Hawaii notice periods
A Hawaii landlord must give 45 days’ written notice to end a month-to-month tenancy, and a tenant must give 28 days. A rent increase needs 45 days’ notice. For nonpayment, the landlord must serve a 10-day notice to pay or quit before filing for eviction.
The Hawaii rules in detail
Landlord must give at least 45 days' written notice; tenant must give at least 28 days' written notice. 120 days if the unit is to be demolished or converted; 10 days for tenancies of less than month-to-month. Nonpayment: 10 calendar days' written notice (Act 278, SLH 2025, effective Feb. 5, 2026, replacing the former 5-business-day notice); the notice also goes to a free mediation center and, if the tenant schedules mediation within the 10 days, the landlord must wait 20 calendar days from receipt before filing. The mediation pilot is scheduled to sunset Feb. 4, 2028.
45 days' written notice for month-to-month tenancies; 15 days for tenancies of less than one month (HRS § 521-21(d)-(e)).
10 days. The tenant may cure by paying everything owed within the period; after that the landlord may file for eviction.
Serving the notice
- Notice must be in writing. Text messages and emails count only where the lease or statute allows electronic notice.
- The clock starts when the notice is delivered, not when it is written. Mailed notices usually add days; check the statute’s service rules.
- Termination notices generally take effect at the end of a rental period. Served mid-month, a 30-day notice ends the tenancy at the end of the next full month.
- A fixed-term lease ends on its own date; these periods apply to month-to-month tenancies and to tenancies that continued after a lease expired.
Source: HRS § 521-71(a)-(b); § 521-21(d); § 521-68(a) as amended by Act 278 (SLH 2025).
Related Hawaii rules
- Late fees: Late charge may not exceed 8% of the amount of rent due. No statutory grace period. Late fee calculator.
- Security deposit: 1 month's rent, plus an optional pet deposit of up to 1 additional month's rent if the tenant keeps a pet (not for assistance animals); returned 14 days after termination of the rental agreement, with written notice and itemization of any amounts retained; failure to meet the 14-day deadline forfeits the right to retain any part of the deposit. Deposit rules.
- All rules on one page: Hawaii landlord and tenant law.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does a landlord have to give a tenant to move out in Hawaii?
45 days’ written notice for a month-to-month tenancy. Landlord must give at least 45 days' written notice; tenant must give at least 28 days' written notice. 120 days if the unit is to be demolished or converted; 10 days for tenancies of less than month-to-month. Nonpayment: 10 calendar days' written notice (Act 278, SLH 2025, effective Feb. 5, 2026, replacing the former 5-business-day notice); the notice also goes to a free mediation center and, if the tenant schedules mediation within the 10 days, the landlord must wait 20 calendar days from receipt before filing. The mediation pilot is scheduled to sunset Feb. 4, 2028.
How much notice does a tenant have to give in Hawaii?
28 days’ written notice on a month-to-month tenancy. A fixed-term lease ends on its own date unless it says otherwise.
How much notice is required for a rent increase in Hawaii?
45 days. 45 days' written notice for month-to-month tenancies; 15 days for tenancies of less than one month (HRS § 521-21(d)-(e)).
How long is a pay-or-quit notice in Hawaii?
10 days. The tenant can stop the eviction by paying the full amount within that time.
Does the notice have to end on the last day of the month?
In most states, yes: a termination notice on a periodic tenancy takes effect at the end of a rental period that is at least the required number of days after service. Serving on the 15th with a 30-day requirement typically ends the tenancy at the end of the following month, not 30 days later. The calculator shows both dates.