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Housing · Rent control

Does Hawaii Have Rent Control?

Whether Hawaii caps how much rent can rise, whether cities can set their own limits or are barred from it, and the exemptions. Rent control is separate from the notice a landlord must give before an increase. Cited to the statute.

Confirmedagainst Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-1 · code chapter read; no provision sets this — the law is silentReviewed by Cholilurrohman · July 2026
Rent control · Hawaii
Hawaii neither caps rent statewide nor bans local rent control. No state statute limits how much rent can rise, and the state does not preempt county action, so ordinary rent is set by the lease and the market while counties remain free to act.
No statewide cap
Rent control?No statewide cap
StatuteHaw. Rev. Stat. § 521-1

What the rent control law says in Hawaii

Whether rent increases are capped, who sets the limit, and the housing the rule does not reach.

What the law saysWhat it means
No statewide capHawaii sets no statewide limit on how much rent can rise. Rent is governed by the lease and the market, and an increase comes at renewal or on a month-to-month tenancy with proper notice.
No express preemptionHawaii has not passed a statute banning county rent control, and the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code does not set a rent cap. Counties are not barred from acting, but none has adopted a general rent cap, so the position is silence rather than a prohibition.
What is exemptWhat it means
County measures possibleBecause Hawaii does not preempt, a county could adopt rent regulation. Maui County has enacted some rent-related measures, so check the rules where you live rather than assuming there is nothing local.
Lease and notice govern otherwiseDuring a fixed term the rent is locked at the agreed figure. An increase can come only at renewal or on a month-to-month tenancy, and then only with the notice the tenancy requires.
No federal rent control
There is no national rent control law. Whether rent can be limited is decided state by state. Hawaii neither caps rent nor bans local rent control, which is a different position from the states that expressly forbid it.
A cap is not a notice rule
Rent control means a limit on how much the rent can rise. That is different from a rent-increase notice rule, which only sets how much warning a landlord must give before an increase. Hawaii has no statewide cap, but notice for a change still applies.
In plain words
A quick key to the legal terms used on this page.
Preempted
When a state law overrides and blocks cities or counties from making their own rules on the same subject.

What you can do right now

Concrete, neutral steps if you are facing a rent increase in Hawaii. This is legal information, not legal advice.

  1. Know that no statewide cap applies

    Hawaii has no statewide rent limit. A landlord may raise the rent at renewal or when a month-to-month tenancy continues. Plan around the lease, not a state ceiling.

  2. Check for county measures where you live

    Because the state does not preempt, a county could regulate rent. Maui County has enacted some rent-related measures, so confirm the rules in your county before assuming nothing local applies.

  3. Read the increase terms and notice in your lease

    During a fixed term the rent is locked at the agreed figure. Check when your term ends and what notice the lease and state law require before an increase can take effect.

  4. Get Hawaii tenant help

    If an increase or a notice looks improper, the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii explains your options, including any county measure that might apply. The issue will usually turn on the lease and notice, since there is no statewide cap.

Tenant help in Hawaii

If you think an increase breaks a cap or a local ordinance, a legal aid office or the state consumer-protection unit can tell you whether a limit applies to your unit.

→ Legal Aid Society of Hawaii

This is general legal information, not legal advice. Caps, local ordinances, and exemptions turn on the specific unit and city, so confirm your situation against the statute.

What renters in Hawaii get wrong about rent control

Hawaii belongs to the small group of states that neither cap rent nor ban local rent control, and that middle position is easy to miss. There is no statewide rent limit, so nothing in state law caps how much a landlord can raise the rent. At the same time, Hawaii has no statute forbidding its counties from regulating rent, unlike the many states that expressly preempt local action. The Residential Landlord-Tenant Code, which governs most of the landlord-tenant relationship, does not set a cap. That leaves counties free to act, and while none has adopted a general rent cap, Maui County has enacted some rent-related measures, so it is worth checking the rules where you actually live. For most renters the day-to-day answer looks like a no-cap state: during a fixed term the rent is locked, and after that a landlord may raise it by any figure with the notice the tenancy requires. But the legal structure is different from a preemption state, because a Hawaii county could move on rent without first overcoming a state ban.

Common questions

Does Hawaii have rent control?

No. Hawaii has no statewide rent cap, and no county has adopted a general rent cap. The state also does not ban county rent control, so the position is legislative silence rather than an express prohibition.

Can my rent be raised any amount in Hawaii?

Yes, at renewal or when a month-to-month tenancy continues. Because no statewide cap applies, the increase is governed by the lease and the market, not a legal ceiling, as long as proper notice is given.

Can a Hawaii county cap rent?

Nothing in state law bars it. Hawaii does not preempt county action, and Maui County has enacted some rent-related measures, so check the rules in your county rather than assuming there is no local option.

Is Hawaii a rent control ban state?

No. Unlike states that pass a law forbidding local rent control, Hawaii is simply silent. No statewide cap exists, but no statute expressly prohibits a county from adopting one either.

What protects me from a rent increase in Hawaii?

Your lease, the notice rules, and any county measure that applies, rather than a statewide cap. During a fixed term the rent is set at the agreed amount, and any later increase must come with the notice your tenancy requires.

Primary source
→ Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-1 et seq. (Residential Landlord-Tenant Code)
Haw. Rev. Stat. Ch. 521 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Code) (Hawaii State Legislature) · capitol.hawaii.gov
Cholilurrohman
Every figure on this page is checked line-by-line against the current statute. Editorial standards →

Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.

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