How to Access Public Records in Hawaii (Property, Court, Criminal, Vital & Business Records)

Hawaii has broad public records access under the Uniform Information Practices Act, but its records infrastructure is unlike any other state. Property records run through two parallel systems — the Regular System and the Land Court — and are managed statewide by the Bureau of Conveyances rather than at the county level. Vital records underwent a significant change effective February 1, 2026, when the state stopped maintaining divorce records. Whether you need property deeds, court case files, criminal history reports, vital certificates, or business registrations, knowing which agency maintains the record is the key to a successful Hawaii public records search.

Why Hawaii Public Records Are Unique

Hawaii’s record systems differ from every other U.S. state in several important ways:

Property records are recorded statewide, not by county — the Bureau of Conveyances in Honolulu handles all land instrument recording for the entire state; there are no county deed recorders.
Two parallel land systems exist — the Regular System and the Land Court (Torrens) system operate side by side; a property may have records in one system, the other, or both.
Only four counties manage local government — Hawaii’s four counties (plus Kalawao) cover the entire state; county-level records are more limited in scope than in mainland states with dozens or hundreds of counties.
Historical land records predate U.S. statehood — title research on older properties may require Māhele records and Kingdom of Hawaii-era documents held at the Hawaii State Archives.
Divorce records are no longer maintained by the Department of Health — effective February 1, 2026, divorce records must be obtained from Family Court.

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Hawaii Public Records Quick Facts


Open Records Law	Uniform Information Practices Act (HRS Chapter 92F)
Enacted	1988
Response Deadline	10 business days
Counties	4 (plus Kalawao — the smallest county in the U.S.)
Statewide Property Recording	Yes — Bureau of Conveyances (statewide, not county-level)
Dual Land Recording Systems	Yes — Regular System and Land Court (Torrens)
Statewide Court Search	Partial — eCourt Kokua (current) and Ho’ohiki (legacy civil system)
Birth/Death/Marriage Records	Hawaii Department of Health
Divorce Records (from Feb 1, 2026)	No longer maintained by the state
Criminal Records Public	Yes — eCrim portal ($15; adult convictions only)
Business Records Portal	DCCA Business Check portal
Residency Required	No

What Are Public Records in Hawaii?

Public records in Hawaii are any information maintained by a government agency in written, auditory, visual, electronic, or physical form — including documents, maps, recordings, films, electronic files, and databases. The Hawaii Uniform Information Practices Act (HRS Chapter 92F) defines “government record” broadly and presumes all government records are open to public inspection unless a specific statutory exemption applies.

How to Access Public Records in Hawaii

Identify the type of record you need and the agency that maintains it.
Choose the record type — property, court, vital, criminal, or business.
For property records, start with the Bureau of Conveyances online index (the statewide recording office for all Hawaii land instruments) or the relevant County Real Property Tax Division for parcel data.
For court records, use eCourt Kokua for current online case access and Ho’ohiki for certain legacy circuit court civil records through the Hawaii State Judiciary website.
For vital records, visit the Hawaii Department of Health Office of Health Status Monitoring — note that divorce records are no longer maintained by the state as of February 1, 2026.
Submit requests in writing — by email, mail, or in person. The Office of Information Practices (OIP) provides guidance on UIPA request procedures; individual agencies handle their own records.
Agencies generally must respond within 10 business days, though the exact response may be disclosure, a notice, or an acknowledgment depending on the request.
For a directory of official Hawaii county record portals organized by county and record type, visit PublicRecordHub.

Hawaii’s Open Records Law

Public records in Hawaii are governed by the Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA), codified at Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F. Enacted in 1988, the law establishes Hawaii’s open records framework and presumes all government records are open unless a specific exemption applies.

In simple terms: if a Hawaii government agency creates or maintains a record related to official business, you generally have the right to inspect or obtain a copy unless a specific privacy, law enforcement, or other statutory exemption prevents disclosure.

Key provisions:

Agencies generally must respond within 10 business days, though the response may be disclosure, a notice, or an acknowledgment depending on the request.
Access is available to any person — Hawaii residents, non-residents, businesses, and other entities may request records. Non-residents are not explicitly excluded.
Fees may be charged for search, review, and duplication; fee waivers are available when disclosure serves the public interest.
Exemptions include privacy-protected personal information, law enforcement records, legislative records, personnel files, and trade secrets. The privacy exemption applies only when disclosure would constitute a “clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy” — a balancing test, not an automatic exclusion.
The Office of Information Practices (OIP), established in 1988, oversees UIPA interpretation and enforcement, issues advisory opinions, and handles appeals.
Agencies that improperly deny access must provide written denials with specific legal grounds; requesters may appeal to the OIP or seek judicial review.

Who Can Request Public Records in Hawaii?

Hawaii’s UIPA allows any person to request access to government records — there is no explicit residency requirement. Residents, non-residents, businesses, media organizations, nonprofits, and government agencies may all submit requests. Requests should reasonably describe the records sought to allow agencies to locate them efficiently.

Certain record categories carry access restrictions regardless of who is requesting — including personnel files with medical or disciplinary details, medical and mental health records, victim-identifying information, Social Security numbers, and active law enforcement investigatory records.

Common Reasons Records Are Denied in Hawaii

Even valid requests can be denied under a recognized UIPA exemption. Common reasons include:

Personal information whose disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy
Active law enforcement investigatory records
Personnel files containing medical or disciplinary information
Medical and mental health records
Legislative working papers and deliberative process records
Trade secrets and proprietary business information
Victim and witness identifying information

If your request is denied, the agency must provide a written denial citing the specific legal basis. You may appeal to the Office of Information Practices or seek judicial review in circuit court. Courts have consistently held that agencies must redact exempt portions rather than withhold entire records when non-exempt information is separable.

Unique Challenges When Searching Hawaii Records

Hawaii’s geography and legal history create record-search challenges found nowhere else in the United States:

Dual land recording systems — Hawaii operates two parallel property recording systems: the Regular System (for most recorded instruments) and the Land Court system (a Torrens title registration system for properties with registered titles). A property may have records in one system, the other, or both. Researchers must check both systems for a complete title history.
Statewide recording, not county recording — unlike every other state, Hawaii property instruments are recorded statewide at the Bureau of Conveyances in Honolulu, not at a county recorder’s office. There are no separate county deed recorders.
Tax Map Key (TMK) system — Hawaii uses a unique parcel identifier called the Tax Map Key, which encodes island, zone, section, plat, and parcel. Knowing the TMK significantly speeds up any property or land records search.
Māhele land records — Hawaii’s 19th-century land division (the Māhele) created a complex historical land record system. Title research on older properties may require consultation of Māhele records held at the Hawaii State Archives.
Only 4 counties (plus Kalawao) — Hawaii has just 4 counties: Hawaii, Maui, Honolulu, and Kauai. (The county encompassing Oahu is officially the City and County of Honolulu.) Each county maintains its own Real Property Tax Division, court clerks, and local records.
Divorce records no longer maintained by the state — effective February 1, 2026, the Hawaii Department of Health no longer maintains divorce records. Researchers needing divorce records must now obtain them through alternative sources such as the Family Court.

Common Mistakes When Searching Hawaii Public Records

Looking for a county recorder of deeds — Hawaii has no county recorders. All land instruments are recorded statewide at the Bureau of Conveyances in Honolulu. Searching at the county level for deed records will not work.
Checking only one land recording system — Hawaii has two parallel systems: the Regular System and the Land Court. Failing to check both can result in an incomplete title history.
Ignoring the Tax Map Key — searches without the TMK are less efficient. Whenever possible, obtain the TMK before searching property or tax records.
Requesting divorce records from the Department of Health — as of February 1, 2026, the state no longer maintains divorce records. These must be obtained through Family Court.
Submitting requests to the OIP for agency records — the Office of Information Practices only processes requests for records it directly maintains. All other records must be requested from the specific agency that holds them.
Expecting immediate responses — Hawaii’s UIPA allows up to 10 business days for routine responses, and complex requests may take additional time.

Tips for Faster Hawaii Records Requests

Get the Tax Map Key first — for any property-related search, obtaining the TMK from the County Real Property Tax Division before searching the Bureau of Conveyances will significantly speed up the process.
Identify which land recording system applies — check whether the property is in the Regular System, the Land Court system, or both before searching Bureau of Conveyances records.
Submit requests electronically — many Hawaii agencies accept UIPA requests by email; electronic submissions generate automatic timestamps and are generally processed faster than paper.
Contact the specific agency directly — Hawaii does not have a central UIPA portal for all agencies. Direct contact with the agency that holds the records is the most efficient path.
Use eCourt Kokua for current online case access and Ho’ohiki for certain legacy circuit court civil records — both available through the Hawaii State Judiciary website.

Property Records in Hawaii

Property records in Hawaii are organized differently from every other state. Rather than county-level recorders, Hawaii uses a statewide recording system managed by the Bureau of Conveyances (BOC), a division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, located in Honolulu.

Hawaii also operates a parallel Land Court system — a Torrens title registration system for properties with registered titles. Land Court records are distinct from Regular System records and must be searched separately.

What Hawaii property records contain:

Deeds, conveyances, and Land Court certificates of title (Bureau of Conveyances)
Mortgages, liens, and releases
Easements and covenants
Tax Map Key (TMK) parcel data and assessed values (County Real Property Tax Divisions)
Property tax payment history (County Real Property Tax Divisions)
Historic Māhele records and land court dockets (Hawaii State Archives)
Shoreline, conservation, and survey plats (Department of Land and Natural Resources)

How to search property records in Hawaii:

Obtain the Tax Map Key (TMK) for the property from the relevant County Real Property Tax Division.
Visit the Bureau of Conveyances online index to search Regular System records by grantor/grantee name, TMK, or document type.
Check whether the property has a Land Court registered title — search the Land Court records separately through the Bureau of Conveyances Land Court index. For a complete title search, check both the Regular System and Land Court whenever there is uncertainty about which system applies.
Visit the County Real Property Tax Division portal for the relevant island (Hawaii, Maui, Honolulu, or Kauai) for assessed values, ownership history, and tax records.
For historical records predating digitization or Māhele-era land records, contact the Hawaii State Archives.
For public lands, easements, and conservation plats, contact the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).

Use PublicRecordHub’s Hawaii county directory to locate official portals for all four Hawaii counties.

Court Records in Hawaii

Court records in Hawaii are maintained by the Hawaii State Judiciary. Unlike many states, Hawaii has a unified statewide court system — all courts operate under the Hawaii Supreme Court, which provides centralized oversight.

Hawaii’s court structure:

Hawaii Supreme Court — highest court; opinions and orders published online
Intermediate Court of Appeals — appellate decisions published online
Circuit Courts — general jurisdiction; felony criminal, major civil, jury trials, and family court matters; one per county
District Courts — misdemeanors, traffic, small claims, and civil cases under $40,000; one per county
Family Courts — domestic relations, juvenile, and guardianship matters; division of Circuit Court

Online court access:

eCourt Kokua — public portal for district and circuit court case information; provides case summaries and docket entries
Ho’ohiki — legacy circuit court civil case search portal being phased out as records migrate to eCourt Kokua

How to access court records in Hawaii:

Visit the Hawaii State Judiciary website (courts.hawaii.gov) and navigate to eCourt Kokua or Ho’ohiki.
Search by party name, case number, or filing date.
For documents not available online, contact the clerk of the relevant court — Circuit Court or District Court clerks are the official custodians of court records.
Public terminals in courthouses allow free in-person viewing and document copies.
For Supreme Court and Intermediate Court of Appeals opinions, use the Hawaii Courts website directly.
Pay applicable fees for certified copies.

Restrictions:

Juvenile and family court records are confidential by statute.
Sealed records are not accessible through public portals.
Some older records may require in-person requests at the courthouse.

Vital Records in Hawaii (Birth, Death & Marriage Certificates)

Vital records in Hawaii are maintained by the Hawaii Department of Health, Office of Health Status Monitoring. Hawaii holds vital records for events occurring within the state.

State-maintained records:

Birth certificates
Death certificates
Marriage certificates and civil union certificates

Note on marriage licenses: Hawaii uses an online marriage and civil union license process through the Department of Health that differs from county-clerk systems used in many other states. Marriage certificates are maintained by the Hawaii Department of Health Office of Health Status Monitoring.

Important change effective February 1, 2026: The Hawaii Department of Health no longer maintains divorce records. Divorce records must now be obtained through the Family Court in the circuit where the divorce was granted.

How to obtain Hawaii vital records:

Visit the Hawaii Department of Health Office of Health Status Monitoring website.
Submit requests online through an approved vendor (such as VitalChek), by mail, or in person at the Honolulu office.
Complete the application and provide a valid government-issued photo ID.
Pay the applicable fee — certified copies start at $10 per copy, with additional charges for multiple copies or expedited service.
Processing typically takes 6–8 weeks for online and mail requests; in-person pickups may require an appointment.
For divorce records, contact the Family Court in the circuit where the divorce was granted.

Access restrictions:

Certified copies are restricted to individuals with a direct and tangible interest — such as the registrant (if adult), immediate family members, legal guardians, or court orders.
Valid government-issued ID is required for all requests.

Criminal Records in Hawaii

Criminal history information in Hawaii is managed by the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC), a division of the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General, which maintains the statewide CJIS-Hawaii repository, fingerprint systems, and the sex offender registry.

Hawaii provides relatively broad public access to adult conviction data through its online eCrim system.

What Hawaii criminal records include:

Adult conviction data (publicly accessible via eCrim)
Arrest records and charges
Sex offender registration information
Fingerprint-based criminal history records

How to request criminal records in Hawaii:

Online eCrim search (public):

Visit the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center eCrim portal.
Perform a name-based search for adult conviction data for a fee of $15.
Results include adult convictions only — juvenile records and non-conviction arrest data are excluded.

Fingerprint-based criminal history: 4. Submit a fingerprint-based request to HCJDC for a more precise and comprehensive record — available for authorized purposes.

Sex offender registry: 5. Search the Hawaii Sex Offender Registry maintained by HCJDC — searchable online at no charge.

Inmate information: 6. Use the Hawaii Department of Public Safety inmate search for current incarceration status.

Restrictions:

Juvenile records are confidential and not accessible through ordinary public-access channels.
Non-conviction arrest data is not included in public eCrim results.
Expungement orders are processed by HCJDC; records subject to expungement orders become confidential automatically.

Business Records in Hawaii

Business entity records in Hawaii are managed by the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) — Business Registration Division, accessible through the Business Check portal at hbe.ehawaii.gov.

Hawaii DCCA maintains:

Corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other registered entities
Trade name registrations
Formation documents, annual reports, and entity status
Registered agent information
Professional license records
Compliance and complaint history

How to search business records in Hawaii:

Go to the DCCA Business Check portal at hbe.ehawaii.gov.
Search by entity name, license number, or officer name.
View entity status, formation date, registered agent, and filing history.
Check license status, complaint history, and tax clearance verification through the same portal.
Download available formation documents and annual reports.
For certified copies of business documents, order through the DCCA portal — fees apply.

Note: Professional license records — healthcare providers, contractors, and other regulated occupations — are also searchable through the DCCA portal.

Additional Hawaii Public Records

Certain specialized records are maintained by other state agencies:

Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) — manages public lands, shoreline certifications, conservation district records, survey plats, and encumbrances affecting land use and titles.
Hawaii State Archives — holds historical government records including Māhele land records, maps, court dockets, and colonial-era documents; partially digitized through the Virtual Vault.
Voter Registration Records — maintained by the Hawaii Office of Elections and county clerks.
Environmental Permits — air, water, and hazardous waste permits maintained by the Hawaii Department of Health Environmental Health Administration.
Inmate Records — current incarceration status available through the Hawaii Department of Public Safety inmate search.
Sex Offender Registry — maintained by HCJDC and searchable online.
Building Permits — maintained by County Departments of Planning or Building; each county has its own portal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Hawaii public records free?

Inspection of records is generally free. Agencies may charge fees for search, review, and duplication. Vital records certified copies start at $10 per copy. The eCrim criminal history search costs $15. Business record searches through the DCCA portal are free; certified copies incur fees. Bureau of Conveyances online index searches are available online; document copies carry fees.

Can non-residents request Hawaii public records?

Yes. Hawaii’s UIPA does not restrict access to residents — any person may request government records. Non-residents, businesses, media organizations, and researchers may submit requests without identifying a specific purpose.

How far back do Hawaii records go?

The Bureau of Conveyances holds land records dating to the mid-1800s, with digital records available online and older records accessible in person. The Hawaii State Archives holds Māhele records, historical land court dockets, and government records from the Kingdom of Hawaii period. Vital records are held by the Department of Health for events occurring within the state; older vital records may be at the State Archives.

Are criminal records public in Hawaii?

Adult conviction records are publicly accessible through the HCJDC eCrim portal for a $15 fee. Juvenile records and non-conviction arrest data are not included in public results. Expunged records are confidential. For legal purposes, fingerprint-based certified records are recommended over the public eCrim search.

Where do I get divorce records in Hawaii after 2026?

Effective February 1, 2026, the Hawaii Department of Health no longer maintains divorce records. Divorce records must now be obtained from the Family Court in the circuit where the divorce was granted. There are four circuit courts in Hawaii — one for each county.

What is Hawaii’s open records law called?

The Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA), codified at Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92F. Enacted in 1988, it presumes all government records are open unless a specific exemption applies. The Office of Information Practices (OIP), also established in 1988, oversees interpretation and enforcement.

Do all Hawaii counties provide online record access?

Online access varies by county and record type. The Bureau of Conveyances provides statewide online access to land records — eliminating the need to search separate county deed offices. The Hawaii State Judiciary’s eCourt Kokua and Ho’ohiki portals provide partial online court access. County Real Property Tax Division portals provide parcel and assessment data for each island. Depth of coverage varies by county and record age.

What is the Tax Map Key (TMK)?

The Tax Map Key (TMK) is Hawaii’s unique parcel identification number used for property taxation and land records. It identifies the island, district, section, plat, and parcel number. Knowing the TMK makes property searches significantly faster and more accurate across both the Bureau of Conveyances and County Real Property Tax Division systems.

Why doesn’t Hawaii have county deed recorders?

Hawaii records all land instruments at the state level through the Bureau of Conveyances — a centralized system that dates back to the Kingdom of Hawaii period and predates U.S. statehood. This differs fundamentally from the county-based recording systems used in every other U.S. state, where deeds are recorded with a county clerk or recorder.

Find Hawaii County Record Portals

Hawaii has four counties plus Kalawao — the smallest county in the United States:

Hawaii County (Big Island)
Maui County (Maui, Lanai, and Molokai)
City & County of Honolulu (Oahu)
Kauai County (Kauai and Niihau)
Kalawao County (administratively part of Maui County)

Most land records are handled statewide through the Bureau of Conveyances, but county offices maintain Real Property Tax records, court clerks, and local permits.

A directory of official Hawaii county record portals, organized by county and record type, is available free through PublicRecordHub — connecting you directly to official government sources for all Hawaii counties and state agencies.