deposit-interest

Security Deposit Interest in Hawaii: No State Requirement (2026)

Hawaii requires no interest on security deposits — HRS §521-44 caps deposits at one month's rent (plus optional pet deposit), declares the deposi… Calculator, statute citation, Last Verified date o

Rule verified: 2026-10-28

Quick answer

No — Hawaii law does not require landlords to pay interest on security deposits. Hawaii requires no interest on security deposits — HRS §521-44 caps deposits at one month's rent (plus optional pet deposit), declares the deposit the tenant's property with priority over the landlord's creditors even if commingled, and the full Residential Landlord-Tenant Code (HRS ch. 521) contains no interest mandate. The rule comes from Haw. Rev. Stat. §521-44 (Security deposits); §521-53 is 'Access' (not deposits). State statute (official text) · 2026-10-28

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State pre-filled: Hawaii — rule applied per Haw. Rev. Stat. §521-44 (Security deposits); §521-53 is 'Access' (not deposits). Switch the state if your property is elsewhere.

StateSecurity deposit ($)Tenancy startTenancy end

What Hawaii law does — and does not — require

Hawaii has no statewide statute requiring interest on security deposits. Hawaii requires no interest on security deposits — HRS §521-44 caps deposits at one month's rent (plus optional pet deposit), declares the deposit the tenant's property with priority over the landlord's creditors even if commingled, and the full Residential Landlord-Tenant Code (HRS ch. 521) contains no interest mandate.

The statute that governs deposits in Hawaii, Haw. Rev. Stat. §521-44 (Security deposits); §521-53 is 'Access' (not deposits), covers how and when the deposit itself must be returned — it simply does not mandate interest on top.

How interest must be paid

Interest accrues as N/a. After termination, landlord must furnish an itemized notice of deductions and refund the balance within the statutory deadline of §521-44 (14 days); deposit remains tenant's property with priority over landlord's creditors, even if commingled.

Who the law applies to

All residential rentals under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code; deposit cap = one month's rent plus an agreed pet deposit (not required for assistance animals); landlord may not demand any other money at inception except first month's rent.

Cities in Hawaii that require interest

Historical clause: some older reprints/secondary sites (e.g. RHOL) quote a 5%-per-year simple interest requirement — this no longer exists in the current chapter text (verified full chapter). HRS 521-53 deals with tenant access/privacy, not deposits.

States that do require deposit interest

Hawaii has no statewide requirement. If you are moving or own rentals across state lines, these states do — each rate is the statutory value verified on the state page:

State	Statutory rate
Massachusetts	5% per annum, or the lesser amount of interest actually received from
Ohio	5% per annum
Maryland	greater of 1.5%/year or U.S. Treasury 1-year yield curve rate (leases
Minnesota	1% per annum
New York	Interest actually accrued/paid on the deposit in the interest-bearing

The statute behind it

| Field | Value | | --- | --- | --- | | Citation | Haw. Rev. Stat. §521-44 (Security deposits); §521-53 is 'Access' (not deposits) | | Official text | data.capitol.hawaii.gov | | Last verified | 2026-10-28 |

Cross-checked against: American Landlord — Hawaii Security Deposit Q&A ('landlords are not required to pay interest').

Statutes get amended. If you are relying on this page — for a move-out, a dispute, or a lease draft — click through to the official text and confirm the current wording.

FAQ

Does Hawaii require landlords to pay interest on security deposits?

No. Hawaii law does not mandate interest; whatever the lease says governs. Historical clause: some older reprints/secondary sites (e.g. RHOL) quote a 5%-per-year simple interest requirement — this no longer exists in the current chapter text (verified full chapter). HRS 521-53 deals with tenant access/privacy, not deposits.

How is deposit interest calculated in Hawaii?

Verified by full-text extraction of the official HRS Chapter 521 PDF: no provision requires the landlord to pay deposit interest. (Historical note: a pre-1974 version of the code paid 5% simple interest — obsolete, appears only in old reprints.) The calculator at the top of this page reflects Hawaii's rules where a numeric value exists.

When do I get the interest?

After termination, landlord must furnish an itemized notice of deductions and refund the balance within the statutory deadline of §521-44 (14 days); deposit remains tenant's property with priority over landlord's creditors, even if commingled.

Can my lease require the landlord to pay interest anyway?

Yes — a lease can always give you more than state law requires, never less. If your Hawaii lease promises interest, that promise is enforceable as a contract even though no statute mandates it.

Independent second source · 2026-10-28