Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666 § 666-8
Service.
Operative Text
The summons shall be served as provided by the rules of court. In the event that any defendant cannot be served within the circuit, service may be made in any part of the State. If any defendant cannot be served with process within the State, and the facts shall appear by affidavit or otherwise to the satisfaction of the court, service as to such defendant may be made according to the special order of the court, but such order shall in any case include a direction to the officer to leave a certified copy of the complaint and summons with some agent or employee of mature years of the defendant, provided the agent or employee can be found upon the premises or elsewhere within the circuit, and also to affix in a conspicuous place upon the premises (as upon the wall of any store, shop, dwelling, or other building thereon, and if there is no such building, then upon some other permanent object thereon, as a tree or fence) a certified copy of the complaint and summons. The order shall further require that a certified copy of the complaint and summons be sent to the defendant by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, unless it is shown by affidavit or otherwise to the satisfaction of the court that the address of the defendant is unknown and cannot be ascertained. [CC 1859, §941; am L 1905, c 95, §2; RL 1925, §2781; RL 1935, §4018; RL 1945, §10407; RL 1955, §240-8; HRS §666-8; am L 1972, c 90, §8(e)]
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 666-8 governs how a summons must be delivered to defendants in summary possession (eviction) proceedings. Ordinarily, service follows standard court rules, but if a defendant cannot be reached within the circuit, service may extend anywhere in the state. When a defendant cannot be served within Hawaii at all, a court may issue a special order requiring physical posting of certified copies of the complaint and summons on the premises, delivery to an agent or employee if one can be found, and mailing of certified copies to the defendant's last known address.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666-8, landlords initiating a summary possession action should be aware that proper service of the summons is a foundational step in the court process. Compliant operators typically work with a process server or court officer to ensure service is attempted first within the circuit and, if necessary, anywhere in the state. When a defendant is unreachable within Hawaii, landlords generally support the court's special-order process by providing any known address information or identifying agents or employees on the premises who may receive documents.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 666-8 establishes the methods by which a tenant must be formally notified of a summary possession action through service of a summons. Tenants have a right to proper service, and if service was not carried out in accordance with this provision or court rules, that procedural defect may be raised as an issue in the proceedings. Tenants who believe they were not properly served may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand what options are available to them.
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.
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