Hawaii Rent Late Fees: What the Statute Says
This page is about residential rent under Hawaii's landlord–tenant law. Charging a late fee on an unpaid business invoice? That is a different body of law: use the Hawaii late fee calculator for B2B invoices.
Hawaii caps the amount: under HRS § 521-21(f), where the rental agreement provides for a late charge for rent not paid when due, the late charge may not exceed eight per cent of the amount of rent due.
Hawaii rent late fee rule at a glance
- When a fee may first be charged
- For "rent not paid when due". The quoted text sets no grace period.
- Maximum amount
- Eight per cent (8%) of the amount of rent due.
- What the fee is calculated on
- "the amount of rent due"
- Lease and notice conditions
- The rental agreement must provide for the late charge ("Where the rental agreement provides for a late charge"). The quoted text sets no separate notice requirement.
- Statute
- Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-21(f) (Hawaii Revised Statutes, chapter 521 (Residential Landlord-Tenant Code), section 521-21)
- Verified
- , against the official source
Each line above restates only what the statute text quoted below says. Where the text is silent, we say so rather than fill the gap.
What the Hawaii statute says
(f) Where the rental agreement provides for a late charge payable to the landlord for rent not paid when due, the late charge shall not exceed eight per cent of the amount of rent due.
Quoted verbatim from the linked official source, not paraphrased. How we source and re-check legal text is described in our data methodology.
Hawaii rent late fee limit calculator
Formula: amount × 8%. Example: 8% of $2,000.00 is $160.00. This is the upper limit in the quoted text, which applies where the rental agreement provides for a late fee or late charge.
What this page does and does not cover
- It covers the state statute only (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-21(f)). It does not cover city or county ordinances or any other rules that may also apply to a tenancy.
- It covers residential rent. Late fees on invoices between businesses fall under Hawaii's commercial interest law: see the Hawaii B2B late fee calculator and the B2B vs. rent explainer.
- It states only what the quoted text says. Read the full section at the official link, or ask a licensed attorney in Hawaii, before relying on it.
Hawaii rent late fee FAQ
What is the maximum late fee on rent in Hawaii?
Eight per cent of the amount of rent due. HRS § 521-21(f): "Where the rental agreement provides for a late charge payable to the landlord for rent not paid when due, the late charge shall not exceed eight per cent of the amount of rent due." On $2,000 of rent due, that is at most $160.
Does the late charge have to be in the rental agreement in Hawaii?
Subsection (f) applies "Where the rental agreement provides for a late charge payable to the landlord for rent not paid when due". The 8% limit is written for a late charge the rental agreement provides for.
Is there a grace period for rent late fees in Hawaii?
HRS § 521-21(f) does not state one. It refers to "rent not paid when due" and limits the charge to eight per cent of the amount of rent due.
What is the 8% calculated on in Hawaii?
On "the amount of rent due", in the words of HRS § 521-21(f).
Does this page cover business invoices in Hawaii?
No. This page covers residential rent under Hawaii's landlord–tenant statute. Late fees and interest on invoices between businesses are governed by different law, covered on our Hawaii late fee calculator page for B2B invoices. Hawaii late fee calculator (B2B invoices) →
Not legal advice. This page quotes Hawaii's statute for general information. The verification date shows when we last confirmed the text at the official source, not that it is still current today. Statutes change and courts interpret them.