Search Kihei Deed Records
Deed records for Kihei properties are filed with the Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances, the state agency responsible for recording property documents across all Hawaiian islands. Kihei is a large coastal community on the southwestern shore of Maui with a high concentration of condominium projects, beachfront parcels, and vacation properties. Because of that mix, understanding deed records here often means knowing how condo TMK structures work, whether a property is fee simple or leasehold, and what conveyance tax obligations applied at the time of transfer. This page walks through how to find Kihei deed records online, what to look for in the documents, and which county and state offices handle property records for this part of Maui.
Kihei Overview
Deed Records for Kihei Properties
Hawaii uses a single, statewide recording system for all property documents. The Bureau of Conveyances handles every deed, mortgage, easement, and lien filed in the state, including those for Kihei properties in south Maui. There is no separate Maui County recorder. All documents go into one system, and that system is what you search when you need deed records for any Kihei parcel.
The nearest BOC office to Kihei is the Maui branch, located in Wailuku at 1063 Lower Main Street, Suite C-214, Wailuku, HI 96793. This office accepts document filings in person and can assist with records questions. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Call ahead at (808) 984-3067 if you have questions before you go. For general information about the Bureau of Conveyances statewide, visit dlnr.hawaii.gov/boc.
Recording fees are set at the state level. The base fee is $26 for the first five pages of a document and $5 for each page after that. These fees are the same whether you are recording a deed for a small Kihei condo unit or a large commercial parcel. You can submit documents in person at the Maui branch office or mail them to the BOC main office in Honolulu.
For a look at Kihei as a south Maui destination, the GoHawaii Kihei page covers the coastal character of this Maui community and the property types that make up much of the area.
Condominium Deed Records in Kihei
Kihei has a large number of condominium developments, and condo deed records work differently than single-family home deeds. When a condominium project is created, the developer records a master declaration, a condominium map, and a set of condominium plan documents with the BOC. These establish the project's legal structure. After that, each individual unit gets its own TMK identifier that links back to the master parcel.
A typical Kihei condo TMK looks like this: Zone 2 - Division - Section - Plat - Parcel - CPR (Condominium Property Regime number). The CPR portion identifies the specific unit within the project. When someone buys or sells a condo unit, the deed conveys the CPR unit, not the land beneath it. The land usually stays with the condominium association under the master TMK. When you search for deed records on a Kihei condo, you will want to search using the full CPR-level TMK to find the right unit.
Leasehold status is more common in resort areas of Maui than in many other parts of Hawaii. Some older Kihei condo projects were built on leased land, meaning buyers purchased the unit but not the underlying land. Deed records for leasehold properties show what fee interest was conveyed and may reference the lease. If you are researching a Kihei condo, it is worth checking whether the property is fee simple or leasehold before proceeding. The difference affects resale value and financing options significantly.
Vacation rental properties are common in Kihei. Many condos operate as transient vacation rentals (TVRs). The deed itself does not indicate TVR status, but the recorded use documents, CC&Rs, or association declarations may describe what short-term rental rights are attached to a unit. These supporting documents are often recorded alongside the deed in the BOC system and can be found by searching related documents on the same TMK.
The Kihei Maui Information Guide provides useful context on local property types and the community character of this south Maui coastal town.
Search Kihei Deed Records Online
The primary online tool for deed records is RecordEASE, the BOC's document search system. It covers recorded documents from 1976 to the present and is available at bocdataext.hi.wcicloud.com. You can search by grantor name, grantee name, document type, or document number. Viewing document images costs $1 per page. For Kihei condo units, searching by the full CPR-level TMK is often the most direct method, since grantor or grantee name searches may turn up multiple records for common names.
For property tax and ownership data, start with the Maui County Real Property Tax site at mauipropertytax.com. You can search by owner name, TMK, or address to find current ownership, assessed value, and tax classification for any Kihei parcel. The qPublic Maui portal at qpublic.schneidercorp.com provides additional parcel data including acreage and ownership history. Both are free to use and do not require an account.
If you know the street address but not the TMK, start your search on mauipropertytax.com. Enter the address to find the parcel, note the TMK number, and then bring that TMK into RecordEASE to search for deed and lien documents. This two-step process works well for researching Kihei condos where unit addresses can be hard to match directly to TMK records.
Note: RecordEASE only covers documents recorded from 1976 forward. For older Kihei deed records, you may need to contact the BOC directly to find out about pre-1976 document access.
Maui County Real Property Assessment for Kihei
The Maui County Real Property Assessment Division is based in Kahului and serves all of Maui County, including Kihei. The office is at 70 E. Kaahumanu Avenue, Suite A-16, Kahului, HI 96732. For most property questions related to Kihei, RPAD is the right starting point at the county level. They handle valuations, TMK assignments, tax classification changes, and assessment appeals.
RPAD has multiple contact points depending on what you need. The main number is (808) 270-7297. Clerical questions go to (808) 270-7871. For tax map or ownership information, call (808) 270-7226. The appraisal department, which handles questions about how your property was valued, can be reached at (808) 270-7798 or by email at RPA@co.maui.hi.us. If your question is about your tax bill, the number is (808) 270-7697 and the email is Maui.rptc@co.maui.hi.us.
Assessment notices for Kihei properties go out in mid-March each year along with the rest of Maui County. If you receive an assessment that does not look right, you have a limited window to file an appeal. Contact RPAD as soon as possible after the notice arrives. The formal appeal process has a deadline, and missing it means you cannot challenge that year's value.
Property Tax Classifications in Kihei
Maui County uses multiple property tax classifications, and the classification assigned to your Kihei property affects what rate you pay. The main categories relevant to Kihei owners are residential (owner-occupied), residential non-owner-occupied, apartment, hotel and resort, and transient vacation rental. Each has its own tax rate set annually by the Maui County Council.
Transient vacation rental (TVR) properties in Kihei are taxed at the TVR rate, which is generally higher than the standard residential rate. A property qualifies as a TVR if it is used for short-term rentals of less than 180 days and has a valid TVR permit. Bed and breakfast operations are taxed differently again. If you buy a Kihei condo and plan to rent it short-term, the tax classification matters and should be factored into your planning. RPAD handles classification questions, and you can contact them at (808) 270-7297 to find out how a specific property is currently classified.
Deed records alone do not show tax classification, but they can affect it. When you buy a Kihei property, the conveyance triggers a review of the classification. If the new owner intends to occupy the property as a primary residence, they can apply to RPAD to have the classification changed to owner-occupied residential. This can lower the tax rate considerably compared to the non-owner-occupied or vacation rental rate.
Conveyance tax also applies at the time of transfer. The rate runs from $0.10 to $1.25 per $100 of the purchase price, depending on the value and property type. Every transfer requires either Form P-64A (taxable) or Form P-64B (exempt) to be filed with the deed. Kihei property investors and buyers need to budget for this cost as part of any purchase transaction.
Recording Requirements for Kihei Deeds
Hawaii deed recording requirements are set under Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 502. Any deed conveying real property in Kihei must be properly executed and acknowledged before it can be recorded. The grantor must sign the deed, and the signature must be notarized. The deed must include a legal description of the property, the grantor and grantee names, and a clear statement of what is being conveyed. Missing or incomplete elements will cause the BOC to reject the document.
Conveyance tax forms must accompany every deed at the time of recording. Use Form P-64A for taxable transfers or Form P-64B if the transfer is exempt from tax. Common exemptions include transfers between spouses, transfers to correct errors, and certain family transfers. If you are not sure which form applies to your Kihei transaction, check with your attorney or a title professional before submitting. The tax must be paid before the deed will be recorded.
For foreclosure cases and title disputes involving Kihei property, those matters go to the Second Circuit Court at 2145 Main Street, Wailuku, HI 96793, phone (808) 244-2700. The Second Circuit covers all of Maui County. Court orders related to property title, such as quiet title judgments or foreclosure decrees, are also recorded with the BOC and become part of the property's recorded chain of title. If you are researching a Kihei property with a complicated history, checking both RecordEASE and Second Circuit Court records may be necessary to get the full picture.
Note: The BOC Maui branch at 1063 Lower Main Street in Wailuku is the closest in-person filing location for Kihei residents. Documents submitted by mail go to the main BOC office in Honolulu.
Maui County Deed Records
Kihei is part of Maui County, and all deed recording for properties here runs through the same county and state system that covers the rest of Maui. The Maui County deed records page has full details on the Bureau of Conveyances, RPAD, recording fees, and how to request records from county offices.
Nearby Cities
These Maui cities are close to Kihei and use the same Bureau of Conveyances recording system for all property deed documents.