How to navigate Hawaii's changing vacation-rental landscape

In September, Stop Pres surfed villa rental Web sites for properties on Maui, Kauai, and Oahu, and called a dozen owners to ask if they carried the required permit: None of them did. In fact, one owner said he hadn't even heard of the crackdown on rentals. How can travelers ensure that the Hawaiian homes they reserve for the holidays will be open for business when they arrive?

Murray Towill, president of the Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association, says there are two things a vacation rental owner must to do be in compliance with local laws; pay state taxes and obtain the required rental permit. Villa owners operating legally should be able to provide a state tax ID number. As for permits, request a copy from the vacation rental owner—the documents are public record and are kept on file in county offices. In general, rentals in popular resort areas are legal. On Oahu, owners of rentals outside resort areas should be able to provide proof of their "non-conforming use" certificate. Maui visitors can ask owners about their license or check with the Maui Visitors Bureau. Finally, Kauai is still ironing out the details of how to regulate rentals outside resort areas, but none are technically illegal until the permitting procedures are established later this year.