Homestead Exemption Laws in Hawaii

Hawaii exempts one parcel of real property up to $20,000 of equity, or $30,000 for a head of family or a person 65 or older, with no acreage limit in the statute.

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

Exemption amount: $20,000 ($30,000 if head of family or 65+); $30,000 if the owner is the head of a family or 65 or older. Value is fair market value over prior liens.
Unlimited in value: No
Acreage limit: No acreage limit; HRS 651-92 covers an interest in one parcel of real property in Hawaii, with no acreage limit.

Sources

Last checked October 2026

The rules in Hawaii

How much home equity does the homestead exemption protect in Hawaii?

Exemption amount in Hawaii: $20,000 ($30,000 if head of family or 65+). $30,000 if the owner is the head of a family or 65 or older. Value is fair market value over prior liens.

Is the homestead exemption unlimited in value in Hawaii?

No. Unlimited in value in Hawaii: no.

Is there an acreage limit on the homestead exemption in Hawaii?

Acreage limit in Hawaii: No acreage limit. HRS 651-92 covers an interest in one parcel of real property in Hawaii, with no acreage limit.

Where do the Hawaii homestead exemption laws come from?

The rules above come from Haw. Rev. Stat. 651-92. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

Only one exemption may be claimed on any one parcel.

The exemption does not apply against mortgages, tax liens, county improvement district liens, or liens recorded before the owner acquired the property and began living there.

What this means in practice

The exemption applies to equity, not to the full value of the home. Equity is the market value minus the mortgages and other liens on the property. A lender that holds a mortgage on the home, and certain other claims such as taxes on the property, can usually still be enforced against it regardless of the exemption.

Check whether you need to take a step to claim the protection. Some states protect a home automatically once it is your residence, while others require you to record a homestead declaration with the county or to claim the exemption in court when a creditor tries to collect.

In bankruptcy, federal law can limit a state homestead exemption for a home bought within a set period before the filing, and residency rules decide which state's exemptions apply if you moved recently. Some states also let filers choose the federal bankruptcy exemptions instead of the state list. A bankruptcy attorney can confirm which rules apply to your situation.

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