Hawaii’s rent increase laws for 2025 have some important provisions that tenants should be aware of:
Notice Requirements
Landlords must provide proper written notice before increasing rent:
- For month-to-month tenancies, at least 45 days’ advance notice is required
- For week-to-week tenancies, at least 15 days’ notice is required
Rent Control
Hawaii does not have statewide rent control laws. This means there are generally no limits on how much landlords can raise rent, as long as they provide proper notice.
However, some key points to note:
- Rent cannot be increased during a fixed-term lease unless specifically allowed in the lease agreement
- Proposed legislation in 2023 aimed to cap rent increases at 7% plus inflation, but this has not been enacted yet
- Local ordinances may impose additional restrictions, so tenants should check county-specific regulations
Tenant Protections
While landlords have flexibility in setting rents, there are some protections for tenants:
- Rent increases cannot be retaliatory or discriminatory
- Increases are prohibited during declared states of emergency
- Tenants have the right to dispute increases they believe are unlawful
Special Situation: Maui
As of February 2025, Maui has emergency restrictions in place prohibiting rent increases during existing tenancies, unless increases were agreed to in writing before the emergency period.
Tenants in Hawaii should carefully review their lease agreements, stay informed about local ordinances, and be prepared for potential rent increases with proper notice. While the state allows for flexible rent adjustments, tenants have rights to fair treatment and can seek assistance if they believe increases are unlawful.
Sources
- https://www.steadily.com/blog/how-much-can-a-landlord-raise-rent-in-hawaii
- https://www.steadily.com/blog/rent-increase-laws-regulations-hawaii
- https://eforms.com/rental/increase-letter/hi/
- https://www.landlordstudio.com/landlord-tenant-laws/hawaii-landlord-tenant-laws
- https://legiscan.com/HI/text/SB1056/id/3066929/Hawaii-2025-SB1056-Introduced.html
