Early Lease Termination Laws in Hawaii

In Hawaii, a domestic violence victim can end a rental agreement of one year or less with at least 14 days' notice and documentation, and a tenant who abandons a unit owes no more than the rent for the period reasonably needed to re-rent it plus re-renting costs, if that is less than the remaining rent.

Last checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.

Domestic violence victims: Yes, 14 days' notice with documentation; Applies to rental agreements of one year or less; the violence must be within 90 days before notice.
Landlord must re-rent: Yes, liability limited to re-rent period; Tenant owes the lesser of the remaining rent or rent for the period reasonably necessary to re-rent, whether or not the landlord re-rents.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

The rules in Hawaii

Can domestic violence or sexual assault victims end a lease early in Hawaii?

Yes, 14 days' notice with documentation. Domestic violence victims in Hawaii: yes, 14 days' notice with documentation. Applies to rental agreements of one year or less; the violence must be within 90 days before notice.

Does a landlord in Hawaii have to try to re-rent the unit after a tenant leaves early?

Yes, liability limited to re-rent period. Landlord must re-rent in Hawaii: yes, liability limited to re-rent period. Tenant owes the lesser of the remaining rent or rent for the period reasonably necessary to re-rent, whether or not the landlord re-rents.

Where do the Hawaii early lease termination laws come from?

The rules above come from Haw. Rev. Stat. 521-80 and Haw. Rev. Stat. 521-70. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Read the lease first. Many leases contain an early termination clause, a buyout fee or a sublease option that may be easier to use than a statutory right. A statutory right usually applies even if the lease says nothing about it, and a lease generally cannot waive it.

Statutory early termination rights usually come with conditions. Common ones are written notice to the landlord, a minimum notice period, and proof such as a protective order, police report, military orders or a doctor's statement. Keep copies of everything you send and note the date and method of delivery.

If you leave without a statutory right, you may still owe rent until the unit is re-rented or the lease ends. Where a landlord has a duty to mitigate, it must make reasonable efforts to find a new tenant, and the amount you owe is reduced by rent the landlord collects or reasonably could have collected. Returning keys and documenting the condition of the unit can help limit disputes.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.