Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-6
Territorial application.
Operative Text
This chapter applies to rights, remedies, and obligations of the parties to any residential rental agreement wherever made of a dwelling unit within this State. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1]
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-6 establishes that the state's residential landlord-tenant law applies to any rental agreement for a dwelling unit located in Hawaii, regardless of where that agreement was signed or executed. In other words, the physical location of the rental property—not the location where the contract was formed—determines whether Hawaii's tenant-protection rules govern the relationship. This means that rights, remedies, and obligations under Chapter 521 attach to the property itself, not to the parties' home states or the place of contracting.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 521-6, operators of residential rental properties in Hawaii are subject to the full scope of Chapter 521 no matter where a lease agreement was drafted or signed. A compliant property manager ensures that all lease terms, notices, and practices conform to Hawaii law even when leases are executed remotely, online, or in another state. Familiarity with Chapter 521's requirements is generally part of standard practice for anyone managing Hawaii residential units.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 521-6 means that tenants renting a dwelling unit in Hawaii are protected by Hawaii's residential landlord-tenant law regardless of where they signed their lease—even if the agreement was signed in another state or country. Tenants can generally raise Chapter 521 rights and remedies in any dispute involving their Hawaii rental, since the law follows the property's location. Tenant-rights organizations in Hawaii can help renters understand how this territorial rule interacts with other provisions of 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
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation
Related Rules
Source Information
Use this in your app
Access this data programmatically via our API