When was Kauai County founded?

Kauai County was founded in 1903, and named after Kauaʻi.

What is the county seat of Kauai County?

The county seat of Kauai County is Līhuʻe.

Is there an online parcel map for Kauai County?

Yes. Kauai County publishes a parcel map of 30,673 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Kauai County's boundary or name changed?

Kauai County was created in 1903. Its boundary has been clarified one time since, with no change on the ground.

Who issues building permits in Kauai County?

The county's page on building permits: Building Permit Status. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Kauai County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 15007

Kauai CountyHawaii

Kauai County is a county in Hawaii with its seat in Līhuʻe, created in 1903.

Founded1903
County seatLīhuʻe
Named forKauaʻi
Land area620 sq mi + 646 sq mi water
Population73,298 2020 Census
Parcels mapped30,673 checked 16 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Kauai County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 19 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

Where it is

Kauai on the map of Hawaii

Hawaii has 5 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.

Counties of Hawaii · Kauai highlighted

History

Founded in 1903

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Kauai County was created on April 22, 1903 by the Territory of Hawaii from the islands of Kauai and Niihau, all other islands within three nautical miles thereof, and the waters adjacent thereto.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

1903
Kauai County created Kauai created by the Territory of Hawaii from the islands of Kauai and Niihau, all other islands within three nautical miles thereof, and the waters adjacent thereto. 22 April 1903 · Hawaii Terr. Laws 1903, reg. sess., act 31, ch. 1/pp. 42-43
1905
Boundary clarified Kauai redefined (no change).
no change
13 April 1905 · Hawaii Terr. Laws 1905, reg. sess., act 39, ch. 1/p. 45

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Kauai

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 30,673 parcels from Kauai County. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 3 August 2026 · checked 16 October 2026
Address points Missing

No public address points layer found for Kauai County yet.
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Kauai by the Census

Population

73,298 2020 Census count

Housing units

30,157 2020 Census count

Land area

620 square miles

Water area

646 square miles · 51% of the county, including large bodies of water

People per sq mi

118 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Records

Assessor and property recordsfrom kauai.gov · checked 13 October 2026

Permits

Building Permit Statusfrom egov.kauai.gov
Permits & Land Use - Kauai County, HIfrom kauai.gov

Zoning and code

Planning and zoning 808-241-4985from kauai.gov · checked 13 October 2026
Ordinances - Kauai County, HIfrom kauai.gov
Budget Notices, Minutes & Ordinances - Kauai County, HIfrom kauai.gov
Zoning Permit Applicationfrom connect.kauai.gov
Zoning and Land Use Permits - Kauai County, HIfrom kauai.gov

GIS and maps

County GIS and mapsfrom kauai.gov · checked 13 October 2026

County government

County government
The official website of Kauai County.
kauai.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Kauai County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Kauai County

When was Kauai County founded?: Kauai County was founded in 1903, and named after Kauaʻi.
What is the county seat of Kauai County?: The county seat of Kauai County is Līhuʻe.
Is there an online parcel map for Kauai County?: Yes. Kauai County publishes a parcel map of 30,673 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Kauai County's boundary or name changed?: Kauai County was created in 1903. Its boundary has been clarified one time since, with no change on the ground.
Who issues building permits in Kauai County?: The county's page on building permits: Building Permit Status. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Kauai County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.