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Hawaiʻi beach wedding permit: the $20 minimum fee and the rules
A commercial activity on a state beach in Hawaiʻi needs a permit from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). A wedding counts when a professional is paid to be there. The state calls it a Wiki Permit, from the Hawaiian word for quick.
| Fee | 10 cents per square foot, per event, per day, with a minimum of $20 per event. The state's guidance says the $20 minimum covers 200 square feet. Non-refundable. |
|---|---|
| Time limit | Set-up, the event and clean-up together may not exceed two hours. |
| Group size | No fixed cap in the terms. The state's guidance says the average event has 10 people and asks you to call staff first for more than about 25 to 30. |
| Not allowed | Arches, bowers, altars, tables, chairs, tents, tarps and event signs. No amplified instruments. No alcohol. No vehicles on the beach. |
| Allowed | Loose flowers, leis, bouquets; unamplified instruments, including a conch shell; cameras; a few chairs strictly as needed for elderly, infirm or disabled guests; a small podium or cake stand up to three feet square. |
| Insurance | Liability insurance of at least $500,000 per incident and $1,000,000 aggregate, naming the State of Hawaiʻi as additional insured. |
| Who holds it | Usually a professional: the coordinator, photographer or officiant. One permit per event. The state says a member of the couple, a parent or a friend may also apply. |
| Privacy | None promised. The permit gives no exclusive use, and you may not ask the public to move. |
| Which beaches | Only the beaches on the state's Wiki Permit list. State parks, county parks and national parks have their own permits. |
| Lead time | The state suggests a week or two for a first application with insurance. Registered users can buy a permit online any time before the event. No refunds or changes after purchase. |
What this means for your day
- A beach permit ceremony is simple by design: the two of you, an officiant, a photographer, flowers and a few guests standing.
- If you want chairs for everyone, an arch or music through a speaker, you need a private venue. See Big Island wedding venues.
- Ask whoever you hire which of them holds the permit and the insurance, and ask to see the permit before the day.
State parks, county parks and the national park
Beaches inside a state park need a State Parks Special Use Permit, requested at least 45 days ahead. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park charges a $150 application fee. See Big Island beach ceremony sites and the national park permit.