Honolulu HI rent increase 2026 Honolulu, Hawaii has no rent control in 2026. No Hawaii county has ever enacted residential rent control — not the City & County of Honolulu, not Maui County, not Hawai‘i County, not Kaua‘i County — despite Hawaii having the most expensive housing market in the United States. HRS Chapter 521 (Hawaii’s Residential Landlord-Tenant Code): 1-month deposit cap (HRS §521-44(b)); 14-day return deadline (HRS §521-44(c)) = TIED FOR FASTEST MANDATORY DEPOSIT RETURN IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES (alongside Arizona ARS §33-1321(D) and Alaska AS §34.03.070; faster than California 21 days, Oregon 31 days, Washington 21–30 days, Nevada 30 days); REQUIRED 5% per annum deposit interest (HRS §521-44(d)); 3× treble damages for wrongful withholding (HRS §521-44(e)); 5-day pay-or-quit with cure right (HRS §521-68(a)); First Circuit Court, Honolulu. Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH): ~40,000 active duty + ~10,000–12,000 US govt civilians = HAWAII’S LARGEST EMPLOYER COMPLEX; US Pacific Fleet, Pacific Air Forces, and US Indo-Pacific Command; BAH O-5 with dependents ~$4,400–$4,900/month; ~25,000–35,000 military off-base households. HMSA (~700,000 members = ~50% of Hawaii’s 1.4M population; Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act 1974 predates ACA by 36 years). University of Hawaii (ONLY NCI-designated cancer center in Hawaii and the Pacific region). Bill 41 (Ordinance 21-7, October 23, 2022): ~6,000–8,000 illegal STR units converted to long-term rental market.

Hawaii rent control status: why no Honolulu ordinance can cap rents

Hawaii presents one of the most striking contrasts in US housing policy: the most expensive housing market in the country by median home price, yet zero residential rent control anywhere in the state. Despite Honolulu median single-family home prices exceeding $1.1 million and O‘ahu median condo prices exceeding $550,000 in 2025, no Hawaii county has ever enacted a residential rent control ordinance.

Hawaii does not have a statewide rent-control preemption statute — the kind passed by Texas (Texas LGC §214.902, 1987), Wisconsin (Wis. Stat. §66.1015, 1981), Michigan (MCL §123.409, 1988), Illinois (765 ILCS 720, 1997), Tennessee (T.C.A. §66-35-102, 2014), Missouri (RSMo §441.043, 2021), and Kansas (K.S.A. §12-16,130) — because Hawaii has simply never needed one. No Hawaii municipality has ever attempted to enact residential rent control, making preemption legislation unnecessary.

The Hawaii State Legislature has considered rent stabilization bills in recent sessions, but none has passed. Hawaii’s dominant employer structure — military (federal), tourism and hospitality, healthcare, and university — and its constitutional home rule framework (Hawaii Constitution Article VIII) give county councils authority but the Legislature has not enacted enabling legislation for rent regulation. The City & County of Honolulu City Council has not enacted rent control, and the 2022 Bill 41 STR enforcement action (discussed below) was an STR crackdown, not rent regulation.

The practical result for Honolulu landlords: no rent cap, no annual increase guideline, no stabilization board, no administrative review process, and no petition requirement. Honolulu is a fully market-rate rental environment and is likely to remain so.

Hawaii HRS Chapter 521: Honolulu deposit, notice, and eviction rules

Security deposit: 1-month cap, 14-day return, 5% annual interest, treble damages — HRS §521-44

Hawaii Revised Statutes §521-44 governs security deposits for residential tenancies in Hawaii. Hawaii’s security deposit law is one of the most distinctive in the United States, combining three features that together create the most demanding deposit compliance environment in the Western US.

One-month deposit cap (HRS §521-44(b)): A Honolulu landlord may not require a security deposit exceeding one month’s rent. A landlord renting a unit at $2,500/month may collect a maximum deposit of $2,500. This matches Rhode Island (RI Gen. Laws §34-18-19(a)), New Hampshire (NH RSA §540-A:6(I)), and Massachusetts (G.L. c. 186, §15B).

14-day return deadline — TIED FASTEST IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES (HRS §521-44(c)): After the tenancy terminates and the tenant vacates, the Honolulu landlord must return the deposit balance, with a written itemized statement of deductions, within 14 days.

Hawaii’s 14-day return deadline is tied for the fastest mandatory deposit return deadline in the entire United States, matching Arizona (ARS §33-1321(D)) and Alaska (AS §34.03.070). It is faster than every other state: California requires 21 days (Cal. Civ. Code §1950.5(g)); Rhode Island requires 20 days (RI Gen. Laws §34-18-19(b), the fastest in New England but still 6 days slower than Hawaii); Washington state requires 21 or 30 days (RCW §59.18.280); Nevada requires 30 days (NRS §118A.242); Massachusetts and Connecticut require 30 days; Oregon requires 31 days (ORS §90.300, the slowest West Coast return deadline).

The 14-day deadline must be calendared precisely. The clock starts when the tenant vacates the unit — not from the lease end date if those differ. Late return exposes the landlord to 3× treble damages (see below).

Required 5% per annum deposit interest (HRS §521-44(d)): Hawaii requires landlords to pay simple interest at 5% per annum on all security deposits. This interest must be paid annually to the tenant or credited against rent. Hawaii is one of only a handful of US states that mandates deposit interest:

States requiring deposit interest include: Hawaii (5% per annum, HRS §521-44(d)); Massachusetts (5% per annum or passbook savings rate, whichever is lower, for tenancies over one year, G.L. c. 186, §15B(3)); Connecticut (Banking Commissioner rate annually for all tenancies, CGS §47a-21(i)); New York (for buildings with 6 or more units, RPL §7-103). The vast majority of US states impose NO deposit interest: California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, Virginia, New Hampshire, Rhode Island — all impose zero deposit interest obligation. For a $2,500 deposit, Hawaii’s 5% interest requirement creates a $125/year annual payment obligation. Track deposits and interest payments in a formal ledger.

Treble (3×) damages for wrongful withholding (HRS §521-44(e)): A Honolulu landlord who wrongfully withholds the security deposit — by failing to return it within 14 days with an itemized statement, or by improperly claiming deductions — may be liable for three times the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney’s fees. Hawaii’s treble damages are more severe than the 2× damages imposed by California (Cal. Civ. Code §1950.5(l)), Oregon (ORS §90.300(15)), Washington state (RCW §59.18.280(2)), Nevada (NRS §118A.242(5)), and Rhode Island (RI Gen. Laws §34-18-19(d)). Combined with the 14-day deadline (tightest in the US), Hawaii’s deposit law creates the strictest landlord deadline and the highest damages exposure in the Western United States.

Separate account and records: Maintain security deposits in a bank account separate from operating funds. Keep records of deposits received, interest paid, and any deductions. These records are essential for both annual interest payments and deposit return documentation.

Non-payment notice: 5-day pay-or-quit with cure right — HRS §521-68(a)

For non-payment of rent, Hawaii requires the landlord to serve a written 5-day demand for payment of rent before commencing summary possession proceedings.

Five-day notice period: The tenant has 5 days from service of the written demand to pay the full amount of rent owed or surrender the premises. Hawaii’s 5-day period matches Rhode Island (RI Gen. Laws §34-18-35) and is longer than Connecticut (3-day, CGS §47a-23). It is shorter than New Hampshire (7-day, NH RSA §540:3), Massachusetts (14-day demand for rent, G.L. c. 186, §11), and Washington state (14-day, RCW §59.18.375). It is slightly longer than Texas (3-day, Tex. Prop. Code §24.005).

Cure right: If the tenant pays the full amount of rent owed within the 5-day period, the landlord must accept the payment and may not proceed with eviction for that non-payment event.

Notice service: The written demand must specify the amount of rent owed. Service may be by personal delivery, posting at the premises, or certified mail. Maintain proof of service for your summary possession file.

Eviction venue: District Court of the First Circuit, 1111 Alakea Street, Honolulu

After the 5-day notice expires without payment or surrender, the Honolulu landlord files a Complaint for Summary Possession in the District Court of the First Circuit at 1111 Alakea Street, Honolulu, HI 96813.

The Court schedules a hearing within approximately 2–4 weeks of filing. If the landlord prevails, the Court issues a Writ of Possession. The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) or a designated court officer enforces the writ. The total timeline from 5-day notice to writ execution is typically 5–8 weeks for uncontested non-payment cases.

No self-help eviction (HRS §521-63): A Honolulu landlord may not remove a tenant by changing locks, removing doors or windows, shutting off utilities, or removing the tenant’s belongings. Self-help eviction violates HRS §521-63 and entitles the tenant to recover actual damages, plus attorney’s fees and court costs. Always use the summary possession process for tenant removal.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and the O‘ahu military rental economy

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) is not simply an employer — it is Hawaii’s entire strategic rationale and its largest single employer complex, employing more people than any other organization on the island and generating a rental demand cohort unmatched in any other US market by percentage of total rental demand.

JBPHH was established on October 1, 2010 through the merger of Naval Station Pearl Harbor (established 1908, scene of the December 7, 1941 attack) and Hickam Air Force Base (established 1935) under the Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC) 2005. JBPHH is the headquarters of:

US Pacific Fleet (COMPACFLT): Commands all US Navy forces in the Pacific, including approximately 200 ships, 1,100 aircraft, and 130,000 active duty Navy personnel across the Pacific theater.

Pacific Air Forces (PACAF): Commands US Air Force operations in the Pacific and Indo-Pacific, with subordinate commands at Kadena AB (Japan), Osan AB (Korea), Andersen AFB (Guam), and Elmendorf-Richardson (Alaska).

US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM): The largest US combatant command by geographic area, covering approximately 52% of the earth’s surface from the US West Coast to the eastern border of India and Pakistan, and including 7 of the world’s 10 largest military forces within its area of responsibility. USINDOPACOM oversees all US military operations, alliances, and activities in the Pacific region, including treaty relationships with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand. The USINDOPACOM Commander is a 4-star officer; the command is headquartered at Camp H.M. Smith, a hill overlooking Pearl Harbor and Honolulu.

The JBPHH complex directly employs approximately 40,000 active duty military and 10,000–12,000 US government civilians. Including family members and authorized dependents, the JBPHH population exceeds 90,000 people — more than many mainland US cities. Tripler Army Medical Center (Moanalua Ridge, Honolulu) — the LARGEST MILITARY HOSPITAL WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI — adds approximately 2,000+ military and civilian healthcare personnel. Schofield Barracks (Wahiawa; 25th Infantry Division “Tropic Lightning”; ~14,000–17,000 Army) and Marine Corps Base Hawaii Kaneohe Bay (MCBH; ~12,000 Marines and sailors) add further military rental demand in the Pearl City/Aiea, Ewa, Mililani, and Windward O‘ahu submarkets.

Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH): Honolulu Military Housing Area BAH rates for 2026 are among the highest in the United States: E-5 with dependents approximately $2,900–$3,200/month; O-3 with dependents approximately $3,900–$4,300/month; O-5 with dependents approximately $4,400–$4,900/month. These BAH rates reflect Honolulu’s extreme market rents. Because military families receive BAH at local market rates and most cannot obtain on-base housing (wait lists are 1–3 years for some categories), the approximately 25,000–35,000 off-base military households on O‘ahu — representing approximately 15–20% of total O‘ahu rental demand — form a BAH-subsidized rental demand floor across all Honolulu submarkets.

Major civilian employers and rental demand drivers in Honolulu

HMSA (Hawaii Medical Service Association) — ~700,000 members = ~50% OF HAWAII’S POPULATION

Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) is the Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliate in Hawaii and the dominant health insurer in the state, with approximately 700,000 members — representing roughly 50% of Hawaii’s total population of approximately 1.4 million people. HMSA employs approximately 3,500–4,500 people at its Honolulu headquarters and branch offices, primarily in healthcare administration, claims processing, provider relations, and IT.

HMSA’s dominant market position is underpinned by the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act (HRS Chapter 393, enacted 1974) — a law that pre-dates the Affordable Care Act by 36 years and requires Hawaii employers to provide health insurance coverage to employees working 20 or more hours per week. Hawaii Prepaid Health Care makes Hawaii one of the most comprehensively insured US states, with near-universal employer-sponsored coverage among the working population. HMSA and Kaiser Permanente Hawaii are the two dominant carriers, together covering approximately 90% of the commercially-insured Hawaii population.

HMSA employees earn approximately $55,000–$100,000 for operations and administrative roles and $120,000–$250,000+ for medical directors and senior technology and operations executives. HMSA generates meaningful professional rental demand in Downtown Honolulu and the urban Honolulu submarket.

Queen’s Health System — OLDEST AND LARGEST PRIVATE HOSPITAL IN HAWAII, founded 1859 by Queen Emma Kalelenalani

The Queen’s Medical Center (1301 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu) is the oldest and largest private hospital in Hawaii, founded in 1859 by Queen Emma Kalelenalani and King Kamehameha IV to provide healthcare for the native Hawaiian population. Queen’s is a Level I Trauma Center and serves as the primary Pacific Basin referral center for advanced medical care from Guam, American Samoa, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia. Total Queen’s Health System employment is approximately 4,000–5,000 directly, with the full system at approximately 6,000–7,000.

Other major Honolulu healthcare employers include Pali Momi Medical Center (Aiea; serves the Pearl City/Ewa submarket; Tripler Army Medical Center; Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children (primary OB/GYN and pediatric hospital in Hawaii); and Straub Medical Center (Honolulu; Hawaii Pacific Health system). Together, healthcare is the largest civilian employer sector in Honolulu, generating demand across all rental submarkets.

University of Hawaii — 10 campuses; ONLY NCI-DESIGNATED CANCER CENTER IN HAWAII AND BROADER PACIFIC REGION

The University of Hawaii system encompasses 10 campuses across the Hawaiian Islands, employing approximately 17,000–19,000 total across all campuses. University of Hawaii at Mānoa (UHM) — the flagship campus, located 3 miles east of downtown Honolulu — is a Carnegie R1 doctoral university (AAU invited) with approximately 18,000 students, approximately 5,000–6,000 direct faculty and staff, and over $400 million in annual research activity.

The UH Cancer Center (UH Mānoa campus) is the ONLY NCI-DESIGNATED CANCER CENTER IN HAWAII AND THE BROADER PACIFIC REGION, serving as the cancer research and care hub for all of Hawaii and for Pacific Island nations and territories including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and affiliated Pacific nations. UH Mānoa also hosts the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) — the only MD-granting medical school in Hawaii — and the Institute for Astronomy (IfA), which operates observatories on Mauna Kea including the twin Keck Telescopes, the Subaru Telescope (NAOJ), the IRTF (NASA), and Gemini North (NSF).

UH Mānoa proximity drives rental demand in the Mānoa Valley, Kaimukī, and Mānoa-adjacent Honolulu neighborhoods for faculty, staff, graduate students, and researchers. JABSOM medical students and residents add demand across Honolulu healthcare neighborhoods.

Matson Navigation (NASDAQ:MATX) and Hawaiian Airlines (Alaska Air Group) — Hawaii’s unique Jones Act and aviation anchors

Matson Navigation (NASDAQ:MATX; 1411 Sand Island Pkwy, Honolulu): Matson is the ONLY US-FLAG JONES ACT OCEAN CARRIER OPERATING SCHEDULED CONTAINER SERVICE TO HAWAII. The Jones Act (46 U.S.C. §55102, the Merchant Marine Act of 1920) requires all cargo transported between US ports to be carried on US-built, US-flagged, US-owned, and US-crewed vessels. Because Hawaii cannot receive foreign-flagged vessels for US domestic cargo, virtually all consumer goods, food, automobiles, building materials, and industrial equipment arriving from the US mainland comes on Matson vessels. Matson generated approximately $3.2 billion or more in revenue in FY2024 and employs approximately 800–1,000 people in Hawaii. The Jones Act’s practical effect is to inflate Hawaii construction material costs by approximately 15–25% compared to equivalent mainland projects, structurally suppressing new housing supply and contributing to Hawaii’s extreme housing cost premium.

Hawaiian Airlines (Alaska Air Group; Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Honolulu): Hawaiian Airlines merged with Alaska Air Group in a transaction that closed September 18, 2024 ($1.9 billion; DOJ clearance with conditions). The Hawaiian brand was retained. Pre-merger, Hawaiian employed approximately 6,700 HNL-based personnel (pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, ground operations, and administrative staff). Post-merger, Honolulu-based employment is approximately 5,500–6,500. Alaska Air Group is the 5th-largest US airline by fleet post-merger. Hawaiian employees generate significant rental demand in the Ewa, Kapolei, and urban Honolulu submarkets near the airport.

Kamehameha Schools / Bishop Estate — ~365,000 acres = 9% OF HAWAII’S TOTAL LAND AREA; $11B+ endowment

Kamehameha Schools / Bishop Estate is the largest private landowner in Hawaii, holding approximately 365,000 acres across the Hawaiian Islands — approximately 9% of Hawaii’s total land area. The trust was established under the will of Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop (1884), the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I and the last direct descendant of the Kamehameha royal line. Its endowment of approximately $11 billion or more (2025 estimates) is among the largest private school endowments in the world — larger than all Ivy League universities except Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Penn. The school educates Native Hawaiian students PK–12 at campuses on O‘ahu, Maui, and Hawai‘i (Big Island). Kamehameha Schools is the master developer of the Kaka‘ako neighborhood in Honolulu (the Ward Village development area, in partnership with Howard Hughes Corporation) and employs approximately 2,000–2,500 people statewide.

Because Kamehameha Schools holds such a large share of Hawaii’s land in long-term ground leases (rather than fee simple ownership), its decisions on land use and lease renewals have outsized effects on Honolulu’s real estate market. The Kaka‘ako development program is adding thousands of market-rate residential units to Honolulu’s supply through the Ward Village master plan, the largest urbaninfill project in Hawaii.

Honolulu rent data 2026

Honolulu neighborhood rent ranges, 2BR (2026 estimates)

Neighborhood / District	2BR rent range (2026F)	Notes
Waikiki / Diamond Head	$2,400–$4,500	Resort district; highest-demand O‘ahu submarket; Bill 41 forced many illegal STRs to LTR conversions; legally permitted STRs remain in resort-zoned Waikiki; Diamond Head beachfront commands premium; tourism worker displacement demand; luxury condominium rentals at high end
Ala Moana / Kaka‘ako	$2,100–$3,800	Ward Village luxury towers (Ae‘o, ‘A‘āli‘i, Koula); Ala Moana Center (largest open-air mall in US); Kamehameha Schools master development; HMSA headquarters proximity; Blaisdell Arena concerts and events; Honolulu’s most active luxury residential pipeline; SALT at Our Kaka‘ako urban lifestyle district
Kaimukī / Waialāe	$1,900–$2,900	Established residential neighborhood popular with young professionals; Waialāe Avenue restaurant corridor; UH Mānoa proximity; Diamond Head adjacent; newer market-rate multifamily mixed with older housing stock; high walkability; coffee shop and boutique culture
Makiki / Nu‘uanu / Punchbowl	$1,900–$2,800	Mid-elevation neighborhoods above downtown; National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl Crater); state government proximity; older high-rise condominiums common; Nu‘uanu Pali Lookout recreation corridor; mix of government and healthcare workers
Mānoa / University District	$1,800–$2,700	University of Hawaii Mānoa campus; strong faculty/staff and graduate student demand; Mānoa Falls hike; older housing stock with larger units; limited new construction due to valley geography; JABSOM medical student demand; Mānoa Marketplace retail
Downtown Honolulu / Chinatown	$1,700–$2,800	Hawaii State Capitol; Honolulu Hale (City Hall); Hawaii Supreme Court; Chinatown Historic District arts scene; Hawaii Theatre; Nu‘uanu-Hotel corridors; state government and legal sector employment; Night market dining; Aala Park
Pearl City / Aiea / Mililani	$1,700–$2,500	Primary JBPHH commuter corridor; Pearlridge Center (largest enclosed mall on O‘ahu); significant military family concentration; E-5 through O-4 BAH market segment; Tripler Army Medical Center employees; state highway H-1 and H-2 access; working-class and military family multifamily stock
Ewa Beach / Ewa Plain / Kapolei	$1,700–$2,400	Fastest-growing O‘ahu district; HART Skyline first revenue stations (East Kapolei / Ho‘opili / West Loch / Waipahu opened June 30, 2023); newer master-planned communities (Ewa Gentry, Ho‘opili, Ka Makana Ali‘i mall); Kapolei “second city” of O‘ahu; Hawaii Community College; more affordable relative to urban Honolulu; transit-oriented development along new rail corridor

Honolulu average 1BR rent trajectory, 2019–2026F

Year	Approx avg 1BR (Honolulu metro)	Key drivers
2019	~$1,700–$2,100	Pre-COVID baseline; steady military BAH demand; tourism-residential competition for units; Jones Act construction cost premium sustaining tight supply; new Kaka‘ako towers beginning to deliver; JBPHH BAH increases annual cycle
2020	~$1,650–$2,000	COVID-19 initial disruption; Hawaii tourism collapsed (air arrivals down 75%+); hotel workers and hospitality sector job losses reduced rental demand; modest softening in visitor-facing neighborhoods (Waikiki); military and healthcare demand stabilized; Hawaii’s strict initial border controls
2021	~$1,800–$2,200	Hawaii reopened borders (October 2021); tourism recovery began; remote work Hawaii boom (mainland workers relocating to O‘ahu for lifestyle); STR market absorbed some of this demand before Bill 41; JBPHH BAH increase; Kaka‘ako deliveries adding new high-end units
2022	~$2,000–$2,500	Peak surge period; tourism fully recovered; remote work Hawaii demand strong; STR market at record occupancy before Bill 41 effective (October 23, 2022); Bill 41 effective: 6,000–8,000 illegal STRs forced to LTR or shutdown; supply shock began working through market in Q4; JBPHH BAH increase; Hawaii’s all-time rent peak in most submarkets
2023	~$2,000–$2,400	Post-Bill 41 supply increase moderating rent growth; O‘ahu vacancy rose from 1–1.5% to 3–5% as converted STR units entered LTR market; Maui wildfire (August 8, 2023): some displaced Maui families temporarily relocated to O‘ahu, adding short-term O‘ahu demand; JBPHH BAH stable; rent growth decelerating to 2–4% annually vs. prior 8–12%
2024	~$2,050–$2,500	Sustained plateau; Bill 41 supply fully absorbed into LTR market; Hawaiian Airlines-Alaska Air Group merger ($1.9B, September 2024); HART Skyline expansion toward Middle Street and Civic Center stations; Ewa Plain TOD new deliveries; continued military BAH demand floor; modest new STR-to-LTR conversions from ongoing enforcement
2026F	~$2,100–$2,600	Forecast 2–3% annual appreciation; HART Skyline continued expansion (toward Airport and downtown stations) driving Ewa and Pearl City corridor demand; Kaka‘ako Ward Village new tower deliveries; JBPHH BAH rate adjustments; tourism sector stable; no rent control; Jones Act supply constraints ongoing; sustained military rental floor

Honolulu rent comparison: Pacific cities 2026

City / Metro	Rent control status	Deposit cap	Non-payment notice	Deposit interest	Avg 1BR (2026F)
Honolulu HI (O‘ahu; Honolulu MSA ~1.0M)	None; HRS Chapter 521; no Hawaii county has ever enacted rent control; military BAH demand floor; Bill 41 STR crackdown 2022 (NOT rent control — STR enforcement only)	1 month (HRS §521-44(b))	5-day pay-or-quit, cure right (HRS §521-68(a))	REQUIRED: 5% per annum (HRS §521-44(d))	~$1,800–$2,500
Seattle WA (Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA ~4.0M)	None statewide; RCW 59.18 RLTA; Seattle Landlord-Tenant Fairness Act 2022; Seattle just-cause eviction ordinance; no WA statewide rent control; Amazon HQ Bellevue	None (WA has no statutory deposit cap)	14-day notice (RCW §59.18.375)	Not required	~$1,700–$2,200
San Diego CA (San Diego-Carlsbad MSA ~3.3M)	AB 1482 statewide cap (5% + CPI, max 10%) for covered units; San Diego no local RSO; Navy-Marine Corps largest employer; UC San Diego; Qualcomm; no deposit interest	2 months (Cal. Civ. Code §1950.5(c))	3-day notice to pay or quit (CCP §1161)	Not required	~$2,000–$2,700
Portland OR (Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro MSA ~2.5M)	Oregon SB 611 statewide rent control (7% + CPI, max 10%; effective 2023); 90-day advance notice for increases; Portland JCEO just-cause eviction ordinance; strong tenant protections	None (OR has no statutory deposit cap)	13-day notice for nonpayment (ORS §90.394)	Not required	~$1,400–$1,900
Las Vegas NV (Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise MSA ~2.3M)	None; NRS Chapter 118A; no Nevada rent control; A.R.S. not applicable — NRS §118A.315 preempts local rent control; gaming/hospitality; Raiders/Knights/Aces; UNLV; Allegiant Stadium	3 months (NRS §118A.242(1))	7-day notice (NRS §40.253)	Not required	~$1,100–$1,600
Phoenix AZ (Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler MSA ~5.0M)	None; ARS §33-1329 explicit statutory preemption; no AZ city has rent control; Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) ~$65B fab; Intel Ocotillo; A.R.S. ARLTA; 14-DAY RETURN = TIED FASTEST IN US with Hawaii + Alaska	1.5 months (ARS §33-1321(A))	5-day notice (ARS §33-1368)	Not required	~$1,100–$1,500
Denver CO (Denver-Aurora-Lakewood MSA ~2.9M)	None; CRS §38-12-301 preemption; no Denver rent control (City of Denver ballot failed 2021); Colorado URLTA; Lockheed Martin Space; 14-day notice; TABOR fiscal constraints	None (CO has no statutory deposit cap)	10-day notice (CRS §13-40-104)	Not required	~$1,400–$1,900
Anchorage AK (Anchorage MSA ~400K)	None; AS §34.03.070; 14-DAY RETURN = TIED FASTEST IN US with Hawaii + Arizona; no Alaska city has rent control; JBER Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson; Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend; oil-driven economy; Providence Alaska Medical Center	2 months (AS §34.03.070(g))	7-day notice (AS §34.03.220)	Not required	~$1,100–$1,600

Honolulu landlord compliance checklist 2026

1. No rent increase cap. No Hawaii county has ever enacted rent control. No HRS statute restricts Honolulu rent increases. Raise rent by any amount at lease renewal. Provide advance written notice of rent changes as required by the existing lease. Document the new rent in a signed written lease renewal or amendment.
2. Apply the 1-month deposit cap (HRS §521-44(b)). Collect no more than one month’s rent as a security deposit. For a Honolulu unit at $2,500/month, the maximum deposit is $2,500. Do not collect a larger deposit even with tenant written consent.
3. Pay 5% per annum deposit interest annually (HRS §521-44(d)). Hawaii REQUIRES landlords to pay simple interest at 5% per annum on the security deposit. Calculate the annual interest (deposit amount × 5%) and pay it to the tenant annually or credit it against rent. Keep written records of interest payments. Example: $2,500 deposit × 5% = $125/year. This is mandatory and cannot be waived by lease language.
4. Hold deposit in a separate account. Maintain security deposits in a bank account separate from the landlord’s operating funds. Keep records of the deposit account, deposit amounts, interest paid, and property addresses.
5. Conduct written move-in inspection. Before or at the start of the tenancy, complete a written move-in condition checklist with date-stamped photographs. Have the tenant sign the record. This baseline documentation is the landlord’s primary defense against deposit deduction disputes — especially given Hawaii’s 3× treble damages exposure.
6. Return deposit within 14 days with itemized statement — STRICT (HRS §521-44(c)). After the tenancy terminates and the tenant vacates, return the deposit balance plus a written itemized statement of deductions within 14 days. Only actual damage beyond normal wear and tear, plus unpaid rent and permitted lease charges, may be deducted. Calendar the 14-day deadline from the day the tenant vacates. Missing the 14-day deadline exposes the landlord to 3× treble damages (next item).
7. Beware treble (3×) damages (HRS §521-44(e)). A landlord who fails to return the deposit within 14 days with an itemized statement, or who wrongfully retains deposit funds, may be liable for THREE TIMES the amount wrongfully withheld plus attorney’s fees. Hawaii’s 3× penalty is more severe than California (2×), Oregon (2×), Washington (2×), and Nevada (2×). Set a calendar alert for the 14-day deadline immediately upon tenant move-out.
8. Serve 5-day notice for non-payment (HRS §521-68(a)) and file at First Circuit Court. For non-payment of rent, serve a written 5-day demand for payment specifying the amount owed. Serve properly and maintain proof of service. If the tenant pays within 5 days, accept the payment. After 5 days without payment or surrender, file a Complaint for Summary Possession at the District Court of the First Circuit, 1111 Alakea Street, Honolulu, HI 96813. Never use self-help eviction (HRS §521-63): changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities exposes the landlord to damages and attorney’s fees.

Use RentCeiling for Honolulu and Hawaii rent compliance

Honolulu’s rental market combines a market-rate environment (no rent control — landlords may raise rents freely) with the most demanding deposit compliance requirements in the Western US: a 14-day return deadline (tied fastest in the US), mandatory 5% annual deposit interest, and 3× treble damages for wrongful withholding. For landlords managing units across O‘ahu — balancing JBPHH BAH market cycles, Bill 41 STR compliance, and HRS Chapter 521 deposit deadlines — missing any one deadline can trigger substantial damages liability.

RentCeiling tracks deposit return deadlines (especially Hawaii’s 14-day window), annual deposit interest payment schedules (5% per annum), move-out itemization documentation, and 5-day non-payment notice timelines so Honolulu landlords stay within HRS Chapter 521 requirements across every unit in their portfolio.

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Related Hawaii and Pacific rental guides

• Maui HI rent increase 2026 — HRS Chapter 521; Lahaina wildfire August 2023 (102 deaths, deadliest US wildfire since 1918); Maui County STR Ordinance 4970; Alexander & Baldwin; Maui Memorial Medical Center; no Maui rent control
• Hawaii HRS Chapter 521 comprehensive guide 2026 — 14-day return tied fastest in US; required 5% deposit interest; 3× treble damages; JBPHH; HMSA; Bill 41 STR crackdown; Maui wildfire; Matson Jones Act only carrier; Kamehameha Schools 9% of state land
• Phoenix AZ rent increase 2026 — ARS §33-1329 statutory preemption; 14-DAY RETURN = TIED FASTEST IN US with Hawaii + Alaska; TSMC & Intel fabs; Arizona ARLTA; no AZ rent control
• Las Vegas NV rent increase 2026 — NRS §118A.315 preemption; Nevada URLTA; gaming/hospitality economy; Raiders; no deposit interest; no NV rent control
• Seattle WA rent increase 2026 — RCW 59.18 RLTA; Seattle just-cause eviction; Amazon HQ Bellevue; 14-day notice; no WA statewide rent control