HCC §14-138
Rules for selling tobacco and checking age
Read the official text at hawaiicounty.gov ↗This section makes it illegal to give tobacco to anyone under 21, except for people who were 18 or older by June 30, 2014. Sellers must check ID if the buyer looks under 27. Breaking this rule leads to fines.
businesses
The ordinance, as written (Hawaiʻi County) — Prohibition; verification of age; penalties
A copy, taken August 21, 2026. The version published by Hawaiʻi County is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.
(a) It is unlawful for any person to distribute a tobacco product to any person under twenty one years of age, with the exception of any person who is eighteen years of age or older before or on June 30, 2014, and at such time could be a lawful recipient of a tobacco product. (b) A person who distributes tobacco products shall verify proof of age from a prospective recipient if an ordinary person would conclude on the basis of appearance that the prospective recipient may be less than twenty seven years of age. (c) Any person who violates this section shall be subject to a fine of $500 for the first offense. Any subsequent offenses shall subject the person to a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $2,000. (2013, ord 13-124, sec 1.)14-138
Published by the County of Hawaiʻi Office of the County Clerk.
LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.