LOCAL RULES

Hawaii rental inspection report requirements

Your Hawaii rental inspection report has 3 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • A written move-in inventory, signed by both
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Hawaii's Residential Landlord-Tenant Code requires a written inventory of the rental before the tenant first moves in, signed by both sides. That inventory decides how the condition at move-out is judged. Here is each rule with a link to the official text, and how to turn your walkthrough notes into an inventory that meets it.

Last reviewed October 9, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Rental inspectionHAWAII / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 87 words

Move-in inspection
Address: 22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Honolulu, HI
Date: 2026-09-30
Landlord: Pinecrest Property Management
Tenant: Jordan Lee and Priya Raman
...
FREE PREVIEW OF THESE NOTES
79%of your draft is ready from these notes

We sorted 13 items into 6 sections and flagged 5 to fix soon.

  • Fix soonLiving and dining areas

    Carpet has a stain near the sofa wall.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Dishwasher not working.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Counter chipped near the sink.

3 Hawaii rules on your checklist, including a written move-in inventory, signed by both.

Still to add

  • RecommendedNotes for entry and hallways
  • RecommendedNotes for laundry and utility

Filled in for you

Inspection typeMove-in
Rental unit address22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Honolulu, HI
Inspection dateSep 30, 2026
Landlord or property managerPinecrest Property Management
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What Hawaii requires

  • Before the tenant first moves in, the landlord inventories the premises and makes a written record detailing the condition of the premises and any furnishings or appliances providedHawaii Revised Statutes s. 521-42 (a)
  • Duplicate copies of the inventory are signed by the landlord and the tenant, and a copy is given to each tenantHawaii Revised Statutes s. 521-42 (a)
  • The signed inventory is presumed correct; without one, the condition of the premises and furnishings at the end of the tenancy is presumed to be the same as when the tenant moved inHawaii Revised Statutes s. 521-42 (a)
  • The deposit may cover damage from the tenant's failure to meet their duties, unpaid rent, keys, key fobs, parking cards, garage door openers and mailbox keys not returned, and cleaning to put the unit in as fit a condition as when the tenant moved inHawaii Revised Statutes s. 521-44 (a)
  • To keep any of the deposit, the landlord tells the tenant in writing within 14 days after the rental agreement ends, with the particulars and grounds and written evidence of the costs, such as estimates, invoices or cleaning receipts, and returns the rest within the same 14 daysHawaii Revised Statutes s. 521-44 (c)
  • A landlord who does not give that written notice and evidence within 14 days may not keep any of the deposit and returns all of itHawaii Revised Statutes s. 521-44 (c)

The move-in inventory

Before the tenant first moves in, the landlord inventories the premises and makes a written record detailing the condition of the premises and any furnishings or appliances provided.

Duplicate copies are signed by the landlord and the tenant, and each tenant gets a copy. The signed inventory is presumed correct. Without one, the condition at the end of the tenancy is presumed to be the same as when the tenant moved in.

The deposit at move-out

The deposit may cover damage from the tenant's failure to meet their duties, unpaid rent, keys, key fobs, parking cards, garage door openers and mailbox keys not returned, and cleaning to put the unit in as fit a condition as when the tenant moved in.

To keep any of it, the landlord tells the tenant in writing within 14 days after the rental agreement ends, with the particulars and grounds and written evidence of the costs, and returns the rest within the same 14 days. A landlord who misses this may not keep any of the deposit.

From walkthrough notes to a finished Hawaii inventory

Walk the unit room by room before move-in and note the condition of each item, including furnishings and appliances you provide, and list every key, fob, parking card and opener you hand over. ReportDraft writes the notes up as a room-by-room inventory with a keys table.

On a move-in report, ReportDraft prints a line confirming that both sides sign duplicate copies, with signature lines for the landlord and the tenant. Print two signed copies, or let the tenant sign on your device and share the signed PDF.

Common mistakes

  • Doing the inventory after the tenant has moved in.
  • Leaving out furnishings or appliances the landlord provides.
  • Not having both sides sign duplicate copies.
  • Not listing the keys, fobs, parking cards and openers handed over.
  • Keeping part of the deposit without written evidence of the costs within 14 days.

Sources

Last reviewed October 9, 2026. Next review due January 9, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.