How long a landlord has to return your deposit, and what you can claim if they miss it
This page covers residential security deposits in Hawaii, where a landlord has kept some or all of a deposit after a tenancy ends.
It does not cover:
Lease terms and local ordinances can change what applies. Where a city has its own deposit rules, those may differ from the state statute below.
Measured from Termination of the rental agreement.
The security deposit (or the remaining portion after authorized retention) must be returned to the tenant no later than 14 days after termination of the rental agreement. If the landlord proposes to retain any amount, they must notify the tenant in writing with particulars, grounds, and written evidence of costs (estimates, invoices, receipts) within the same 14 days.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(c) ↗A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 3x the portion wrongfully withheld.
Three-tier remedy under §521-44(h): (1) if the landlord WRONGFULLY AND WILFULLY retained a security deposit, the court may award 3x the amount wrongfully and wilfully retained plus cost of suit; (2) if the landlord WRONGFULLY (but not wilfully) retained, the court shall award 1x the amount wrongfully retained plus cost of suit; (3) if the landlord was entitled to retain, the landlord is awarded the disputed amount plus cost of suit.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(h) ↗The clock does not start on the day you decided to leave. In Hawaii it starts Termination of the rental agreement — for most leases that is the date you hand back the keys, not the date your notice period began.
““I deducted for damages but didn't send details.””
If you did not furnish written notice with particulars, grounds, and cost evidence within 14 days, you forfeited the right to retain any part of the deposit.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(c)
““I'll keep it — sue me if you disagree.””
A wrongful AND wilful retention can subject you to 3x the amount wrongfully retained plus cost of suit. Even a merely wrongful retention costs you the amount retained plus cost of suit.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(h)
““The pet deposit was for two months' rent.””
The base deposit is capped at 1 month's rent, and the pet deposit may not exceed 1 additional month. Service animals are exempt from pet deposits.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(b)
Every figure on this page comes from the official text, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked against the source.
| Statute | Last verified | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(c) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(h) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
| Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(h)(1) | 2026-10-15 | official text ↗ |
Primary reference: Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44 (Security deposits). Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Amendments are recorded on the site changelog.
A self-help letter is the right starting point for a single deposit you can document. Get legal help if:
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14 days, counted from Termination of the rental agreement. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(c).
A landlord who withholds in bad faith may be liable for 3x the portion wrongfully withheld. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44(h)
It runs from Termination of the rental agreement — the date you vacated and returned the keys, not the date your notice period began.
No — Hawaii small claims (District Court) handles claims up to $5,000, and §521-44(g)/(h) expressly designates the small claims division for deposit disputes. Attorneys are generally not allowed in small claims court.