Hawaii is one of the longest island chains in the U.S. and the only state completely made up of islands. Only seven of Hawaii's 132 islands are inhabited. With its luxurious coastline and miles of beaches, Hawaii is one of the most desirable locations to live. Some of Hawaii's beaches are pink, green, red, and even black. This tropical state is ideal for hiking, biking, kayaking, sailing, swimming and a nature-lovers paradise. More than 1.4 million people live in Hawaii, with 546,213 homes, meaning hundreds of thousands of property records.

Hawaii property records are generated by attorneys, courts, title companies, realtors, government agencies, and private companies. They are created primarily through real estate transactions and other events. Property records are essential for verifying title and transferring ownership. They impact the local real estate market and homeowners.

Property records in Hawaii are official documents, forms, and reports that contain information about real property and its owners. Some have more details than others, and there may be an overlap between many of the different types.

Sources of Property Records in Hawaii

Unfortunately, property records are not stored in one easy-to-find location; they are scattered among many different government offices, private companies, and the courts. Unlike most states, Hawaii has a single state-wide recording office for deeds called the Bureau of Conveyances. If you need to file a new deed, you should visit them.

Hawaii's Real Property Tax Division is responsible for property taxes. They assess property, set tax rates, bill homeowners, and collect taxes. If you fail to pay your property taxes, they will impose a tax lien on your property.

Hawaii city officials and public works departments handle building permits. They are required when constructing, altering, or demolishing any building. The city of Honolulu provides more information about how to apply for a building permit and the instructions.

Hawaii is one of only two states with a single state-wide recording system.

According to Hawaii, the Bureau of Conveyances "examines, records, indexes, and digitizes over 344,000 Regular System and Land Court documents and maps annually; issues Land Court Certificates of Title; certifies copies of matters of record; and researches UCC requests. Hawaii is one of two states in the nation with a single statewide recording system".

How Property Records are Maintained in Hawaii

Hawaii has its own system for maintaining property records. When a new document arrives in the office, it is stamped with the date, time, and a unique identifier to make it easy to find later. Once recorded, it becomes a public record.

Accessing Records at the Bureau of Conveyances in Hawaii

Hawaii's property records are public, and the Bureau of Conveyances is responsible for supplying them to the public upon request. They may charge you a small fee for certified copies.

Bureau of Conveyances Locations in Hawaii

Unlike other states, there is only one location for the Bureau of Conveyances in Hawaii, and it is located at:

The state registrar is Leslie Kobata.

As you embark on your search for property records, you will come across many different types. Some include unique information, and others may overlap. The most common property records you will find in Hawaii include:

Property tax assessment is done annually. However, the exact time differs per county or city. For example, the city of Honoluluconducts real property tax assessments around December 15th. Each county has local tax assessors who value the properties, considering factors such as market conditions, property size, and improvements. While every assessor has a different process for conducting assessments, the basic process is as follows:

Easements and Covenants

Easements and covenants, which restrict the use of land, also appear frequently in property records. They usually accompany deeds.

Easements are rights of way allowing someone other than the owner to access the land at will for a specific purpose. An example would be a utility company with power lines on private land. The company can access the land and maintain its power lines without first asking for permission. If someone new buys the land, they must agree to this arrangement.

Covenants are restrictions on how homeowners can use the property. You will see these frequently in condo developments and gated communities. An example might be that all owners must use the same paint color for the outside of their homes.

Plats and Surveys

Plats and surveys are different types of maps. Surveys show the boundaries of a single property and its map coordinates, while plats also show the boundaries of all the neighboring properties.

The types of property surveys in Hawaii include:

Historical Property Records

As land records grow, states like Hawaii often move older records into archives, making room for new ones. The University of Hawaii Manoa offers detailed information about how to access historical property records through various sources.

Building Permits and Regulations in Hawaii

City officials handle building permits in Hawaii. Each city has a process for applying for a building permit before beginning work. The County of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii offers more information on this topic.

Property records are useful in many situations. Thankfully, when searching for them, you have dozens of options available. Try the methods below to see what works for you.

Online Property Record Search

Start your property history search with a generic online property record search. Type the property's address into a Google search bar and review the results. You might find just what you need or need to take things further.

In-Person Property Record Search

Since the state of Hawaii has only one office where property records are stored, you can visit the Bureau of Conveyances anytime to ask for copies of documents. You may have to pay a small fee.

Using Property Record Indexes

The internet is littered with property record indexes. Some of these are legitimate if they are hosted by a government office or university. However, some are not reputable, so you should be careful. They might not update their records regularly, and the information could be outdated or incorrect.

How to Search Property Records by Address

It's always best to search using the property address. Type the full address, including city, state, and zip, into a search engine and see what comes up.

How to Search Property Records by Name

You can also try typing in the owner's name to see if that brings up any records. This is not the most effective method, but you might get lucky.

Owning a beautiful home in Hawaii is like a dream come true. However, that dream also comes with some responsibilities, like paying your mortgage, interest, insurance, and taxes on time. You must also maintain the property well to retain the value. Remember, when buying property, your name will appear in property records.

Every property in Hawaii has its own legal description. This description includes map coordinates to make it easy to find, a detailed written description, and natural landmarks.

Surveys and Land Measurements

Surveys are a process that measures land to determine the exact boundaries. Surveyors use specialized equipment to measure the land. Surveys are used before new construction, when installing underground utilities, and in boundary disputes.

Boundary Disputes and Resolutions

Boundary disputes are common, and they go way back. It's when one property owner believes that another is encroaching upon their land. These sometimes get heated and end up in court, where a judge must decide. The courts often rely on professional surveyors to provide testimony to help make the decision.

Liens are encumbrances that negatively affect a piece of real property and its owners. Too many liens can lower the property's value and ruin the owner's financial reputation. Liens appear in public property records. There are two types of liens: voluntary and involuntary.

Voluntary Liens

Voluntary liens are those over which you have control. When you decide to use your home as collateral for a loan, you allow the lender to place a lien on the property until it is paid off. If you default on the loan, the lien allows the lender to foreclose and sell the house to get their money back.

Involuntary Liens

Involuntary liens are beyond your control and imposed against your will for a debt you owe. These are bad, and most often, they result in foreclosure and the loss of your home.

The Process of Property Liens in Hawaii

The following is how to file a mechanic's lien in Hawaii:

Property records come into play most often during real estate transactions. Before the sale, the buyer, attorney, title company, appraiser, and realtor may examine property records looking for information. During the sale, more records, such as appraisals, deeds, inspections, insurance binders, and more, will be created. Some of these records will replace older records to become the most current.

Buying Property: Due Diligence

When buying property in Hawaii, you will want to learn as much as possible about the home. Check property records to find out the values of homes in the area, taxes, and insurance, and look for building permits to see if the place was renovated. Also, check for any liens or foreclosures on the property.

Selling Property: Providing Disclosure

Anyone selling a property has a legal obligation to inform prospective buyers about any material defects. If you have any gaps in your knowledge, you can check property records.

Title Searches and Insurance

If you take out a mortgage to buy the property, your lender will require that you purchase title insurance. This policy protects both of you against anyone coming along after the sale claiming they own the property. Your attorney or title company will perform a property title search to avoid issues like this.

Foreclosure and Property Records in Hawaii

Once a home is in foreclosure, this information will appear in property records. The house will be valued lower and will be more challenging to sell. Any liens must be resolved before the sale. Most buyers won't want to deal with the hassles, but some investors might.

Pre-Foreclosures in Hawaii

Pre-foreclosure homes are in the process but haven't yet been sold at auction. These, too, appear in public records. Investors seek out these deals because they are valued well below fair market value, and the investor could pick up the property cheaply and sell it for a profit.

When was the House Built?

Sometimes, you want to know when a house was first built. You can check realty sites which might have this information. You can also contact the Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances and ask to see the oldest building permit. That will show you who built it and when.

Property values are very important details about real property. However, property values change very quickly due to the economy, inflation, interest rates, and the local real estate market. You can find the value on appraisals, assessments, and other property records. The fair market value is the yardstick realtors, and other property professionals use to compare the value to other homes in the area. It is the price that the house would sell for in the current market.

Assessments and Appraisals

Assessments and appraisals are both tools used to determine a property's value. Tax officials use assessments to derive a value to set tax rates. These values do not always match the fair market value.

Appraisers use specific calculations to form an opinion of a property's value. They base their figures on fair market value for mortgages and estate planning.

Public property records are not private and are available to anyone at any time. When you purchase property, your name, address, and sometimes other details will appear in the records.

Accessing Public Property Records

You can access public property records through the Bureau of Conveyances in person or find them online through various methods.

Why are Property Records Public?

Property records are public for two reasons: first, to maintain the public chain of title of each property detailing every owner since the first, and second, to prevent any government entity from having too much power over the people. It's about transparency.

How Do I Protect My Personal Information in Property Records?

You cannot completely protect all your information from public records. However, you can try to minimize your exposure and remove all but the bare minimum. Contact the agencies that hold your records and ask them to remove anything beyond your name and address.

Be sure to regularly check your property records to ensure they are correct. If they have errors or need to be updated, it's up to you to do it. The agency that holds them will not know to update them automatically.