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

Hawaii law gives landlords 14 days to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions, under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 — subsec. (c) (14-day duty, forfeiture, 1-year limit); (g) (small claims); (h) (damages).

What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit in Hawaii?

Under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 — subsec. (c) (14-day duty, forfeiture, 1-year limit); (g) (small claims); (h) (damages), allowed deductions generally include tenant defaults for accidental or intentional damage from failure to comply with § 521-51 and failure to pay rent due. Normal wear and tear is not deductible.

Founding price — $39 per case·Ends in 2:00:00

Hawaii security deposit law

Security Deposit Laws in Hawaii

Your landlord has 14 days under Hawaii law to return your security deposit, or you may be owed more than what they withheld. If they keep more than they're legally allowed, you can dispute it.

We go after every dollar of your deposit — and we don't stop until it's resolved.Letter ready in 30 min · Ships today.

Not satisfied? Full refund, no questions asked.

Step 2 of 3

When did you move out?

This is the one that matters. Your clock starts the day you handed back the keys — not the day your landlord replies.

Statute-verified in 50 U.S. jurisdictions and counting — everywhere else, a specialist prepares your case by hand until verification clears.

Statutes verified against official sources

USPS Certified Mail with return receipt

Every letter reviewed before it mails

Hawaii security deposit return timeline

Deadline to return

14 days

Statute

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 — subsec. (c) (14-day duty, forfeiture, 1-year limit); (g) (small claims); (h) (damages)

The deposit, or the portion remaining after authorized retentions, must be returned no later than 14 days after termination of the rental agreement. If the landlord proposes to retain any amount, it must notify the tenant IN WRITING within that same 14 days with the particulars of and grounds for the retention, INCLUDING WRITTEN EVIDENCE of costs — estimates or invoices for materials and services, receipts for cleaning supplies and equipment, or charges for cleaning services. If the landlord does not furnish that notice and information within 14 days, the landlord SHALL NOT be entitled to retain the deposit or any part and must return the entire amount. Compliance is presumptively proven by mailing to an address supplied by the tenant with acceptable proof of mailing, postmarked before midnight of the 14th day. HARD DEADLINE FOR THE RENTER: all actions to recover a retained deposit must be instituted NOT LATER THAN ONE YEAR after termination of the rental agreement. EXCEPTION: none of this protects a tenant who 'wrongfully quit' — defined in (d) as absence for 20+ continuous days without written notice, in which case the landlord may retain the entire deposit.

What can a landlord legally deduct in Hawaii?

Allowed

✓Tenant defaults for accidental or intentional damage from failure to comply with § 521-51
✓Failure to pay rent due
✓Failure to return all keys, including key fobs, parking cards, garage door openers and mailbox keys
✓Cleaning the unit to the condition the tenant received it in
✓Damages caused by a tenant who wrongfully quits
✓Pet damage where a pet deposit was agreed
✓Money owed for landlord-provided utility service not included in rent

Not allowed

✗Any purpose not listed in subsec. (a) — subsec. (b) permits a deposit 'for the items in subsection (a) and no others'
✗The entire deposit if the 14-day written notice and evidence were not furnished
✗Use as last month's rent unless mutually agreed in writing with 45 days' notice of vacating

What if your landlord keeps your deposit wrongfully in Hawaii?

Disputes go to the SMALL CLAIMS DIVISION of the district court (subsec. (g)). Under (h): (1) if the landlord WRONGFULLY AND WILFULLY retained, the court MAY award THREE TIMES (3x) the amount wrongfully and wilfully retained plus cost of suit; (2) if the landlord WRONGFULLY retained, the court SHALL award the amount wrongfully retained plus cost of suit (1x); (3) if the landlord WAS entitled to retain, the court shall award the LANDLORD the disputed amount plus cost of suit — THE RENTER CAN LOSE MONEY BY FILING. CRITICAL: subsec. (h)(4) provides that 'in any such action, neither the landlord nor the tenant may be represented by an attorney, including salaried employees of the landlord or tenant.' NO ATTORNEY'S FEES ARE AVAILABLE and the renter cannot bring counsel. NEVER promise a Hawaii renter fees or representation.

How TenantNex helps

1. Tell us your move-out date, deposit amount, and landlord's address — two minutes.
2. We generate a demand letter citing Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 — subsec. (c) (14-day duty, forfeiture, 1-year limit); (g) (small claims); (h) (damages) and your exact deadline.
3. We mail it to your landlord via USPS Certified Mail with return receipt.
4. You track delivery on your case page, with day-7 and day-14 follow-up.

$39 per case — founding price, one flat fee, no subscription.

Hawaii tenant rights resources

HUD — tenant rights and resources
Find your state's consumer protection / Attorney General office
Key statute: Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 — subsec. (c) (14-day duty, forfeiture, 1-year limit); (g) (small claims); (h) (damages) — verified against the official text on 2026-09-04.

Every fact on this page is verified against Hawaii's official statutory text as of 2026-09-04. TenantNex is not a law firm and this is not legal advice. For complex disputes, consult a licensed attorney in Hawaii.

Prefer it in writing?

We'll email you a free breakdown of what Hawaii law says you're owed.

See what you're owed

FREE · 30 seconds

Your money is due back

14 days

Hawaii law sets this deadline — your landlord must return your deposit or itemize deductions by then.

If they wrongfully withhold

up to 3× your deposit

Add your deposit amount above for the exact figure.

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 — subsec. (c) (14-day duty, forfeiture, 1-year limit); (g) (small claims); (h) (damages) — verified against the official statute 2026-09-04

Your 14 days started the day you moved out — that clock is running right now whether or not your landlord acts, and the 3× penalty only exists if you demanded it in writing before it closed.

Secure checkout · Letter ready in 30 min · Full refund if not satisfied

Used by renters in 4 states — 15 people in the past two weeks found out exactly what they're owed this way.

We don't stop at mailing it. If your landlord doesn't respond, we follow up at day 7 and day 14 — and help you build the evidence and paperwork for small claims if it comes to that. Real result: we helped Kathleen A. (Ohio) recover her full $3,000 deposit this way.

Pay once. We handle the rest.

One case, one price — the letter, the certified mailing, the tracking, and the follow-up. No subscription, no recurring anything.

You pay onceWe prepare & review your letterUSPS Certified to your landlordYou track it to their door

Option	Price	Effort	Follow-up
Do it yourself	—	All of it	You chase
TenantNex	$39	Done for you	We chase
Small-claims services	$149–448	—	—
Hire an attorney	$300–2,000+	—	—

An attorney starts at $300. Filing services charge $149 for the letter alone. We prepare the whole claim for $39.

One-time launch price

Recover

$39

Founding price — one time

We run your claim until you are paid — or you are ready to file.

Step 1 — certified demand letter citing your state statute, deadline and penalty
Mailed USPS Certified with return receipt, tracked to your landlord’s door
Step 2 — day-14 notice of intent to file, the one most landlords act on
Step 3 — your small-claims packet: the right form for your county, filled in
Where to file, what it costs, and how to serve your landlord
Evidence checklist, with your certified receipt as Exhibit A
Counter-response letter if your landlord disputes or underpays
Attorney referral if it is still unresolved after 21 days

See the full deposit demand letter guide →

Two minutes on what actually works

All videos →

What TenantNex is — and isn't

TenantNex is not a law firm. We prepare and send correspondence using publicly available state statutes. We do not provide legal advice, legal representation, or guarantee any outcome. For complex legal matters, consult a licensed attorney in your state.