Hawaii Small Claims Court
Owed money in Hawaii? Here's the dollar limit, the court that hears it, what filing costs — and a free demand letter to send first, which resolves many disputes without a case. Free, no signup.
Maintained by Rapi Stack · Every state-specific figure on this page is cited to its statute or official agency page · Dataset last verified 2026 · Not legal advice.
Hawaii small claims · as of 2026
- Maximum claim
- $5,000
- Court
- Small Claims Division of the District Court
- Filing fee
- $35 (plus service costs); cases are typically scheduled within 30 days of filing
- Lawyers at the hearing
- allowed, EXCEPT in landlord-tenant security-deposit cases, where no attorney may appear for either side unless the attorney is the landlord or tenant representing themselves (HRS §633-28)
Source: Haw. Rev. Stat. §633-27 (jurisdiction); §633-28 (no appeal; representation) · verify ↗. Limits and fees change — confirm with the Small Claims Division of the District Court clerk before filing.
Need the document itself?
Fill in a Hawaii small claims and download a print-ready PDF — free, no signup, and it runs entirely in your browser.
Open the generator →The generator opens with Hawaii already selected.
How to file in Hawaii — the short version
- Demand first. Send the letter above by a trackable method and keep proof — judges expect it, and it often gets you paid without a case.
- File with the Small Claims Division of the District Court where the defendant lives or the dispute happened. Fee: $35 (plus service costs); cases are typically scheduled within 30 days of filing.
- Serve the defendant the way Hawaii rules require (clerk, sheriff, certified mail, or process server — ask the clerk). Bad service is the #1 way cases get thrown out.
- Bring evidence: contracts, invoices, photos, messages, this demand letter and its delivery proof, and any witnesses.
- Collect. If you win and they don't pay, ask the clerk about garnishment, levy, and liens.
Check the current Hawaii small claims rules before filing.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I sue for in Hawaii small claims court?
The limit is $5,000 (as of 2026). $5,000 cap on claims; counterclaims may go up to $40,000 (the district court limit). NO dollar limit on residential security-deposit cases, which the small claims division hears regardless of amount. Source: Haw. Rev. Stat. §633-27 (jurisdiction); §633-28 (no appeal; representation). If you're owed more, you can sue in the regular civil court instead — or waive the excess and stay in small claims, which is usually faster and cheaper.
Where do I file?
In Hawaii, small claims cases are heard by the Small Claims Division of the District Court, generally in the county (or district) where the defendant lives or where the dispute happened. Filing fee: $35 (plus service costs); cases are typically scheduled within 30 days of filing. Check the exact venue rule when you file — filing in the wrong place gets cases dismissed.
Can I bring a lawyer?
In Hawaii: allowed, EXCEPT in landlord-tenant security-deposit cases, where no attorney may appear for either side unless the attorney is the landlord or tenant representing themselves (HRS §633-28). Either way, small claims procedure is deliberately informal — you present your story, your documents, and your witnesses directly to the judge.
What happens if I win but they don't pay?
A judgment isn't a check — if the defendant doesn't pay voluntarily, you enforce it: wage garnishment, bank levy, or property liens, depending on Hawaii law. The court clerk can point you to the forms. Judgments also accrue interest and stay enforceable for years, so a stubborn debtor doesn't run out the clock quickly.
How does Hawaii compare? See the small claims limits in all 50 states, every figure cited to statute.
How Hawaii compares
Computed from our 51-jurisdiction dataset (as of 2026). Source for Hawaii: Haw. Rev. Stat. §633-27 (jurisdiction); §633-28 (no appeal; representation) ↗.
- Small claims limit
Small claims limit: $5,000 — well under the national median of $10,000 across the 51 states with a statutory rule.
This is the most common figure nationally — shared by 10 other states.
The rest of what Hawaii requires
The figures below are Hawaii's, not national averages — each one is the value we verified for this state, with the statute it comes from. Follow a row to the full Hawaii page for that document.
- Security deposit cap · as of 2026
- 1 month's rent Haw. Rev. Stat. §521-44 ↗
- Deposit return deadline · as of 2026
- 14 days after move-out Haw. Rev. Stat. §521-44 ↗
- Notice to end a month-to-month tenancy · as of 2026
- 28 days Haw. Rev. Stat. §521-44 ↗
- Notice for unpaid rent · as of 2026
- 10 days to pay or quit Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-68, 521-72, 521-71(a) ↗
- Notice to cure a lease violation · as of 2026
- 10 days Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-68, 521-72, 521-71(a) ↗
- Rental application fee · as of July 2026
- Limited to the actual cost of screening Governor of Hawaii / DCCA ↗
- Bill of sale notarization · as of 2026
- Not required Hawaii County DMV / DMV.ORG ↗
- Power of attorney signing · as of 2026
- Notarization recommended Haw. Rev. Stat. §551E-3 (form §551E-51) ↗
- LLC operating agreement · as of 2026
- Not required by statute, but it controls over the default rules Haw. Rev. Stat. § 428-101 (definition); § 428-103(a) (effect) ↗
- Recording a deed · as of 2026
- Bureau of Conveyances (Department of Land and Natural Resources, Honolulu) — the only state with a single statewide recording office (HRS ch. 502); Torrens-registered land is instead recorded through the Land Court system (HRS ch. 501), with dual-system property recorded in both · no witnesses HRS § 502-41 ↗
Small claims guide in other states
More Hawaii legal forms
Different state? See small claims rules by state →