Eviction Process In Hawaii

Evicting a tenant in Hawaii means following Summary possession in District Court exactly, start to finish. Skipping a step, whether it's the notice period, how the tenant is served, or the lockout procedure, can restart the clock or expose a management company to liability. This guide walks through each step with the statute or court rule behind it.

Everything below is sourced to Hawaii's own statutes and court self-help pages. Specific deadlines and dollar figures do change, so confirm the current text before you rely on a date in a live case.

Overview Of The Eviction Process

Hawaii residential evictions are called summary possession actions. Substantive grounds and notices come from the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code (HRS Chapter 521); the court procedure for the action itself is in HRS Chapter 666; cases are filed in the District Court of the circuit where the rental unit is located.

• Hawaii's Residential Landlord-Tenant Code is codified at HRS Chapter 521. (HRS ch. 521)
• Landlord-tenant summary possession forms, including the Complaint for Summary Possession, are published per-circuit by the Hawaii State Judiciary's District Court self-help pages.

Lawful Grounds For Eviction

HRS Chapter 521 sets out specific landlord remedies that serve as grounds for summary possession, including nonpayment of rent and drug-related criminal activity.

• Nonpayment of rent, after a written demand and the tenant's continued default, is grounds for a landlord to bring a summary possession proceeding. (HRS §521-68)
• Unlawful delivery, production, or use of a controlled substance on the premises during the tenancy is grounds for eviction, with an accelerated notice period. (HRS §521-69(b))

Notice Requirements

Notice periods differ by ground; nonpayment requires a short written demand, while lease-violation and periodic-tenancy notices run longer. As of February 2026, a new pre-filing mediation notice also applies to nonpayment cases.

• For nonpayment of rent, the landlord may demand payment and must give the tenant not less than five business days after receipt of the demand to pay before terminating the rental agreement and pursuing summary possession. (HRS §521-68)
• As of February 5, 2026, a landlord may not file suit to evict a residential tenant for nonpayment of rent alone without first giving 10 days' written notice and providing that notice to the community mediation center serving the property's island. (Act 278 (2025), Session Laws of Hawaii)

Filing The Case

The summary possession complaint is filed in the District Court of the circuit where the property is located, using judiciary-published forms.

• A summary possession action is commenced by filing a Complaint for Summary Possession in the District Court.
• The Hawaii Judiciary's published fee schedule lists a $155.00 filing fee for a complaint for summary possession, which includes a $35.00 Indigent Legal Services Surcharge and a $20.00 administrative fee.

The Tenant's Response

The Hawaii Judiciary publishes a dedicated Answer form for summary possession defendants.

• A tenant may contest a summary possession complaint by filing an Answer to Complaint using the Judiciary's published form.

The Writ And Lockout

Judgment for the landlord is enforced by a writ of possession, executed by law enforcement.

• Where the plaintiff is entitled to possession, the court enters judgment for possession and costs, and a writ of possession issues, directed to the sheriff, deputy sheriff, police officer, or an authorized process server, commanding removal of all persons from the premises and restoration of possession to the plaintiff. (HRS §666-11)

Prohibited Practices

Hawaii's judiciary self-help materials confirm self-help eviction is unlawful.

• Self-help eviction is not lawful in Hawaii; a landlord must obtain a court order and use the proper enforcement steps to remove a tenant rather than locking the tenant out, shutting off utilities, or removing belongings directly.

Recent Changes Worth Tracking

• Act 278 (2025) established a Pre-Filing Eviction Mediation Program, effective February 5, 2026, as a pilot running through February 4, 2028: before filing a nonpayment-only eviction, a landlord must give the tenant 10 days' written notice and provide that notice to the community mediation center serving the rental property's island; if the tenant requests mediation, the landlord must participate. (Act 278, Session Laws of Hawaii)

Eviction is the last step in a relationship that's already gone wrong. See our guide to Hawaii property management laws and regulations for the licensing, disclosure, and trust-account rules that apply before it gets to this point.

Doing It By The Book

Self-help evictions, changing locks, removing doors, shutting off utilities, are illegal in every state and expose a management company to real liability regardless of how clear the nonpayment is. The court process exists because it's the only lawful way to remove a tenant, and skipping a step (a defective notice, bad service) is the single most common reason a case gets dismissed and restarted from day one.

This guide is a starting point for professional managers, not legal advice. For a specific case, a contested filing, or anything unusual, work with a Hawaii attorney, and confirm the current text of any rule cited above with District Court or the Hawaii legislature.

Sources

Every fact above is drawn from one of the official sources below.

• HRS ch. 521, Hawaii State Legislature, Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 521
• HRS §521-68, Hawaii State Legislature, HRS §521-68
• Act 278 (2025), Session Laws of Hawaii, Hawaii State Judiciary, Landlord-Tenant Claims Pre-Filing Eviction Mediation Program (Act 278)
• HRS §666-11, Hawaii State Legislature, HRS §666-11