Landlord guide, Hawaii (HI)
Hawaii eviction process: the landlord’s steps from notice to removal
The eviction process in Hawaii starts with the 10-day notice of nonpayment of rent: 10 calendar days for unpaid rent (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68, as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025). Then the landlord files in the district court, where the case is called summary possession; the court hears it, and after judgment a court officer carries out the removal.
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- Notice for unpaid rent
- 10 calendar days
- Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68, as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025
- Court
- district court
- Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 666; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68
- Time to appeal
- Not confirmed
- Checked against the statutes
- 1 November 2026
Step by step
The eviction process Hawaii landlords follow, step by step
Notice and court names are given as they read on Hawaii’s own forms, and timing details are quoted from the statute.
- 1
Step 1
Serve the notice
Unpaid rent: the 10-day notice of nonpayment of rent, 10 calendar days (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68, as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025).
Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.
Another breach of the lease: the notice to remedy breach, 10 calendar days (Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-69, 521-72).
No reason, month to month: 45 days’ notice (HRS § 521-71).
What the statute adds, in English
Act 278 (2025) sets 10 calendar days from receipt, a copy to a mediation center and mediation if the tenant asks, from 5 February 2026 to 4 February 2028. Outside that window the statute's notice is 5 business days.
- 2
Step 2
File the eviction in court
File in the district court, where the case is called summary possession (Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 666; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68).
- 3
Step 3
Go to the hearing
The statute sets no timetable for the hearing that we could confirm; the court schedules it.
- 4
Step 4
Judgment and appeal
No appeal deadline could be confirmed from the statute, so ask the clerk which one applies.
- 5
Step 5
Removal by a court officer
An officer of the court carries out the removal, on the court’s order.
The statute sets no removal timetable we could confirm; the officer schedules it.
Hawaii eviction process timeline
- Notice before filing
- 10 calendar days
- Time to answer
- Not confirmed
- Hearing
- Not confirmed
- Time to appeal
- Not confirmed
- Removal
- Not confirmed
Only some steps have a number in the statute, so no honest total exists: after filing, the court sets the pace.
Can you change the locks yourself?
No. Hawaii bans self-help eviction (Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-63, 521-74.5), so only the court process can remove a tenant.
A lockout or removal without cause or court order lets the tenant recover two months' rent, and willfully cutting water, electricity, gas or other essential service is an unfair and deceptive practice with a minimum penalty of three months' rent or $1,000.
The court process is the safe course in every state.
Write the Hawaii eviction notice
Fill in the notice for Hawaii in the generator, then read the rest of the state’s landlord law before you serve it.
Where Dardaris comes in
Most evictions start as one late payment. Dardaris sees it on day one.
It notices the missed rent the day it is due, sends the tenant a reminder, and if nothing comes, drafts the Hawaii notice with its 10 calendar days. You read it and sign; nothing goes out without you.
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Dardaris
The statutes
Hawaii eviction laws, with the statute behind each step
| Step | What the law says | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notice for unpaid rent | 10-day notice of nonpayment of rent10 calendar daysPaying in full within the period stops itAct 278 (2025) sets 10 calendar days from receipt, a copy to a mediation center and mediation if the tenant asks, from 5 February 2026 to 4 February 2028. Outside that window the statute's notice is 5 business days. | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68, as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025 |
| Notice for a lease breach | notice to remedy breach10 calendar daysThe tenant can fix the breach within the periodThe notice must give at least 10 days to remedy a breach of the rules or of the tenant's maintenance duties. No cure period is needed where the breach threatens health or safety, causes injury, or is deliberate serious damage. | Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-69, 521-72 |
| Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy | 45 days120 days for demolition or conversion to a condominium or transient vacation rental. A tenant gives 28 days. | HRS § 521-71 |
| How a notice is served | posting in a conspicuous place on the dwelling unit (received on the date of posting)mailing by USPS (received two business days after the postmark) | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68, as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025 |
| Court and action | district courtsummary possession | Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 666; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68 |
| Time to answer | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Hearing | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Time to appeal | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Removal | Not confirmed from the statute | Not confirmed from the statute |
| Self-help (lockouts, utilities) | BannedA lockout or removal without cause or court order lets the tenant recover two months' rent, and willfully cutting water, electricity, gas or other essential service is an unfair and deceptive practice with a minimum penalty of three months' rent or $1,000. | Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-63, 521-74.5 |
Read against the official texts below on 1 November 2026. The month-to-month period was checked on 29 September 2026.
- https://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/files/2024/12/2024-Landlord-Tenant-Handbook-Final.pdf
- https://www.courts.state.hi.us/?p=26060544
- https://www.courts.state.hi.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ACT-278-FAQ-4-14-26_HUD_FINAL-ADA.pdf
- https://www.courts.state.hi.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1DC-Fillable-Unpaid-Rent-Complaint-temporary-use-drop-down.pdf
- https://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/landlord-tenant/
- https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2024-Landlord-Tenant-Handbook-Final.pdf
- https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Act278FAQS.pdf
Questions landlords ask about eviction in Hawaii
How long does an eviction take in Hawaii?
The notice for unpaid rent runs 10 calendar days before you can file. After that the court sets the pace, so there is no honest total: the hearing, the judgment and the removal follow the court’s calendar and the timing rules quoted on this page.
What notice does a Hawaii landlord serve for unpaid rent?
The 10-day notice of nonpayment of rent, which gives the tenant 10 calendar days (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68, as amended by Act 278, SLH 2025). Paying everything owed inside the period ends the case, by statute.
Can a landlord change the locks in Hawaii?
No. Hawaii bans self-help eviction (Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-63, 521-74.5), so only the court process can remove a tenant. The exact limits are quoted on this page.
Where is an eviction filed in Hawaii?
In the district court, where the case is called summary possession (Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 666; Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68).
How does a landlord end a month-to-month tenancy in Hawaii?
With 45 days’ notice (HRS § 521-71). If the tenant stays on after that, the eviction process on this page applies.
Can the tenant appeal an eviction in Hawaii?
No appeal deadline could be confirmed from the statute, so ask the clerk which one applies.
The eviction process in other states
- Connecticut: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Delaware: 7 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Florida: 3 court days for unpaid rent
- Georgia: 3 business days for unpaid rent
- Idaho: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Illinois: 5 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Indiana: 10 calendar days for unpaid rent
- Iowa: 3 calendar days for unpaid rent
General information, not legal adviceEviction law changes, and a court can read a statute differently from this summary. Check the current text and your local court’s rules, or ask a lawyer licensed in the state, before you serve a notice or file.
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