Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666 § 666-1
Summary possession on termination or forfeiture of lease.
Operative Text
Whenever any lessee or tenant of any lands or tenements, or any person holding under the lessee or tenant, holds possession of lands or tenements without right, after the termination of the tenancy, either by passage of time or by reason of any forfeiture, under the conditions or covenants in a lease, or, if a tenant by parol, by a notice to quit of at least ten days, the person entitled to the premises may be restored to the possession thereof in [the] manner hereinafter provided. [CC 1859, §939; am L 1864, p 14; RL 1925, §2778; RL 1935, §4013; RL 1945, §10401; RL 1955, §240-1; HRS §666-1; am L 1972, c 90, §8(a)]
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 666-1 establishes the legal basis for summary possession proceedings, which allow a property owner or other entitled party to seek court-assisted recovery of real property. The rule applies when a tenant or anyone holding under a tenant remains on the premises without legal right after a tenancy has ended — whether by the natural expiration of a lease, a lease forfeiture triggered by a broken condition or covenant, or, for month-to-month or oral tenancies, the expiration of a notice to quit of at least ten days. The statute sets the stage for the formal process described elsewhere in Chapter 666 by which possession can be restored to the rightful party.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666-1, landlords and property managers who need to recover possession after a tenancy has ended generally ensure that the grounds for termination are clearly established before initiating a summary possession action. For lease-based tenancies, this means documenting the lease expiration date or the specific condition or covenant that was forfeited; for oral or month-to-month tenancies, it means providing a written notice to quit of at least ten days. Operators who maintain thorough records of lease terms, written notices, and delivery methods are generally better positioned to proceed through the Chapter 666 process.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666-1 defines the circumstances under which a landlord may initiate a court proceeding to recover possession, and understanding those circumstances can help tenants assess whether a summary possession action has been properly grounded. For example, tenants in oral or month-to-month arrangements have a right to receive at least ten days' notice to quit before a § 666-1 proceeding can be brought against them. Tenants who believe the required notice was not given, or that the tenancy had not actually terminated, may have grounds to raise those issues as a defense in the proceeding; consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Hawaii landlord-tenant law can help clarify 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.
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