Do this today
- Keep the increase letter.
- Check whether your lease is still in term.
- Ask City and County of Honolulu — DIT / 311 whether a local ordinance covers this address.
Does Honolulu cap rent increases?
Not as a national rule, and not as a rumor. Coverage is an address-and-housing-type question. Hawaii Chapter 521 is the book. Confirm City and County of Honolulu for local code. Ask City and County of Honolulu — DIT / 311. Then read Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Code for the Hawaii floor.
What if I am still in a lease term?
A lease still in term is not the same as month-to-month. The letter in your hand may be a renewal offer, a notice, or something that does not apply yet. Keep it. Do not treat a blog percentage as the law.
City and County of Honolulu — what is the local layer?
Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes are the statewide book. The consolidated City and County adds code enforcement. District Court hears many landlord-tenant cases. Neighbor-island rules are not Honolulu rules.
The Honolulu layer
Hawaii Chapter 521 is the book. Confirm City and County of Honolulu for local code.
Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Code (Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 521-1 to 521-85) is the Hawaii floor. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
Honolulu questions
Can my landlord in Honolulu raise the rent whenever they want?
Not while a fixed term is running, in most places — and some Honolulu units have extra local rules. Hawaii Chapter 521 is the book. Confirm City and County of Honolulu for local code. Confirm coverage with City and County of Honolulu — DIT / 311.
Where do I check if my building is covered?
City and County of Honolulu — DIT / 311. Coverage is an address question. A neighbor’s building is not your building. Hawaii Residential Landlord-Tenant Code is still the Hawaii floor.
City and County of Honolulu — what is the local layer?
Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes are the statewide book. The consolidated City and County adds code enforcement. District Court hears many landlord-tenant cases. Neighbor-island rules are not Honolulu rules.
What number should I call in Honolulu?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. City and County of Honolulu — DIT / 311 does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org