Hawaii Green Fee 2026: What It Adds to an Oahu Trip

Booking choice: The buffet and show cruise, from $139 per person. Check dates Tour details

Hawaii's green fee is Act 96 of 2025, which Governor Josh Green signed on May 27, 2025, per a Hawaii Tourism Authority presentation. It raises the state's transient accommodations tax (TAT) and was written to reach cruise ship passengers too.

Part of it applies to your trip now, and part of it is stuck in court. Here is where things stand, with the official sources.

The quick answer

Hawaii's state hotel tax rose from 10.25% to 11% on January 1, 2026. On Oahu the city adds a 3% county tax, and businesses may pass on general excise tax of up to 4.712%. On a $300 room that is about $56 a night in tax, of which the green fee increase is $2.25. The part that taxes cruise ship fares is blocked by a federal appeals court, and a dinner cruise ticket is not a room.

What is Hawaii's green fee?

A 0.75-point rise in the state transient accommodations tax, from 10.25% to 11%, in force from January 1, 2026 until December 31, 2030.

The Department of Taxation's Announcement 2025-03 sets out the change: Act 96 raises the TAT on hotel rooms, vacation rentals and timeshares to 11% from January 1, 2026. Its Announcement 2026-01 adds the end date, December 31, 2030.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority puts the yield at about $100 million a year, for environmental stewardship, hazard mitigation and resilient infrastructure, and the visitor experience. A Green Fee Advisory Council of ten volunteers advises the governor on how to spend it.

How much does the green fee add to a hotel bill on Oahu?

The increase itself is small: $2.25 a night on a $300 room. The full stack of room taxes on Oahu comes to about 18.7%.

Three taxes sit on an Oahu hotel night. The state TAT is now 11%. The City and County of Honolulu has charged its own 3% Oahu transient accommodations tax since December 14, 2021. And businesses pay general excise tax, which on Oahu they may pass on to you at up to 4.712%.

Tax	Rate	On a $300 room night
State TAT (with the green fee)	11%	$33.00
Of which the green fee increase	0.75%	$2.25
Oahu county TAT	3%	$9.00
General excise tax, if passed on	up to 4.712%	up to $14.14
Total	about 18.7%	about $56

Does the green fee apply to cruise ships?

Not for now. A federal appeals court blocked the cruise part on December 31, 2025, and the state is not collecting it.

Act 96 also taxes cruise ship fares at 11%, prorated by the days a ship spends docked in Hawaii. The cruise industry sued. On December 31, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals enjoined enforcement of the cruise provisions, and the Department of Taxation's Announcement 2026-01 says it will not enforce them until further notice. The 11% hotel rate took effect as planned.

This concerns multi-day cruise ships that dock in Honolulu, not the two-hour sunset boats on this site.

Does the green fee change the price of a dinner cruise or tour?

No. The TAT is a tax on lodging and on cruise ship fares; a sunset cruise or luau ticket sells no room.

The Viator price of the Star of Honolulu buffet cruise, from $139, already includes Hawaii state tax and harbor fees, per the listing. The Three Star listing includes local taxes and fees too, and MANA's yacht listing includes taxes and fees. Prices on this site are 2026 from-prices; the checkout total for your date is the one that counts.

What does add up on a cruise night is the extras: drinks beyond the included ones, tips, photos and parking. Our price guide lists them by tier.

The buffet and show cruise: tax and harbor fees already in the price, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Check dates for the buffet and show cruise

What does parking cost for a sunset cruise in 2026?

It depends on the pier: from free at Waianae Harbor to a paid lot downtown near Aloha Tower.

The Star of Honolulu's directions page lists five lots near Pier 8, all run by other companies, with rates that change without notice; guests report paying about $27 to $30 for a dinner cruise evening. Whale watch guests get a $20 flat-rate validation at Piers 5 and 6. The other boats publish their own rates.

Cruise	Where you park	Cost
Star of Honolulu	Lots near Pier 8, Aloha Tower	Varies; guests report about $27 to $30
Holokai sunset sail	Embassy Suites, Waikiki	$15 for 4 hours, validated
Hawaii Nautical, Waikiki	Hilton paid parking, Paoa Place	Paid; about a 15-minute walk
West Oahu cruise	Waianae Harbor	Free
Chief's Luau	Wet'n'Wild Hawaii lot	$13, cards only

A firework bursting over a harbor with city lights reflected in the water — City lights and fireworks over the water at night.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Hawaii green fee in 2026?

The state transient accommodations tax on hotel rooms and vacation rentals rose from 10.25% to 11% on January 1, 2026, under Act 96. It runs until December 31, 2030.

How much hotel tax will I pay on Oahu in 2026?

About 18.7% in total: 11% state TAT, 3% Oahu county TAT and up to 4.712% general excise tax if the hotel passes it on.

Do cruise ship passengers pay the green fee?

Not at the moment. A federal appeals court blocked the cruise part on December 31, 2025, and the Department of Taxation is not enforcing it until further notice.

Is the green fee charged on tours and dinner cruises?

No. It is a tax on lodging and on cruise ship fares. The Viator price of the Star of Honolulu buffet cruise already includes Hawaii state tax and harbor fees.

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