RR
Rent Regulations

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-41

Landlord to supply possession of dwelling unit.

In Force
Verified 10/23/2026 · Next check 10/30/2026
effective 10/23/2026HawaiiLease Requirements

Operative Text

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-41
The landlord shall, at the beginning of the agreed term, deliver possession of the dwelling unit to the tenant in the agreed condition unless otherwise agreed prior to delivery of possession. The landlord may bring an action for possession against any person wrongfully in possession including a holdover tenant. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1]
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-41 establishes that a landlord must hand over the rental unit to the tenant at the start of the lease term in the condition both parties agreed upon. If someone is unlawfully occupying the unit at that time—including a prior tenant who has stayed beyond their lease—the landlord has the legal right to pursue a court action to regain possession. This rule sets a baseline obligation for the transition of occupancy from landlord to tenant.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-41, compliant operators ensure the dwelling unit is vacant, accessible, and in the agreed-upon condition on the first day of the lease term. If a previous occupant or holdover tenant is still present at that time, the statute expressly authorizes the landlord to file a legal action for possession. Documenting the agreed condition in writing before the tenancy begins—such as through a move-in checklist or lease addendum—helps establish a clear record of what was promised.

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

For Tenants

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-41 gives tenants the right to receive their unit on the agreed start date and in the condition specified in the lease or any prior written agreement. If the unit is not delivered as promised—whether because it is not ready, not vacant, or not in the agreed condition—this provision may be relevant to any dispute that arises. Tenants who encounter problems at move-in may wish to document the issues in writing, contact a local tenant-rights organization, or explore remedies available under Hawaii's residential landlord-tenant law.

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

§ 244.280
Tenant to be given copy of lease
§ 151.35
SEVERABILITY
§ 165.12
SEVERABILITY

Source Information

Source:https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol12_Ch0501-0588/HRS0521/HRS_0521-0041.htm
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Fetched:Oct 23, 2026, 07:05 AM UTC
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