Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares has signed into law a bill capping the number of Valley Isle bed-and-breakfast permits at 400.

The law streamlines the permit application process and limits the number of permits available in each area.

Only 48 permits will be available for Hana and 100 in South Maui.

The Lana'i and Moloka'i planning commissions will consider permit applications on those islands.

Under the old rules, a bed-and-breakfast permit required a detailed application and a public hearing. But the county didn't enforce the rules for many years, and unpermitted bed-and-breakfasts proliferated.

The council plans to consider a separate bill governing vacation rentals this year.