Free Hawaii Cash for Keys Agreement Template

Last reviewed September 2026

Written by LawLease Editorial

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Hawaii Cash for Keys Agreement

This Cash for Keys Agreement is built with Hawaii as the governing state. These are the Hawaii landlord-tenant rules that most often bear on it, with the statute for each.

Hawaii rules at a glance

Hawaii rules for a Cash for Keys Agreement
Security deposit limit	1 month’s rent, plus up to 1 more month as a pet depositHRS §521-44(b)
Deposit return	14 days, with written evidence of costs — or the landlord forfeits the right to keep any of itHRS §521-44(c)
Deposit rules	The one-month cap, the 14-day deadline and the forfeiture rule apply no matter what the lease says (§521-44).
Month-to-month termination	Landlord 45 days · tenant 28 daysHRS §521-71(a)–(b)
Nonpayment notice	10 calendar days (since Feb. 5, 2026); copy to a mediation center required through Feb. 4, 2028HRS §521-68(a)–(c)
Nonpayment	Since February 5, 2026 (Act 278 of 2025), the landlord’s written demand must give at least 10 calendar days to pay (previously 5 business days); this change is permanent. Through February 4, 2028, the notice must also be sent to a state-funded mediation center, and if mediation is scheduled within the 10 days the landlord must participate and can’t file for possession until 20 calendar days after the tenant received the notice, unless the tenant skips or cancels mediation (§521-68).

Security deposits in Hawaii

Hawaii limits the security deposit to one month’s rent. Where the tenant keeps a pet, the landlord may collect an additional pet deposit of up to one more month’s rent — but never for an assistance animal kept by a tenant with a disability (§521-44(b)).

Permitted uses — Unpaid rent and other tenant defaults, damage beyond normal wear and tear, cleaning to move-in condition, pet damage, and unpaid utility charges (§521-44(a)).
Not last month’s rent — No part of the deposit can be treated as the last month’s rent unless both sides agree in writing (§521-44(b)).
14-day deadline — Within 14 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit or give written notice of the reasons for keeping any part of it, with written evidence of the costs such as estimates or invoices (§521-44(c)).
Forfeiture — A landlord who doesn’t meet the 14-day notice requirement isn’t entitled to retain any part of the deposit — even for real damage (§521-44(c)).
Bad-faith penalty — If the landlord wrongfully and willfully kept deposit money, the small claims court may award three times the amount withheld, plus costs (§521-44(h)).

Ending a Hawaii tenancy

Hawaii’s month-to-month notice is asymmetric: the landlord must give 45 days’ written notice, while the tenant needs to give only 28. A tenant who receives the landlord’s 45-day notice may move out earlier in that window on notice, paying rent prorated to the move-out date (§521-71).

Notice to end a Hawaii tenancy (HRS §521-71)
Month-to-month — landlord	45 days
Month-to-month — tenant	28 days
Shorter than month-to-month (either party)	10 days
Demolition, condo or transient-rental conversion	120 days

Nonpayment — Since February 5, 2026 (Act 278 of 2025), the landlord’s written demand must give at least 10 calendar days to pay (previously 5 business days); this change is permanent. Through February 4, 2028, the notice must also be sent to a state-funded mediation center, and if mediation is scheduled within the 10 days the landlord must participate and can’t file for possession until 20 calendar days after the tenant received the notice, unless the tenant skips or cancels mediation (§521-68).
Tenant obligation breaches — For a material breach of the tenant’s statutory obligations (§521-51), the landlord must give written notice and at least 10 days to remedy it; eviction on this ground is limited to violations of health-and-safety building and housing laws, while other breaches the landlord can fix and bill as rent. No cure period is needed where the breach causes or threatens irremediable damage to people or property (§521-69).
Holdover — A tenant who stays past a proper termination without consent can owe up to twice the monthly rent, prorated daily. The landlord must start eviction within 60 days or a new month-to-month tenancy arises at the old rent (§521-71(e)).
No pretext notices — A termination notice served to evade the rent-increase notice rules is void (§521-71(f)).

Tenant protections you can’t waive

No liability waivers — A lease clause exempting the landlord from liability for its own or its agents’ acts, or making the tenant indemnify the landlord for them, is void (§521-33).
No lockouts — If a landlord removes or excludes a tenant overnight without cause or a court order, the tenant can recover possession or end the lease and collect two months’ rent (or two months of free occupancy) plus attorney’s fees (§521-63(c)).
No retaliation — A landlord can’t raise rent, cut services or evict because the tenant complained to a government agency or requested repairs in good faith (§521-74).
Deposit rules — The one-month cap, the 14-day deadline and the forfeiture rule apply no matter what the lease says (§521-44).

Hawaii Cash for Keys Agreement FAQs

How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Hawaii?

No more than one month’s rent. A landlord may also collect a separate pet deposit of up to one additional month’s rent, but not for an assistance animal (HRS §521-44(b)).

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Hawaii?

14 days after the tenancy ends. Within that window the landlord must return the deposit or explain in writing why any part is being kept, with evidence of the costs. Miss it and the landlord can’t keep any of the deposit (§521-44(c)).

How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Hawaii?

The landlord must give 45 days’ written notice; the tenant only 28 days. Tenancies shorter than month-to-month need 10 days (§521-71).

What notice is required to evict for nonpayment of rent in Hawaii?

Since February 5, 2026, a written notice giving at least 10 calendar days to pay (Act 278 of 2025 made this permanent). Through February 4, 2028, a copy must also go to a state-funded mediation center; if mediation is scheduled within the 10 days, the landlord must take part and can’t file for possession until 20 calendar days after the tenant received the notice (§521-68).

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