Operative Text
(a) Any unit owner who keeps a pet in the owner's unit pursuant to a provision in the bylaws which allows owners to keep pets or in the absence of any provision in the bylaws to the contrary, upon the death of the animal, may replace the animal with another and continue to do so for as long as the owner continues to reside in the owner's unit or another unit subject to the same bylaws. (b) Any unit owner who is keeping a pet pursuant to subsection (a), as of the effective date of an amendment to the bylaws which prohibits owners from keeping pets in their units, shall not be subject to the prohibition but shall be entitled to keep the pet and acquire new pets as provided in subsection (a). (c) The bylaws may include reasonable restrictions or prohibitions against excessive noise or other problems caused by pets on the property and the running of pets at large in the common areas of the property. No animals described as pests under section 150A-2, or animals prohibited from importation under section 141-2, 150A-5, or 150A-6 shall be permitted. (d) Whenever the bylaws do not prohibit unit owners from keeping animals as pets in their units, the bylaws shall not prohibit the tenants of the unit owners from keeping pets in the units rented or leased from the owners; provided that: (1) A unit owner consents in writing to allow the unit owner's tenant to keep a pet in the unit; [and] (2) A tenant keeps only those types of pets that may be kept by unit owners. The bylaws may allow each owner or tenant to keep only one pet in the unit. (e) Any amendments to the bylaws that provide for exceptions to pet restrictions or prohibitions for preexisting circumstances shall apply equally to unit owners and tenants. (f) Nothing in this section shall prevent an association from immediately acting to remove vicious animals to protect persons or property. [L 2004, c 164, pt of §2; am L 2005, c 93, §7 ]
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 514B-156 establishes pet-keeping rights within condominium communities. Unit owners who lawfully keep a pet may replace it upon the animal's death and continue doing so for as long as they reside in a unit governed by the same bylaws. Bylaw amendments that later prohibit pets cannot strip existing pet-keeping rights from owners or tenants who were already keeping pets under the prior rules. Certain animals classified as pests or prohibited from importation under Hawaii law are never permitted, and associations retain the authority to remove vicious animals immediately to protect people or property.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 514B-156, condominium associations and unit owners operating as landlords should be aware that once a tenant has been granted written consent to keep a pet, that tenant generally enjoys the same replacement rights as unit owners when a pet dies. Bylaws may include reasonable restrictions on noise, nuisance behavior, and pets running at large in common areas, and may limit each occupant to one pet. Owners and associations that amend bylaws to restrict pets must apply any grandfather exceptions equally to both unit owners and tenants, and should ensure their pet policies do not conflict with the protections established in § 514B-156.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 514B-156, tenants in Hawaii condominiums have the right to keep pets when the unit owner provides written consent and the bylaws do not prohibit pets for owners. If a tenant was lawfully keeping a pet before a bylaw amendment introduced a prohibition, that tenant is generally protected from the new restriction and may continue to acquire replacement pets as described in the statute. Tenants who believe their pet-keeping rights under § 514B-156 are being improperly restricted may wish to review their lease and the association's bylaws, consult a tenant-rights organization, or seek guidance from a housing attorney to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 23, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
Rules and statutes cited by this regulation
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.