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Rent Regulations

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-9

Notice, notification, knowledge, etc.

In Force
Verified 10/23/2026 · Next check 10/30/2026
effective 10/23/2026HawaiiNotices & Entry

Operative Text

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-9
(a) A person has notice of a fact when:
(1) The person has actual knowledge of it; or
(2) The person has received a notice or notification of it; or
(3) From all the facts and circumstances known to the person at the time in question the person has reason to know of it.
(b) A person knows or has knowledge of a fact when the person has actual knowledge of it. The terms "discover" or "learn" or terms of similar import refer to knowledge rather than reason to know. The time and circumstances under which a notice or notification ceases to be effective are not determined by this chapter.
(c) A person notifies or gives a notice or notification to another by taking such steps as may be reasonably required to inform the other in ordinary course whether or not the other actually comes to know of it. A person receives a notice or notification when:
(1) It comes to the person's attention; or
(2) It is delivered at the place of business through which the rental agreement was made or at any place held out as the place for receipt of such communications.
(d) Notice, knowledge, or a notice or notification received by a person other than an individual is effective for a particular transaction from the time it is brought to the attention of the individual conducting that transaction or from the time it should have been brought to the individual's attention, whichever time is earlier. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1; gen ch 1993]
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-9 establishes the legal definitions of 'notice,' 'knowledge,' and 'notification' as they apply throughout Hawaii's residential landlord-tenant law. A person is considered to have 'notice' of a fact not only when they have direct, actual knowledge of it, but also when they have received a communication about it or when surrounding circumstances would give a reasonable person reason to know it. 'Notification' is considered given when reasonable steps are taken to communicate it, and received when it reaches the intended party's attention or is delivered to an appropriate place of business—regardless of whether the recipient actually reads it.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 521-9, landlords and property management companies are generally considered to have received notice when a communication is delivered to the office or location where the rental agreement was made, even if no individual staff member has personally reviewed it yet. Compliant operators typically maintain clear, accessible channels for receiving tenant communications and ensure that notices delivered to their place of business are promptly reviewed and routed to the appropriate person handling a given transaction. Because § 521-9 also recognizes constructive notice—meaning notice based on what a reasonable person should have known—operators generally document their awareness of property conditions and communications carefully.

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

For Tenants

Section § 521-9 of Hawaii's Residential Landlord-Tenant Code defines when a landlord is legally considered to have received notice of a problem or request, which can be significant in disputes over repairs, lease terminations, or other matters. A tenant does not necessarily need to prove that a landlord personally read a communication; delivery to the landlord's place of business or circumstances that would give a reasonable person reason to know of a fact may be sufficient under this provision. Tenants who believe a landlord has failed to act on a properly delivered notice may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service to understand how § 521-9 might apply to their situation.

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

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

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

§ 3
Written notice of identity and address of foreclosing owner
§ 165.05
NOTICES
§ 8.60.080
Failure to pay fines

Source Information

Source:https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol12_Ch0501-0588/HRS0521/HRS_0521-0009.htm
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