RR
Rent Regulations

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-52

Tenant to use properly.

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

Operative Text

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-52
(a) The tenant shall comply with all obligations or restrictions, whether denominated by the landlord as rules, or otherwise, concerning the tenant's use, occupancy, and maintenance of the tenant's dwelling unit, appurtenances thereto, and the premises of which the dwelling unit is a part, if:
(1) Such obligations or restrictions are brought to the attention of the tenant at the time of the tenant's entry into the rental agreement; or
(2) Such obligations or restrictions, if not so known by the tenant at the time of the tenant's entry into the rental agreement, are brought to the attention of the tenant and, if they work a substantial modification of the tenant's bargain under the rental agreement, are consented to in writing by the tenant.
(b) No such obligation or restriction shall be enforceable against the tenant unless:
(1) It is for the purpose of promoting the convenience, safety, or welfare of the tenants of the property, or for the preservation of the landlord's property from abusive use, or for the fair distribution of services and facilities held out for the tenants generally;
(2) It is reasonably related to the purpose for which it is established;
(3) It applies to all tenants of the property in a fair manner; and
(4) It is sufficiently explicit in its prohibition, direction, or limitation of the tenant's conduct to fairly inform the tenant of what the tenant must or must not do to comply.
(c) In a rental agreement for a single family residence, a landlord shall not prohibit a tenant from erecting, maintaining, or displaying an otherwise legal sign or outdoor advertising device that urges voters to vote for or against any person or issue; provided that reasonable restrictions are permissible for purposes of complying with applicable building and housing laws affecting health and safety.
(d) If the dwelling unit is a unit in a condominium, the tenant shall comply with the bylaws of the association under chapter 514B, and if the dwelling unit is an apartment in a cooperative housing corporation, the tenant shall comply with the bylaws of the corporation. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1; gen ch 1985; am L 1988, c 65, §2; am L 2003, c 194, §2; am L 2008, c 28, §38; am L 2017, c 181, §38]
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-52 establishes the conditions under which a landlord's rules and restrictions on a tenant's use, occupancy, and maintenance of a dwelling unit are legally binding. A rule is only enforceable if it was disclosed to the tenant at the start of the tenancy—or, if introduced later and it substantially changes the tenant's original agreement, if the tenant consents to it in writing. Beyond disclosure, any rule must serve a legitimate purpose (such as safety, property preservation, or fair distribution of services), apply fairly to all tenants, be reasonably related to that purpose, and be clear enough that a tenant can understand what is required. Tenants in condominiums or cooperative housing are also bound by the applicable association or corporation bylaws under this provision.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 521-52, operators of rental properties in Hawaii generally ensure that all rules and restrictions governing tenant conduct are presented clearly at the time the rental agreement is signed. If new rules are introduced after move-in and they represent a substantial change to the original bargain, landlords typically obtain written tenant consent before treating those rules as enforceable. Compliant operators also make certain that every rule applies uniformly to all tenants, is tied to a legitimate purpose such as safety or property preservation, and is written with enough specificity that tenants can readily understand what is expected of them.

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

For Tenants

Section 521-52 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes gives tenants a basis to challenge rules or restrictions that were never disclosed at the start of the tenancy, that were added later without written consent when they substantially changed the rental agreement, or that fail to meet the provision's fairness and clarity standards. If a landlord attempts to enforce a rule that does not satisfy these requirements—for example, one that applies unevenly across tenants or lacks a clear legitimate purpose—tenants may be able to raise the rule's unenforceability as a defense in a dispute. Tenants who believe a rule violates § 521-52 can explore options such as contacting a local tenant-rights organization or consulting with a housing attorney to understand available remedies.

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

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 514B
Not yet ingested

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_0521-0052.htm
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