Hawaii landlord and tenant rules

Seayora publishes 14 Hawaii rules, covering security deposits, notice periods, late fees, fair housing, tenant protections, repairs, contractor sales tax. Every one is composed from the statute it cites and links to that statute on the state’s own code site.

Hawaii at a glance

RuleHawaii
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Hawaii?14 days
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Hawaii?1 month of rent
How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Hawaii?10 days to pay
How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in Hawaii?48 hours
How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in Hawaii?45 days
How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Hawaii?45 days
How much can a landlord charge for a late rent fee in Hawaii?8% of the rent due
Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Hawaii?Protected, except owners of four or fewer units
Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Hawaii?Prohibited; no set period
Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Hawaii?Up to $1,000 or one month’s rent, whichever is greater
Do contractors charge sales tax in Hawaii?Gross receipts (General Excise Tax)
Is a capital improvement exempt from sales tax in Hawaii?Not exempt
Is appliance repair taxable in Hawaii?Taxable, with the parts
Is contractor labor taxable in Hawaii?Taxable — residential and commercial

Security deposits in Hawaii

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a landlord has 14 days after the tenancy ends to return the security deposit, together with an itemised statement of any deductions. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a security deposit is capped at 1 month of rent. One month's rent (plus one month's rent as a pet deposit). This is Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Notice periods in Hawaii

How many days does a tenant get to pay late rent in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, before starting a nonpayment case a landlord must serve a written notice giving the tenant 10 days to pay the rent due. This is a pilot: Act 278 (2025) replaced the five-business-day notice with a ten-calendar-day notice from 5 February 2026, a copy of which must also go to a state-funded mediation center — and if mediation is scheduled the landlord may not file until 20 days after the notice. The pilot is repealed on 4 February 2027, when the five-business-day notice returns. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-21(d), 521-71(a), 521-53(b), 521-68 (as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025).

Rent on a month-to-month tenancy may be raised with 45 days' written notice, and a landlord ends one with 45 days' written notice (a tenant needs 28). Entry: at least two days' notice, during reasonable hours, except in an emergency.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before entering in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a landlord must give 48 hours notice before entering an occupied rental, other than in an emergency. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-21(d), 521-71(a), 521-53(b), 521-68 (as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025).

Rent on a month-to-month tenancy may be raised with 45 days' written notice, and a landlord ends one with 45 days' written notice (a tenant needs 28). Entry: at least two days' notice, during reasonable hours, except in an emergency.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

How much notice does a landlord have to give before raising the rent in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a landlord must give 45 days written notice before raising the rent. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-21(d), 521-71(a), 521-53(b), 521-68 (as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025).

Rent on a month-to-month tenancy may be raised with 45 days' written notice, and a landlord ends one with 45 days' written notice (a tenant needs 28). Entry: at least two days' notice, during reasonable hours, except in an emergency.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a landlord must give 45 days written notice to end a tenancy or decline to renew it. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-21(d), 521-71(a), 521-53(b), 521-68 (as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025).

Rent on a month-to-month tenancy may be raised with 45 days' written notice, and a landlord ends one with 45 days' written notice (a tenant needs 28). Entry: at least two days' notice, during reasonable hours, except in an emergency.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Late fees in Hawaii

How much can a landlord charge for a late rent fee in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, a late fee may not exceed 8% of the rent due. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-21(f).

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Fair housing in Hawaii

Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Hawaii?

No, not in most cases. In Hawaii, a landlord may not refuse to rent to a person, advertise that they will not, or set different conditions, because the person takes part in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program or a permanent supportive housing program, or because of the program’s requirements. The rule does not apply to a landlord who owns four or fewer units in the state, to an owner-occupied two-family building, to renting rooms in the owner’s own home, to an affordable housing project subsidized by public funds or land, to a source of income not approved within 21 days of a request for tenancy approval, or to a commercially reasonable check of income and credit. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 368F-2, 368F-3.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Tenant protections in Hawaii

Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Hawaii?

No. In Hawaii, as long as the tenant keeps paying the usual rent, a landlord may not evict, raise the rent or cut services after the tenant complains in good faith to a government agency about a health or code violation, an agency files a notice of violation, or the tenant requests repairs in good faith. The statute lists exceptions, such as a termination notice given before the complaint. Separately, the federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to threaten or interfere with anyone for exercising fair housing rights. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-74.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Repairs in Hawaii

Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Hawaii?

Yes, within limits. In Hawaii, if a landlord does not begin repairs within twelve business days after the tenant’s written notice of a defect (three business days for electrical, plumbing and other facilities needed for a sanitary home, or seven days after a health or safety notice from a government agency), the tenant may have the work done and deduct up to $1,000 or one month’s rent, whichever is greater, after giving the landlord receipts. Repairs charged to the landlord may not exceed three months’ rent in any six months. Each step has to be followed as the statute sets it out, including the written notice and the waiting period, or the deduction can be treated as unpaid rent. This is Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-64.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Contractor sales tax in Hawaii

Do contractors charge sales tax in Hawaii?

Hawaii does not run an ordinary sales tax on contractors. It taxes the contractor's own GROSS RECEIPTS, and the charge is called General Excise Tax. It is a tax on the business, not a tax collected from the customer, so it applies to the whole job — including amounts a contractor recharges "at cost", such as a permit fee. Hawaii also has county, city or special-district rates on top of the state rate, so the rate depends on where the job site is, not where the contractor is based. Source: Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 237 (General Excise Tax — levied on the business's gross income, contracting included, not on the customer).

GET is a tax on the CONTRACTOR that may be visibly passed on; the maximum pass-on rate exceeds the nominal rate because the pass-on is itself part of gross income. Subcontract deductions under §237-13(3)(B) are not modeled here.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Is a capital improvement exempt from sales tax in Hawaii?

No. Hawaii does not exempt capital improvements to real property the way most states do, because it taxes the contractor's gross receipts rather than running a sales tax on the customer. Work that would be exempt elsewhere is taxable here. A capital improvement is a permanent addition that becomes part of the property; a repair restores something to working order and is treated differently. Source: Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 237 (General Excise Tax — levied on the business's gross income, contracting included, not on the customer).

GET is a tax on the CONTRACTOR that may be visibly passed on; the maximum pass-on rate exceeds the nominal rate because the pass-on is itself part of gross income. Subcontract deductions under §237-13(3)(B) are not modeled here.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Is appliance repair taxable in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii taxes the LABOR on repairs to tangible personal property — an appliance, a boiler or a unit that never becomes part of the building — as well as the parts. This is a different question from work on the real property itself: the same technician on the same visit can be doing taxable work on an appliance and differently treated work on the structure, and the invoice has to tell them apart. Source: Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 237 (General Excise Tax — levied on the business's gross income, contracting included, not on the customer).

GET is a tax on the CONTRACTOR that may be visibly passed on; the maximum pass-on rate exceeds the nominal rate because the pass-on is itself part of gross income. Subcontract deductions under §237-13(3)(B) are not modeled here.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Is contractor labor taxable in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii taxes the LABOR on repair and maintenance work to real property, on both residential and commercial jobs. Repair and maintenance is not the same thing as a capital improvement — the classification of the job is what decides the tax, not the wording on the invoice. Source: Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 237 (General Excise Tax — levied on the business's gross income, contracting included, not on the customer).

GET is a tax on the CONTRACTOR that may be visibly passed on; the maximum pass-on rate exceeds the nominal rate because the pass-on is itself part of gross income. Subcontract deductions under §237-13(3)(B) are not modeled here.

Full answer and the checkable figures.

Sources

  • Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 237 (General Excise Tax — levied on the business's gross income, contracting included, not on the customer).
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-21(f)
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-64
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-74
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 368F-2, 368F-3
  • Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-21(d), 521-71(a), 521-53(b), 521-68 (as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025)

This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.

This is a summary of a state’s published guidance, not tax or legal advice. Rates and rules change, local jurisdictions add their own, and the treatment of a specific job depends on the contract and the work. Check the citation and speak to a CPA or a state tax adviser before relying on it.

How Seayora uses these rules

Security deposits. Seayora computes the deadline this rule sets from the tenancy’s own dates, shows it on the deposit statement, and reminds the landlord before it falls due — so the answer above is not reference material sitting beside the product, it is the rule the product enforces.

Notice periods. Seayora computes the notice this rule requires from the tenancy’s own dates — for a renewal offer, a rent increase or a served notice — and will not serve one that is short unless the owner records a reason. The answer above is the rule the product enforces.

Late fees. Seayora charges only the late fee written into the lease, after the grace period the lease sets, and adds no late fee of its own. This page states the statutory ceiling and waiting period so the terms of a lease can be checked against them before it is signed.

Fair housing. This page states whether the state protects renters who pay with a housing voucher, so a listing and its screening rules can be checked against it before they are published. Seayora’s rental search assistant never filters homes by how a renter will pay the rent.

Tenant protections. When an owner prepares an eviction in Seayora, it lists any repair request opened on the unit in the last 180 days that is still open, not to stop the case but because the tenant will raise retaliation and the owner should have an answer. Every repair request keeps the date it was filed.

Repairs. Every deadline on this page runs from the tenant’s notice. A repair request filed in Seayora keeps the date it was made and every update after it, on the website and both phone apps, so owner and tenant are working from the same date.

Contractor sales tax. Seayora resolves this rule on every invoice a contractor raises — per line, from the job site’s own address — and prints the rate, the jurisdiction and this citation on the document itself, so the estimate a customer accepts is the invoice they are billed. Where the rule is more nuanced than a single answer, Seayora refuses to guess a total rather than quoting a confident wrong one.

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