Hawaii Laws
127 articles · page 2 of 3
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Hawaii Minimum Wage 2026: $16.00 an Hour, Next Step $18.00 in 2028
Hawaii's minimum wage is $16.00 an hour since January 1, 2026, with no 2027 increase and $18.00 scheduled for 2028. See the tip credit conditions and exemptions.
Hawaii Name Change Laws: How to Legally Change Your Name
Hawaii routes most adult name changes through the Lieutenant Governor's office, not court. Here is how the administrative process, fees, and restrictions work.
Hawaii Noise Laws: Decibel Limits, Quiet Hours and Penalties
Hawaii sets statewide noise limits: 55 dBA by day and 45 dBA at night in residential zones, a nighttime bass limit and leaf blower hours (HRS 342F).
Hawaii Non-Compete Laws (2026): Are Non-Competes Enforceable?
Hawaii voids non-competes for technology-business employees (HRS 480-4(d)) and judges others for reasonableness. Winning employees get attorneys' fees.
Hawaii Nursing Home Camera Laws: No Statute, Private-Place Risk
Hawaii has no nursing home camera law. See how HRS 711-1111's private-place rule, facility policy, and the LTC Ombudsman apply to a resident's room camera.
Hawaii Open Container Law (2026): HRS §§ 291-3.1 to 291-3.4
Hawaii's open-container rule spans four statutes covering driver, passenger, and storage, and the glove compartment isn't a safe harbor. Penalties and FHWA status.
Hawaii OVUII Laws: Penalties, BAC Limit & License (2026)
Hawaii OVUII (DUI) laws: the 0.08% BAC limit, first-offense penalties under HRS 291E-61, license revocation, interlock, the 10-year look-back, and refusal.
Hawaii Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)
No Hawaii state pepper spray law, but Honolulu regulates it by ordinance. Stun guns need a licensed, background-checked sale and a 21+ age floor.
Hawaii Phone Call Recording Laws: One-Party Consent Rules for Calls
Hawaii phone call recording laws allow you to record any call you participate in under one-party consent (HRS 803-42). Learn interstate rules, business recording, and penalties.
Hawaii Police Bodycam Laws: Public Records & Retention Rules
Hawaii has no bodycam statute; all four counties adopted cameras by policy. See how HRS 92F governs footage access, retention, and a 2024 Oahu shooting.
Hawaii Police Reports: How to Get a Copy From HPD or County Police
Hawaii has no statewide police report portal. Learn how to request a report from Honolulu PD or county police, and why Hawaii has no bodycam law.
Hawaii Pornography Laws (2026): No Age-Verification Law, Yet
Hawaii has no adult-site age-verification law but keeps its own performer recordkeeping statute. CSAM, NCII, and obscenity penalties under Hawaii law.
Hawaii Power of Attorney Laws: Durable, Medical, and Financial POA (2026)
Hawaii power of attorney laws explained: durable POA by default under HRS ch. 551E, execution by notarization, hot powers, and separate health-care POA under ch. 327E.
Hawaii Prenuptial Agreement Laws: UPAA Rules and Limits (2026)
Hawaii prenups fall under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act, HRS 572D: signing rules, when courts refuse enforcement, support waiver limits and amendments.
Hawaii Probate and Intestate Succession: What Happens Without a Will (2026)
Hawaii probate explained: informal vs. formal probate, who inherits without a will under Hawaii's dollar-bracket formula, and Hawaii's estate tax.
Hawaii Property Records: How to Find Out Who Owns a Property (2026)
Search Hawaii property records at the Bureau of Conveyances, the state's only recording office, and learn the Regular System vs. Land Court difference.
Hawaii Public Records Laws: The UIPA (HRS Chapter 92F) Explained
How Hawaii's Uniform Information Practices Act works: the 10-business-day rule in HAR 2-71, the $30 fee floor, the $60 public-interest waiver, free OIP appeals.
Hawaii Punitive Damages Laws: Guieb Standard, Caps and Rules
Hawaii allows punitive damages at common law under the 2025 Guieb test, proved by clear and convincing evidence; no general cap applies and the State is exempt.
Hawaii Quitclaim Deed: Requirements, Recording and Conveyance Tax
How a Hawaii quitclaim deed works: notary acknowledgment, Bureau of Conveyances recording rules and fees, conveyance tax exemptions and Forms P-64A and P-64B.
Hawaii Recording Laws (2026): Hybrid Consent State Rules
Hawaii is a hybrid consent state: one-party under HRS 803-42, all-party in private places under HRS 711-1111. Learn penalties, civil remedies, and your right to record police.
Hawaii Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get a Protective Order
How to get a restraining order in Hawaii: TRO lasts up to 180 days, free to file at Family Court. Order for Protection, firearms ban, and violation penalties explained.
Hawaii Ring Doorbell Laws: What You Need to Know in 2026
Learn Hawaii Ring doorbell laws including one-party consent rules, HRS § 711-1111 privacy restrictions, condo association rules, and penalties for illegal surveillance.
Hawaii Scam and Fraud Laws: Where to Report, Your Right to Sue (2026)
Hawaii consumers hurt by a deceptive practice can sue for the greater of $1,000 or 3x damages plus fees. Where to report, elder protections, crypto kiosk ban.
Hawaii School Recording Laws: Student Privacy, FERPA, and Classroom Rules (2026)
Hawaii school recording laws follow one-party consent under HRS 803-42. Learn FERPA protections, classroom recording rules, IEP rights, and student privacy in Hawaii schools.
Hawaii Security Camera Laws: Residential and Business Surveillance Rules
Hawaii security camera laws allow surveillance in public areas but prohibit cameras in private places under HRS 711-1111. Learn residential, business, and HOA camera rules.
Hawaii Self-Defense Laws: Duty to Retreat & Castle Doctrine (2026)
Hawaii is NOT a stand-your-ground state. HRS § 703-304(5)(b) requires retreat when safe to do so, with exceptions for your dwelling and place of work. No civil immunity. Updated 2026.
Hawaii Severance Pay Laws (2026): Is Severance Required?
Hawaii law does not require severance. See the 60-day closing notice rule, the four-week dislocated worker allowance, and how to claim promised severance.
Hawaii Sexting Laws: Legal Consequences and Penalties
Understand Hawaii's sexting laws: criminal penalties for adults and minors, revenge porn laws, and defenses available under Hawaii law.
Hawaii Slip and Fall Laws: Proving Premises Liability
Hawaii slip and fall law guide: modified-51 comparative fault, no open-and-obvious bar, no natural-accumulation rule, 2-year SOL, and 2-year county notice deadline.
Hawaii Small Claims Court: $5,000 Limit, Fees and How to File
Hawaii small claims court hears claims up to $5,000, with no limit for security deposit cases. Learn the $35 fee, service rules and why there is no appeal.
Hawaii Small Estate Affidavit: $100,000 Limit, Vehicles and Form
Hawaii heirs can collect personal property by affidavit when the gross estate in Hawaii is $100,000 or less (HRS 560:3-1201). Vehicles are exempt.
Hawaii Smart Glasses Recording Laws (2026)
Hawaii smart glasses laws: one-party consent under HRS 803-42, but all-party required in private places under HRS 711-1111. Learn penalties, the police-recording right, and practical tips.
Hawaii Social Security Disability: Rates & Wait Times
Social Security disability in Hawaii: a federally administered SSI supplement, 209(b) Medicaid, approval odds, and how long an ALJ hearing takes.
Hawaii Spousal Support (Alimony) Laws: How It Works (2026)
Hawaii spousal support (alimony) is governed by HRS § 580-47. Courts weigh 13 statutory factors with no formula. Learn how courts decide, what types exist, how long support lasts, and when it ends.
Hawaii Squatters Rights and Adverse Possession Laws (2026)
Hawaii requires 20 years of continuous adverse possession under HRS § 657-31. Learn the strict AP limits, the quiet title process under § 669-1, and how to remove squatters via summary possession.
Hawaii Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type
Hawaii statute of limitations: 2 years for personal injury, 6 years for contracts, no limit for murder. Full guide to civil and criminal filing deadlines.
Hawaii Surveillance Camera Laws: Complete 2026 Guide
Hawaii surveillance camera laws explained: home security, workplace cameras, hidden cameras, audio recording rules under HRS 803-42, and penalties.
Hawaii Theft Laws: Felony Threshold, Degrees and Shoplifting (2026)
Hawaii theft is a class C felony when the value exceeds $750 under HRS 708-831. See each theft degree, value-independent felonies, shoplifting fines and civil penalties.
Hawaii Trade Secret Laws: UTSA, Remedies & Deadlines
Hawaii Uniform Trade Secrets Act (Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 482B-1 to 482B-9): what qualifies, the 3-year deadline, injunctions, 2x damages, and how the federal DTSA applies.
Hawaii Unclaimed Property: How to Search & Claim Your Money (2026)
Hawaii isn't on MissingMoney.com, so search its own portal. Small balances under $100 from before 2016 must be claimed by July 1, 2026.
Hawaii Unemployment Benefits 2026: $868 Max, Eligibility, Filing
Hawaii unemployment pays $5 to $868 a week for 2026 claims, for up to 26 weeks. See who is eligible, how the DLIR figures your amount, and how to file or appeal.
Hawaii Video Recording Laws: Privacy Rules and Consent Requirements
Hawaii video recording laws allow filming in public but restrict recording in private places under HRS 711-1111. Learn consent rules, voyeurism penalties, and legal limits.
Hawaii Voyeurism Laws: Hidden Camera Penalties and Privacy Protections
Hawaii voyeurism laws under HRS 711-1110.9 make hidden camera recording a Class C felony. Learn about penalties, deepfake protections, and intimate image laws.
Hawaii Warrant Search: How to Check If You Have a Warrant (2026)
Hawaii's real warrant database is law-enforcement-only. Learn how to use eCourt Kokua, the free public tool, to check if you have a warrant in Hawaii.
Hawaii Whistleblower Laws: Protections and How to Report
Learn about Hawaii whistleblower laws, including who is protected under HRS 378-62, how to file a retaliation claim, available remedies, and filing deadlines.
Hawaii Will and Trust Laws: Witnesses, Holographic Wills (2026)
A Hawaii will needs two witnesses, or the signature and material portions in the testator's handwriting. Hawaii also has a harmless-error rule.
Hawaii Window Tint Laws (2026): Legal VLT Limits
Hawaii requires 35% VLT on front side windows. After 2025 Act 129, rear and back side windows may be any darkness. No medical exemption. Penalties up to $550.
Hawaii Windshield Mounting Laws (2026 Guide)
Hawaii windshield mounting laws: restrictions, penalties, and exemptions. Complete guide.
Hawaii Workers' Compensation Laws: Benefits, Deadlines, and Your Rights
Hawaii workers' comp covers any employer with 1+ employees. Learn benefit rates, the 2-year filing deadline, doctor-choice rules, and your rights under HRS Ch. 386.
Hawaii Workplace Harassment Laws: Hostile Work Environment (2026)
Hawaii harassment law covers employers with one or more employees. Act 56 (2026) gives one year to file with the HCRC, and NDAs on sexual harassment are limited.
Hawaii Workplace Recording Laws: Employee and Employer Rights
Hawaii workplace recording laws allow employees to record conversations they participate in under one-party consent. Learn employer surveillance rules and private place limits.
Hawaii Wrongful Death Laws (2026): Deadlines & Who Can Sue
Hawaii wrongful death claims: the 2-year deadline, who can sue, loss of society damages, the survival action, and the $375,000 pain-and-suffering cap.
How Long Is a Life Sentence in Hawaii? (2026 Guide)
Complete guide to life sentences in Hawaii: parole eligibility, LWOP rules, notable cases, recent legislative changes, and sentencing statutes. Updated March 2026.
How to Find a Cause of Death in Hawaii (2026)
How to find someone's cause of death in Hawaii: it appears on the death certificate, a closed record limited to family and others with a direct, tangible interest.
How to Get a Hawaii Death Certificate (2026)
Get a Hawaii death certificate from the State Department of Health for $10 first copy ($4 each additional). Order online, by mail, or in person. Eligibility, cost, and processing time explained.
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Is Blackmail Illegal in Hawaii? Extortion Laws and Penalties
Hawaii charges blackmail as extortion in three degrees (HRS 707-764 to 707-769), from a misdemeanor to a class B felony, or class A with a weapon. See the threats.
Is Disorderly Conduct a Crime in Hawaii? Penalties and Trespass
Hawaii disorderly conduct (HRS 711-1101) is a violation unless aimed at substantial harm or continued after a warning. Trespass has three degrees; no purple paint.
Is Jaywalking Illegal in Hawaii? Crossing Rules and $100 Fine (2026)
Hawaii pedestrians crossing outside a crosswalk must yield to all vehicles, and counties may require crosswalks in business districts. HRS 291C-73(e) sets a $100 fine.
Is Kratom Legal in Hawaii? Kratom and 7-OH Law (2026)
Hawaii emergency-scheduled 7-OH above a threshold and three related compounds in Schedule I on Sept. 22, 2026. Kratom leaf under the threshold is not listed by name.
Is Lane Splitting Legal in Hawaii? (2026 Motorcycle Law)
Lane splitting and filtering are illegal in Hawaii under HRS 291C-153(c). Shoulder riding is not authorized, and fines run up to $250 for a first violation.