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Hawaii security deposit: 14 days to get it back

The landlord must return the unused balance of the deposit within 14 days after the rental agreement ends. To keep any part, it must give the tenant written notice of the reasons, with supporting documentation, within the same 14 days. Mailing with proof of mailing postmarked by day 14 reportedly creates a presumption of compliance.

What the law requires

Itemized statement
Written notice of the reasons for each deduction plus supporting documents such as estimates, invoices or receipts. Allowed deductions include unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear, move-out cleaning, unreturned keys or access devices, pet damage, and unpaid landlord-provided utilities.
If the landlord breaks the rules
Either party may sue in small claims (no lawyers allowed). If the landlord wrongfully and willfully kept the deposit, the court may award three times the amount wrongfully retained plus costs. If wrongful but not willful, the tenant gets the amount wrongfully retained plus costs.
Loss of the right to deduct
A landlord that does not give the required written notice and information within 14 days loses the right to keep any part of the deposit and must return the full amount.
Deposit cap
One month's rent. A separate pet-damage deposit is allowed up to one more month's rent (none for tenants without pets or for assistance animals). At move-in a landlord may collect only the first month's rent plus the deposit.
Small claims limit
No dollar cap for security deposit claims in Hawaii small claims (District Court, Small Claims Division)

If your landlord misses the deadline

  1. Write down your dates and gather proof: move-out date, the date you gave your forwarding address, the deposit amount, and anything the landlord sent. Photos and receipts help.
  2. Send a written demand by certified mail, keep the receipt, and cite Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44. Give a date to respond.
  3. If you still aren't paid, file in District Court, Small Claims Division. Deposit claims of any size can be filed there, usually without a lawyer. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

What a Hawaii demand letter looks like

Re: Demand for return of security deposit / Rental address: [Street address, unit, city, state ZIP]

Dear [Landlord name]:

I rented the property above from you under a lease that began on [lease start date]. I paid a security deposit of $[deposit amount] on [date paid]. I moved out and returned possession on [move-out date].

My forwarding address is [forwarding address]. Please send my deposit and any required statement to that address.

[A.] I have not received my deposit or an itemized statement of deductions. Under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44, a landlord must return a tenant's security deposit, or send an itemized statement of any deductions, within 14 days after the tenant moves out. That deadline passed on [deadline date].

Preview of the first part of letter one. Yellow marks the parts you fill in.

Common questions

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

The landlord must return the unused balance of the deposit within 14 days after the rental agreement ends. To keep any part, it must give the tenant written notice of the reasons, with supporting documentation, within the same 14 days. Mailing with proof of mailing postmarked by day 14 reportedly creates a presumption of compliance.

What happens if a Hawaii landlord keeps the deposit wrongfully?

Either party may sue in small claims (no lawyers allowed). If the landlord wrongfully and willfully kept the deposit, the court may award three times the amount wrongfully retained plus costs. If wrongful but not willful, the tenant gets the amount wrongfully retained plus costs. A landlord that does not give the required written notice and information within 14 days loses the right to keep any part of the deposit and must return the full amount.

Do I have to give my Hawaii landlord a forwarding address?

Our review of Hawaii's statute didn't find a forwarding-address rule that starts the deadline. Give one in writing anyway, so you can prove where to send the deposit.

Where do I sue for my deposit in Hawaii?

Deposit claims of any size can be filed in District Court, Small Claims Division. Check the court's website for current filing fees and forms.

Other states

Rules reviewed October 2026. Laws change, so confirm with the statute before you rely on this page.