Hawaii renter rights: the basics for first-time renters
Hawaii's Residential Landlord-Tenant Code is Chapter 521 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), and the state Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) publishes a handbook explaining it. Here are the rules first-time renters use most.
Quick facts
| Security deposit max | 1 month's rent, plus an optional pet deposit of up to 1 month's rent |
|---|---|
| Deposit returned within | 14 days after the rental agreement ends, with an itemized list of any deductions |
| Late fee cap | 8% of the rent due |
| Rent increases | No rent control; 45 days' written notice on a month-to-month tenancy |
| Month-to-month: notice to end | Tenant gives 28 days; landlord gives 45 days (written) |
| Landlord entry | At least 2 days' notice, during reasonable hours (emergencies excepted) |
| Unpaid rent notice | 5 business days' written notice to pay |
| Repair-and-deduct | Up to $500 if the landlord doesn't start repairs in time (see below) |
Quick facts are simplified. Read the sections below for exceptions, and check your city or county too.
Security deposits
- Cap: one month's rent. If pets are allowed, you and the landlord can also agree on a pet deposit of up to one more month's rent (not allowed for assistance animals).
- Return: within 14 days after the rental agreement ends, the landlord must return the deposit or send written notice of what was kept and why. Damage deductions must be itemized, with receipts or estimates.
- Tip: do a written move-in inventory with the landlord and keep a copy. It is your best evidence at move-out.
Rent increases and late fees
There's no rent control in Hawaii and no limit on the size of an increase, but the landlord must give adequate written notice. On a month-to-month tenancy that is 45 days. With a fixed-term lease, rent is set by the lease until it ends. If your lease includes a late charge, it can't be more than 8% of the rent due.
Ending a month-to-month tenancy
On a month-to-month tenancy, you must give at least 28 days' written notice, and the landlord must give at least 45 days' written notice. Neither side needs to give a reason. Week-to-week tenancies have shorter notice periods.
When the landlord can come in
Except in an emergency, the landlord must give at least two days' notice and enter only during reasonable hours. The landlord can't abuse this right or use it to harass you, and you can't unreasonably refuse access.
Repairs and living conditions
Landlords must meet health and building codes and keep the unit and its appliances in good repair. After you notify the landlord in writing:
- The landlord must start repairs within 12 business days (sooner for some urgent problems) and finish as soon as possible.
- If the landlord doesn't, you may make the repairs and deduct up to $500 from the next month's rent, giving the landlord all receipts. Follow the handbook's steps exactly; it has a sample letter.
- You can also contact the Department of Health or your county about code violations.
Write it all down from day one. The 12-page First Apartment Move-In Kit has a first-week timeline, lease and building facts, a utilities board, room-by-room unpacking, and a first-month money sheet — so your lease facts, notice dates, and move-in notes live in one place. $9.99 on Etsy. Undated.
Get the kit — $9.99 on EtsyEviction basics
If rent is late, the landlord can give written notice that the agreement will end unless you pay within five business days, then sue to evict if you don't. Only a court can order you out. A landlord who locks you out or removes you without a court order can be liable to you, and you can recover possession or end the agreement. Shutting off utilities to force you out is also prohibited.
Retaliation and discrimination
If you complain to the Department of Health, OCP, or another agency about code violations, or ask in good faith for repairs, the landlord can't retaliate by raising rent, cutting services, or evicting you. Housing discrimination is illegal under federal law and Hawaii law. Contact the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.
City and county rules
Counties enforce their own housing codes, so call your county for inspections.
Move-in checklist for Hawaii renters
- ☐ Get a written lease and read all of it before signing
- ☐ Get a receipt for the deposit and any move-in money
- ☐ Photograph every room, dated, before you unpack
- ☐ Fill out (or write your own) move-in condition list and keep a copy
- ☐ Note the rent due date, grace period, and late fee
- ☐ Write down how to request repairs, and do it in writing
- ☐ Save the landlord's legal name and address for notices
- ☐ Put your notice deadline for moving out in your calendar
Still apartment hunting? Our list of questions to ask a landlord before signing a lease covers deposits, fees, repairs, and move-out rules you will want answered in writing.
Where to get help in Hawaii
- Office of Consumer Protection — Landlord-Tenant Information Center — free information line on Chapter 521.
- Hawaii Civil Rights Commission — housing discrimination complaints.
- Find free legal aid near you — the federal Legal Services Corporation's directory of local legal aid offices.
- File a housing discrimination complaint with HUD — the federal fair housing agency.
Official sources
These are the official state law and government pages we checked for every fact on this page. The law itself controls if anything here differs.
- Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection (DCCA), 2024 Handbook for the Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Code (PDF)
- HRS Chapter 521, Residential Landlord-Tenant Code (Hawaii State Legislature) — §§ 521-21, 521-42, 521-44, 521-53, 521-63, 521-64, 521-68, 521-71, 521-74
- DCCA, HRS Chapter 521 overview
Not legal advice; laws change and cities may add rules. Check the official sources below or a local legal aid office. This page is a plain-language summary written by First Apartment Kit, not the law itself. Last reviewed: October 2026.