Hawaii

Rental Lease Laws Overview

• Rent Control: Hawaii does not have rent control policies.
• Limit on Late Fees: There are limits on late fees.
• Late Fees in Rental Agreement: Late fees must be specified in the rental agreement.
• Grace Period: There is no grace period for late rent payments.
• License Required for Landlord: Yes, landlords must possess a license.

Landlords typically utilize a rental application to evaluate tenant eligibility before finalizing a lease agreement.

Required Lease Disclosures

Hawaii mandates specific disclosures in lease agreements, including:

• Lead-based Paint Disclosure: Required for rental properties constructed before 1978.
• Identification: Tenants must be informed of the names and addresses of the parties managing the premises.
• Property Condition Form: Landlords must provide a property condition form that includes an evaluation of the rental unit and its appliances.

Security Deposit

• Maximum Amount: Landlords may charge a security deposit of up to one month’s rent.
• Receipts: There are no specified requirements for providing receipts for the security deposit.
• Interest Payments: Landlords are not required to pay interest on the security deposit.
• Bank Account: There is no requirement for landlords to hold the security deposit in a separate bank account.
• Returning Requirements: The security deposit must be returned to the tenant within 14 days of the lease’s conclusion.
• Withholding Rules: Landlords may withhold the security deposit for reasons such as unpaid rent, excessive damage, cleaning costs, early lease termination, or attorney’s fees, but they must provide an itemized list of deductions.

Rent Payments

• Laws: Rent is due as agreed upon in the lease agreement.
• Rent Control: There are no rent control policies in Hawaii, allowing landlords to set and increase rent freely. Landlords must provide at least 45 days’ notice for monthly leases and 15 days’ notice for weekly leases before increasing rent.
• Late Fees and Grace Period: Late fees must be specified in the lease and cannot exceed 8% of the monthly rent. There is no grace period; if rent is not paid on time, landlords can issue a 5-day notice to quit.
• Withholding Rent: If a landlord fails to initiate health and safety repairs within five days of notification by a state or county agency, the tenant may arrange the repairs themselves and withhold up to $500 of their rent, provided they give the landlord receipts for the expenses.

Landlord Right of Entry

• Notice Requirements: Landlords must provide tenants with two days’ advance notice before entering the rental property.
• Keys, Locks, and Security: Landlords are prohibited from changing locks to evict tenants, but there are no specific rules regarding lock changes.

Property Repairs

• Landlord Responsibilities: Landlords are required to ensure their property is “habitable” and must address tenant repair requests promptly, typically within 15 days. If repairs are not made within this timeframe, tenants have the right to take alternative action.
• Tenant Repairs: Tenants are responsible for keeping the unit clean, handling minor repairs, and adhering to any additional requirements set by the landlord.
• Abandonment: A lease is considered abandoned if a tenant fails to pay rent and is absent from the unit for 20 consecutive days without notice.

Terminating a Lease

• Month-to-Month Tenancy: A 45-day notice is required to terminate a month-to-month lease.
• Unclaimed Property: Landlords may sell abandoned property after notifying the tenant and advertising the sale for at least three days. The proceeds from the sale must be held in a trust for 30 days before the landlord can claim them.

Statutes

• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 490:3-506.5 – Charges for dishonored checks
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-21(b) – Rent
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-21(d)(e) – Rent
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-35 – Attorney’s Fees
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-37 – Subleases and assignments
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-38 – Tenants subject to rental agreement; notice of conversions
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42 – Landlord to supply and maintain fit premises
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-43(a)(b) – Rental agreement, disclosure
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-43(d) – Rental agreement, disclosure
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(b) – Security deposits
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(c) – Security deposits
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(b)(2) and (e) – Prepaid Rent and Use of Security Deposit
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(c)(g) and (h) – Security deposits
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51 – Tenant to maintain dwelling unit
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52 – Tenant to use properly
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53(a) – Access
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53(b) – Access
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-54 – Tenant to use and occupy
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-55 – Tenant’s responsibility to inform landlord
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-56 – Disposition of tenant’s abandoned possessions
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-62 – Tenant’s remedy of termination at beginning of term
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-63(c) – Tenant’s remedy of termination at any time; unlawful removal or exclusion
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-64 – [Effective 11/1/2024] Tenant’s remedy of repair and deduction for minor defects
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68 – Landlord’s remedies for failure by tenant to pay rent
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70(b) – Landlord’s remedies for absence, misuse, abandonment and failure to honor tenancy before occupancy
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70(c) – Landlord’s remedies for absence, misuse, abandonment and failure to honor tenancy before occupancy
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70(d) – Landlord’s remedies for absence, misuse, abandonment and failure to honor tenancy before occupancy
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71(a) – Termination of tenancy; landlord’s remedies for holdover tenants
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71(b) – Termination of tenancy; landlord’s remedies for holdover tenants
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71(d) – Termination of tenancy; landlord’s remedies for holdover tenants
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-72 – Landlord’s remedies for improper use
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-74 – Retaliatory evictions and rent increases prohibited
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-78 – Rent trust fund
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 633-27 – District courts; powers
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1 – Six years
• Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666-3 – Forfeiture, warning, notice to vacate, refunds