Know Your LawHI
Which Hawaii Laws Govern Your HOA?
By The HOARebel Team · June 2, 2026 · 2 min read
Hawaii is one of the most condominium-heavy states, so the first question is usually whether your community is a condominium or a planned community — because each is governed by a different chapter. For your specific situation, a licensed Hawaii attorney is the right resource. This is general information, not legal advice.
Condominiums: the Condominium Property Act (HRS 514B)
If you own a condominium, the Hawaii Condominium Property Act, HRS Chapter 514B, is the comprehensive governing statute. It covers:
- Powers and fines — including a defined fining procedure with an appeal (§ 514B-104)
- Board meetings — open to members, with at least one meeting a year (§ 514B-125)
- Records — documents within 30 days, financial statement and minutes at no cost (§ 514B-154, 514B-154.5)
- The assessment lien — with a six-month priority over the first mortgage (§ 514B-146)
Because so many Hawaii community-association homes are condominiums (including many that look like townhouses or single-family homes but are legally "condominiums"), Chapter 514B governs a large share of disputes.
Planned communities: HRS Chapter 421J
If your community is made up of separately owned lots under a master declaration, the Planned Community Associations law, HRS Chapter 421J, applies instead. It covers board meetings (§ 421J-5), meeting notice (§ 421J-3.5), and association documents and records (§ 421J-7). Chapter 421J is lighter than 514B — for example, it does not create the same statutory super-priority lien — so the recorded declaration carries more weight for planned communities.
The Hawaii nonprofit corporation framework
Most Hawaii associations are incorporated nonprofits. That entity law supplies director duties, member-meeting and voting procedures, and recordkeeping rules that work alongside Chapter 514B or 421J.
Dispute resolution options
Hawaii channels many condominium disputes toward alternatives to litigation. Chapter 514B points owners to mediation and arbitration (§§ 514B-161 and 514B-162) and to an administrative-hearing pilot program run by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. A licensed Hawaii attorney can advise which path fits a given dispute.
How the layers fit
- The recorded governing documents — declaration, bylaws, and house rules.
- The Condominium Property Act (HRS 514B) for condos — or HRS Chapter 421J for planned communities.
- The Hawaii Nonprofit Corporation Act for the incorporated entity.
- Federal law — the Fair Housing Act, ADA, Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, OTARD, and the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act.
From records to fines to the assessment lien, identifying your chapter is where most Hawaii homeowner questions begin.