Rental applications are an essential part of the screening process for landlords trying to find reliable candidates.
Hawaii landlords can use our Hawaii rental/lease application to screen potential tenants before offering them a lease agreement.
Hawaii Rental Application Fees
Hawaii Statute & Rental Fees
Rental applicants in Hawaii typically pay a rental application fee that covers the necessary background checks and administrative expenses.
Hawaii has no statutory provision for how much a landlord can charge for a rental application fee. Still, the fee should be reasonable and proportionate to the cost of processing the rental application.
The state does specify that Hawaii security deposits, according to Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 521-44, can be no more than one month’s rent.
That amount includes any additional deposits a property owner may require, including key or pet deposits.
Landlords cannot use the security deposit for the last month’s rent unless both parties have agreed in writing and the tenant provides 45 days’ notice to the landlord before moving.
A Hawaii landlord who keeps part or all of a security deposit must notify the tenant in writing why they retained the money.
The itemized notification must occur within 14 days of the tenant moving out and include relevant receipts for any work done on the property due to the tenant’s default. Failure to comply means the landlord must return the deposit amount to the tenant.
Authorization for Background Checks
Potential renters in Hawaii must consent before a property owner can conduct a background check on them.
Our Hawaii rental application includes a consent statement, or landlords can use this background check authorization form to ensure that the applicant has granted permission for the background checks to take place.
If an applicant doesn’t meet your minimum requirements to rent, you should send them a rejection letter that explains why.
How To Conduct an Eviction Record Search
The Hawaii State Judiciary allows property owners to conduct their eviction records searches by providing access to public court records.
This information will reveal whether a would-be renter has had legal action taken against them for reasons such as unpaid rent or failure to vacate a rental property in Hawaii within the past seven years.
Other Resources for Hawaii Landlords
Hawaii Fair Housing Laws follow all federal mandates for protected classes of people and protection from discrimination against HIV-positive renters.
Application questions about employment, income, criminal background, and past rental history are acceptable, but landlords cannot use some questions to screen potential renters.
In addition to prohibiting discrimination based on race, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), color, ancestry/national origin, religion, familial status, physical or mental disability, and age, it is illegal for property owners to refuse to rent based on a person’s HIV infection status.
The Department of the Attorney General provides a Hawaii Sex Offender Registry public search option so that you can find out whether a prospective tenant has committed a sexual offense in the state.
How to Write a Rental Application
Follow the steps below to write a rental application in Hawaii.
Step 1 – Fill in Property Address Information
Write the date of the rental application and the address of the rental property.
Step 2 – Collect Basic Rental Applicant Information
This section provides the applicant(s) basic identifying information about themselves.
Step 3 – Collect Applicant’s Residence History
In this section, the applicant(s) provides their residence history including addresses, dates of residency, and reasons for moving.
Step 4 – Gather Applicant’s Employment History
This section is for the applicant(s) to provide current and previous employment information and other sources of income.
Step 5 – Gather Applicant’s Financial History
This section is for the applicant(s) to provide bank account and credit card information.
Step 6 – Collect References
The applicant(s) provides personal references’ names and contact information in this section.
Step 7 – Additional Questions and Verification
This section contains additional questions to determine more information about the applicant such as smoking or pets.
Sample Hawaii Rental Application Form
Here is an example of a standard rental application Hawaii landlords may use. Download it free or use our document builder to create your customizable version.
Sample Hawaii Rental/Lease Application
hawaii rental application