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Rent Regulations

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-66

Tenant's right to refund of rent, etc., on termination; return of security deposit.

In Force
Verified 10/23/2026 · Next check 10/30/2026
effective 10/23/2026HawaiiSecurity Deposits

Operative Text

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-66
When a tenant exercises a right to terminate the rental agreement pursuant to section 521-62, 521-63, or 521-65 the landlord shall return to the tenant, not later than fourteen days after the termination, the amount of any advance rent paid apportionable to the remaining days of the term and the amount of any security deposit that the landlord is not authorized to retain pursuant to section 521-44. A return of advance rent or of a security deposit complies with the requirements of this section if it is mailed to the tenant, at an address supplied to the landlord by the tenant, by certified mail, return receipt requested, and postmarked before midnight of the fourteenth day after the date of the termination of the rental agreement. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1]
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-66 governs what happens to a tenant's money when a rental agreement ends under specific statutory termination rights. When a tenant lawfully terminates under sections 521-62, 521-63, or 521-65, the landlord must return any prepaid rent covering the unused portion of the lease term, along with any security deposit not lawfully withheld under § 521-44. The landlord has fourteen days from the termination date to complete this return, and mailing by certified mail with return receipt requested, postmarked by midnight of the fourteenth day, satisfies the deadline.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 521-66, landlords who receive a qualifying statutory termination notice should promptly calculate the prorated unused rent and determine which portions, if any, of the security deposit may be retained under § 521-44. Compliant operators typically send the refund by certified mail with return receipt requested, ensuring the envelope is postmarked no later than midnight on the fourteenth day following the termination date. Keeping clear records of the postmark, the tenant's provided mailing address, and any documented deductions from the security deposit reflects standard practice for demonstrating compliance with this provision.

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

For Tenants

Section § 521-66 gives tenants who terminate a rental agreement under §§ 521-62, 521-63, or 521-65 the right to receive back their prorated prepaid rent and any security deposit the landlord is not permitted to keep under § 521-44, all within fourteen days of termination. Tenants generally protect this right by providing the landlord with a clear written mailing address at the time of termination and keeping records of that communication. If a refund is not received within the fourteen-day window, tenants may explore options such as contacting a local tenant-rights organization, reviewing remedies available under Hawaii's landlord-tenant code, or consulting with a legal aid provider familiar with § 521-66.

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. § 521-62
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-44

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

§ R 125.2001
Definitions.
§ 5-12-081
Interest rate on security deposits
§ 5-3-5-1
SECURITY DEPOSITS AND PREPAID RENT

Source Information

Source:https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol12_Ch0501-0588/HRS0521/HRS_0521-0066.htm
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