Hawaii Landlord-Tenant Laws: Key Rental Rules (2026)
Security deposits, notice periods, landlord entry, and other key rental rules in Hawaii, each linked to the state law it comes from.
By the ListMyHomes.com™ Editorial TeamPublished Last reviewed
This page summarizes the main landlord-tenant rules in Hawaii. Each rule in the table below links to the law it comes from.
Key rules at a glance
| Rule | Hawaii |
|---|---|
| Where these laws apply | HRS Chapter 521, the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code, sets no county, island or population limit on where it applies. Unless set up to avoid the chapter, it does not apply to listed kinds of occupancy, including residence at an institution incidental to detention or medical, educational, religious or similar services, transient day-to-day occupancy in a hotel or motel, and housing controlled, owned or managed by the Hawaii public housing authority. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-7 |
| Security deposit limit | One month's rent. An added deposit for a pet animal allowed by the rental agreement may also be agreed, up to one more month's rent; it may not be required from a tenant without a pet or for an assistance animal that is a reasonable accommodation for a tenant with a disability. At the start of a rental agreement the landlord may not require or receive any money other than the first month's rent and the security deposit. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(b) |
| Where deposits are held | The landlord holds the deposit for the tenant, and the tenant's claim to it comes before any creditor of the landlord, including a bankruptcy trustee, even if deposits are commingled. No rule in HRS Chapter 521 on the account in which a deposit is held. When the landlord transfers the unit, the new landlord is bound, the old landlord must account for the deposits, and within 20 days the new landlord must tell each tenant in writing the deposit amount credited to them. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(b), (f); Haw. Rev. Stat. Chapter 521 (no provision) |
| Returning the deposit | Within 14 days after the rental agreement ends, the landlord must return the deposit, less any amounts kept as the law allows. A landlord who does not give the required written notice and information within those 14 days may not keep any of the deposit and must return all of it. Mailing to an address the tenant supplied, with proof of mailing and postmarked by midnight of the 14th day, or the tenant's acknowledgment of receipt within the 14 days, is presumed compliance. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(c) |
| Deposit deductions | The deposit may cover only: damage from the tenant's failure to meet the tenant's duties under § 521-51, unpaid rent, unreturned keys and similar items, cleaning to the move-in condition, damages when a tenant wrongfully quits, pet damage, and landlord-provided utilities owed but not included in the rent. To keep any part, the landlord must notify the tenant in writing (unless the tenant wrongfully quit) of the particulars and grounds, with written evidence of the costs, such as estimates, invoices or receipts. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(a), (c) |
| Interest on deposits | |
| Landlord entry notice | At least two days' notice of the landlord's intent to enter, except in an emergency or where that is impracticable; entry only during reasonable hours. The tenant may not unreasonably refuse entry to inspect, make repairs or improvements, supply agreed services or show the unit. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53(a), (b) |
| Notice to end a month-to-month lease | Month-to-month: the landlord must give written notice at least 45 days before the termination; the tenant must give written notice at least 28 days before. At least 120 days' notice when the landlord plans voluntary demolition, a condominium conversion or a change to transient vacation rentals. Less than month-to-month: at least 10 days' notice by either side. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71(a)-(d) |
| Rent-increase notice | Month-to-month: written notice 45 consecutive days before the increase takes effect. Less than month-to-month: written notice 15 consecutive days before. While the tenant keeps paying the usual rent, the landlord may not demand a rent increase after the tenant's good-faith complaint to a government agency or the landlord about a violation of a health law or of the chapter, an agency's notice of such a violation, or the tenant's good-faith repair request, except in the cases § 521-74(d) lists. Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-21(d), (e), 521-74(a) |
| Late fees | A late charge in the rental agreement may not exceed 8% of the rent due. No grace period in HRS Chapter 521. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-21(f); Haw. Rev. Stat. Chapter 521 (no provision) |
| Notice for unpaid rent | Written notice that the rental agreement will end unless the rent is paid within at least 10 calendar days after the tenant receives it. The notice must include information the law lists, including the landlord's contact information, and a copy must go to a state-funded mediation center. If mediation is scheduled within the 10 days and the tenant takes part, the landlord may file for possession only after 20 calendar days from the tenant's receipt of the notice, unless the tenant misses or cancels the mediation. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68(a)-(c) (effective February 5, 2026) |
| Rent control | |
| Required landlord disclosures | In writing at or before the start of the tenancy: the name and address of each person authorized to manage the premises and of each owner or person authorized to act for the owner for service of process and for receiving rents, notices and demands. A copy of a written rental agreement, and the landlord's general excise tax number. An owner or landlord living outside Hawaii or on another island must name in the written rental agreement an agent living on the island where the unit is. Before move-in, a written inventory of the condition of the premises and any furnishings or appliances, signed by landlord and tenant, with a copy to each tenant. Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-43(a), (d), (f), (h), 521-42(a) Federal law: For housing built before 1978 (with limited exceptions): before the tenant is bound by the lease, the landlord must give the EPA lead-hazard pamphlet and disclose any known lead-based paint or hazards and any available reports. 42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR 745.107 |
| Fair housing protected classes | Race; sex, including gender identity or expression; sexual orientation; color; religion; marital status; familial status; ancestry; disability; age; and HIV infection. The law covers rentals and leases. In Hawaii's law, age means over the age of majority, or an emancipated minor. Gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, age and HIV infection are in Hawaii's list but not the federal one; Hawaii's list does not use the federal term national origin. Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 515-3(a), 515-2; 42 U.S.C. § 3604 |
What this means for renters
Before you sign, compare the lease's deposit amount, rent due date, and late-fee terms with the rules above. At move-in, record the unit's condition with dated photos. When you move out, give the written notice your lease and the rules above call for, leave a forwarding address, and keep copies of everything you send and receive.
What this means for landlords who manage their own rental
List the unit with its rent, deposit, and lease terms. Screen every applicant by the same written criteria, within fair-housing law. Collect the deposit and give notices following the rules above, and keep records of the unit's condition at move-in and move-out.
List your rental on ListMyHomes.com for one flat fee, or browse rentals in Hawaii listed directly by owners.
Frequently asked questions
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Hawaii?
One month's rent. An added deposit for a pet animal allowed by the rental agreement may also be agreed, up to one more month's rent; it may not be required from a tenant without a pet or for an assistance animal that is a reasonable accommodation for a tenant with a disability. At the start of a rental agreement the landlord may not require or receive any money other than the first month's rent and the security deposit. See the source in the table above.
How long does a Hawaii landlord have to return a security deposit?
Within 14 days after the rental agreement ends, the landlord must return the deposit, less any amounts kept as the law allows. A landlord who does not give the required written notice and information within those 14 days may not keep any of the deposit and must return all of it. Mailing to an address the tenant supplied, with proof of mailing and postmarked by midnight of the 14th day, or the tenant's acknowledgment of receipt within the 14 days, is presumed compliance. See the source in the table above.
How much notice must a Hawaii landlord give before entering?
At least two days' notice of the landlord's intent to enter, except in an emergency or where that is impracticable; entry only during reasonable hours. The tenant may not unreasonably refuse entry to inspect, make repairs or improvements, supply agreed services or show the unit. See the source in the table above.
How much notice ends a month-to-month lease in Hawaii?
Month-to-month: the landlord must give written notice at least 45 days before the termination; the tenant must give written notice at least 28 days before. At least 120 days' notice when the landlord plans voluntary demolition, a condominium conversion or a change to transient vacation rentals. Less than month-to-month: at least 10 days' notice by either side. See the source in the table above.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Hawaii?
Month-to-month: written notice 45 consecutive days before the increase takes effect. Less than month-to-month: written notice 15 consecutive days before. While the tenant keeps paying the usual rent, the landlord may not demand a rent increase after the tenant's good-faith complaint to a government agency or the landlord about a violation of a health law or of the chapter, an agency's notice of such a violation, or the tenant's good-faith repair request, except in the cases § 521-74(d) lists. See the source in the table above.
How much can a Hawaii landlord charge for late rent?
A late charge in the rental agreement may not exceed 8% of the rent due. No grace period in HRS Chapter 521. See the source in the table above.
How much notice must a Hawaii landlord give when rent is unpaid?
Written notice that the rental agreement will end unless the rent is paid within at least 10 calendar days after the tenant receives it. The notice must include information the law lists, including the landlord's contact information, and a copy must go to a state-funded mediation center. If mediation is scheduled within the 10 days and the tenant takes part, the landlord may file for possession only after 20 calendar days from the tenant's receipt of the notice, unless the tenant misses or cancels the mediation. See the source in the table above.
Does Hawaii have rent control?
No limit on the amount of rent in HRS Chapter 521. See the source in the table above.
Rentals in Hawaii listed by owners
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