™re in the backseat. Thatโ€™s the law here in Hawaii. The only exception is if you are riding a truck and all spots are filled you are then allowed to ride into the truck bed. Otherwise, always wear a seatbelt so you donโ€™t get a fine or worse.

Ears are for listening not for holding coins

weird Hawaii laws ears

When Hawaii became a US state, the government issued an order to destroy the local currency which locals didnโ€™t really like. Their response was to hide coins in theirโ€ฆ ears!!! Yep, you read that right. They actually thought this would be a good idea. This is now illegal, believe it or not so even if it sounds tempting and we know it does, donโ€™t do it!

Charles is not a popular name

In Hawaii, people canโ€™t name their child โ€œCharlesโ€ so thereโ€™s that.

Surfers and a good vocabulary

weird Hawaii laws surfer

Get this: surfers need to stick to around 100 words while talking and use those words and no other. Seems like maybe itโ€™s sometimes hard to understand what a surfer says? Maybe? Otherwise why would they ask them to stick to 100 words?

Donโ€™t annoy the birds, Steven!

Maybe you love birds and want to befriend some feathered pals in Hawaiiโ€™s parks and reservations. Maybe so but beware that annoying the Hawaian birds is forbidden and illegal! Be very careful around birds here, respect them and watch them from afar to stay out of trouble. Remember: birds are just trying to live their best island life just like you.

The one drink law

weird Hawaii laws drink

Some time ago, in Hawaii, lawmakers thought about how they could discourage people from drinking too much. A way to combat alcoholism was, in their opinion, to have bars serve just one drink at a time. Lawmakers probably thought they were pretty smart until people showed them otherwise: they just started drinking shot after shot in a rapid manner so the drinks would keep on coming. This law was repealed in 2014 because, well, it didnโ€™t work. Itโ€™s probably better to find ways to encourage people (in a positive way) to reduce or stop drinking and offer support for them.

Pet lovers beware!

In Hawaii, you canโ€™t have more than 15 pets of any kind! Yeah, we know thatโ€™s a real bummer but it seems going for a full on zoo is out of the question in this state.

Harming sharks is forbidden

weird Hawaii laws shark

Not that we could actually harm these behemoths, but if you did try to, youโ€™d be in for a lot of trouble. Sharks are very important in Hawaiian culture (called manล) and are protected. Hawaii protects all its marine life, but sharks take one of the first spots on this list.

No sinking islands

This law is a very old one, from 1418 but itโ€™s still in effect. This should be self-evident but sometimes, it needs to be written down, doesnโ€™t it?

Palm tree are the tallest in the land

weird Hawaii laws palm tree

In Hawaii we have a somewhat peculiar law that states that buildings (that are located in the vicinity of palm trees) must never be taller than the palm trees. A palm tree is anywhere between 10-15 meters tall so that means buildings must adhere to these numbers.

Hazard lights are a no-go

If you have problems with your car while in Hawaii, itโ€™s best to get off the road as soon as that is possible without turning on your hazard lights as thatโ€™s not accepted here.

Cover yourself up!

weird Hawaii laws bathing suit

You arenโ€™t allowed to appear โ€œuncoveredโ€ in the street, in Waikฤซkฤซ. This refers to people in their bathing suits but as to what โ€œuncoveredโ€ actually means, we donโ€™t know.

First wife is on the menu

Youโ€™re not allowed to eat your 2nd wife if youโ€™re part of the Orakama tribe. But what about the first wife? No mention of that so you be the judgeโ€ฆ

Fountains and coins donโ€™t mix well

weird Hawaii laws fountain and coins

You are not allowed to throw coins in fountains in Hawaii. Why? Probably because they want to keep fountains clean. After all, youโ€™d probably just be wasting a coin by doing this, no?

Don’t forget to check out more of our weird laws (we’ve got plenty of them on the site). We would recommend our cooky list of 17 weird Kentucky laws.

Well, did you enjoy our weird Hawaii laws? Found something interesting? Maybe something you could have gotten into trouble when on vacation there? Like we mentioned above, be careful with pet birds, sharks, coins or too many words as a surfer ;). Have a good one and Aloha!

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