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Rent Regulations

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-53

Access.

In Force
Verified 10/23/2026 · Next check 10/30/2026
effective 10/23/2026HawaiiNotice to Enter

Operative Text

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-53
(a) The tenant shall not unreasonably withhold the tenant's consent to the landlord to enter into the dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises; make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations, or improvements; supply services as agreed; or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective purchasers, mortgagees, or tenants.
(b) The landlord shall not abuse this right of access nor use it to harass the tenant. Except in case of emergency or where impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant at least two days notice of the landlord's intent to enter and shall enter only during reasonable hours.
(c) The landlord shall have no other right of entry, except by court order, unless the tenant appears to have abandoned the premises, or as permitted by section 521-70(b). [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1; gen ch 1985]
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-53 governs when and how a landlord may enter a rental dwelling unit. Tenants are expected not to unreasonably refuse entry for legitimate purposes such as inspections, repairs, or showing the unit to prospective buyers or renters. Landlords, in turn, must provide at least two days' notice before entering, limit entry to reasonable hours, and may not use access rights to harass tenants — with narrow exceptions for emergencies, abandonment, or court order.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 23, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53, compliant property operators generally provide written notice of at least two days before entering a unit, schedule entry during reasonable hours, and document the purpose of each visit. Landlords avoid entering for reasons outside those listed in the statute — such as inspections, agreed repairs, or showing the unit — and take care not to enter so frequently or in such a manner that it could be characterized as harassment. Entry without notice is reserved for genuine emergencies, situations where advance notice is truly impracticable, apparent abandonment, or circumstances authorized under § 521-70(b).

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53 gives tenants the right to expect at least two days' advance notice before a landlord enters, entry only during reasonable hours, and protection against access being used as a form of harassment. Tenants who believe a landlord is entering without proper notice or in an abusive pattern may document each incident — including dates, times, and stated reasons — as this record can be relevant if a dispute arises. General guidance on enforcing these rights is available through Hawaii's Office of Consumer Protection, local tenant-rights organizations, or by consulting a housing attorney familiar with Chapter 521.

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

Current
Oct 23, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-70
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-62
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-43
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-72
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-52
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-53
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-63
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-42
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-80
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-80
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-68
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-71
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44

Related Rules

§ 244.285
Tenant to be notified of entry
§ 47a-16
When landlord may enter rented unit.
§ 47a-16a
Notification by tenant of extended absence. When landlord may enter.

Source Information

Source:https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol12_Ch0501-0588/HRS0521/HRS_0521-0053.htm
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Fetched:Oct 23, 2026, 07:06 AM UTC
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