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Storage lien laws · State guide

Hawaii storage lien laws

Hawaii Revised Statutes, Part III — Self-Service Storage Facilities, §§ 507-61 to 507-72 →Verified 2026-06-11

Hawaii's self-service storage lien law (HRS §§ 507-61 to 507-72) gives operators a lien on all stored personal property — including motor vehicles and boats — for unpaid rent, labor, and other charges. Enforcement requires three notices in sequence: a default notice (email + postal, §507-63), a notice of lien and seizure (email + postal, §507-64), and a final demand and notice of sale (certified mail + email, §507-65). WARNING: The lien does not attach at all unless the rental agreement or supporting documentation requests and provides space for an alternate contact name, address, and phone number (§507-70(b)) — omitting that field eliminates lien rights entirely. After the three-notice sequence and a 30-day minimum from the final demand, the owner advertises and sells. Surplus proceeds are held one year then remitted to the State under chapter 523A. No statutory late-fee cap exists; contract terms control.

At a glance

HI · verified 2026-06-11
Statute
Hawaii Revised Statutes, Part III — Self-Service Storage Facilities, §§ 507-61 to 507-72
Notice delivery
Default notice (§507-63): email to last known electronic mail address AND postal mail, postage prepaid · Notice of lien (§507-64): email to last known electronic mail address AND postal mail, postage prepaid · Final demand and notice of sale (§507-65): certified mail to last known address AND email to last known electronic mail address, postage prepaid · If occupant provided alternate contact per §507-70(b): §507-63 and §507-64 notices also go to the alternate address and require telephone contact at the alternate number; §507-65 final demand goes to both addresses by certified mail and requires telephone contact
Sale method
The sale must be conducted in a commercially reasonable manner. Hawaii expressly authorizes online auctions conducted on websites that customarily handle self-storage lien sales (§507-66(b)). If the owner chooses any commercially reasonable method other than newspaper publication, at least three independent bidders must participate in the sale. A good-faith purchaser takes the property free of all prior rights, even if the owner did not fully comply with Part III. If sale proceeds fall short of the lien plus costs, the occupant remains liable for the deficiency.
Late fees
HRS Part III (§§ 507-61 to 507-72) contains no statutory late-fee provision — no cap, no formula, and no grace-period requirement. Late fees are governed entirely by the written rental agreement. Operators should ensure any late-fee amount and conditions are clearly stated in the written agreement; the §507-70(a) requirement that the contract be written provides the natural place for late-fee disclosures. Verify with counsel that any late-fee amount charged is not challenged as an unenforceable penalty under general Hawaii contract principles.
Vehicles & boats
Under §507-62, any lien recorded in the documents of title to a motor vehicle or boat takes priority over the storage lien. This means a bank, credit union, or other lienholder whose interest is noted on the certificate of title ranks ahead of the operator. A perfected security interest holder may redeem the property by paying the total amount due as specified in the §507-65 final demand, and the owner must then deliver possession to that party (§507-67). Part III does not provide a self-contained title-transfer mechanism for vehicles or boats sold at lien sale. Operators completing a vehicle or boat sale should issue a bill of sale, retain complete notice records, and direct the buyer to the Hawaii Division of Motor Vehicles and Licensing (ch. 286) or the Harbors Division for vessel titles (HRS ch. 200A) for title transfer. Consult counsel on whether a court order may be required where a title lienholder did not participate in the sale.

The lien clock

Each station below is a statutory checkpoint. Miss one and the sale can be challenged — this is the timeline LotWarden tracks automatically.

  1. 01

    Day 0 — rental agreement executed

    Lien attaches — but only if lease has alternate-contact blank

    The owner's lien on all stored personal property arises under §507-62, covering unpaid rent, labor, other charges, and preservation/sale expenses. CRITICAL: Under §507-70(b) the lien does not attach at all unless the rental agreement or supporting documentation requests — and provides a blank space for — the occupant's alternate contact name, address, and telephone number. An operator whose lease and supporting documents omit that field has no lien rights under Part III. The rental agreement must also contain the lien-disclosure statement required by §507-70(a). Existing document-of-title liens on motor vehicles or boats have priority over the storage lien (§507-62).

    HRS §§ 507-62, 507-70(a), 507-70(b)

  2. 02

    Day 15 of non-payment — rent or charges unpaid for 15 consecutive days

    Default begins — access denial available at 15 days

    After 15 consecutive days of unpaid rent or other charges, the owner may deny the occupant access to the storage space. Access denial is permissive, not mandatory. The owner must simultaneously send the §507-63 default notice to the occupant's last known email address AND last known postal address. If the occupant provided alternate contact info per §507-70(b), the notice must also go to that alternate address and the owner must contact the occupant at the alternate telephone number.

    HRS §§ 507-63, 507-70(b)

  3. 03

    On or concurrent with Day 15 access denial

    §507-63 default notice — 5 required contents

    The §507-63 notice must include: (1) the owner's claim showing sums due and when they became due; (2) a statement that the occupant is in default of the rental agreement; (3) a statement that access will be denied unless all sums due are paid; (4) notice that access has been denied and that the lien may be imposed if unpaid within 15 days of the notice; and (5) the name, street address, telephone number, and email address of the owner or designated agent. The lien may be imposed if sums remain unpaid 15 days after this notice.

    HRS § 507-63

  4. 04

    After the §507-63 cure period expires without payment

    §507-64 notice of lien — seizure date at least 15 days out

    If the §507-63 notice was sent and payment has not been made as specified, the owner may enter the space and remove property to a place of safekeeping. The owner must send a §507-64 notice of lien to the occupant's last known email address and last known postal address. The notice must state: (1) the occupant's right to use the space has terminated and the occupant no longer has access; (2) that the stored property is subject to a lien and the amount; and (3) that the owner will seize property to satisfy the lien after a specified date not less than 15 days from the date of mailing the notice, unless the lien is paid. Alternate-contact notice obligations apply if alternate info was provided.

    HRS §§ 507-64, 507-70(b)

  5. 05

    After the §507-64 seizure date passes without payment

    §507-65 final demand and notice of sale — by certified mail, 30-day minimum

    If both prior notices were sent and total sums remain unpaid, the owner may prepare for sale. The owner must send the final demand by certified mail, postage prepaid, to the occupant's last known postal address AND to the last known email address. The notice must include: all required disclosures (A–G) plus an itemized statement of all sums due and dates they became due. The sale date specified must be at least 30 days from the date of mailing the final demand. If the occupant provided alternate contact info, the owner must send certified mail to both addresses and contact the occupant at the alternate telephone number.

    HRS §§ 507-65, 507-70(b)

  6. 06

    At least 15 days after the §507-65 final demand was sent

    Advertisement — no sooner than 15 days after final demand

    No sooner than 15 days after sending the final demand and notice of sale, the owner must advertise the sale by either: (1) publishing once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the judicial district where the sale is to be held; or (2) disseminating in any other commercially reasonable manner, provided at least three independent bidders participate in the sale. Online self-storage auction websites are expressly approved as a commercially reasonable sale method. The advertisement must include a general description of the goods, the name of the person on whose account they are stored, total sums due, and the name and location of the facility.

    HRS § 507-66(a), (b)

  7. 07

    On or after the date specified in the §507-65 notice (at least 30 days from mailing)

    Sale conducted — commercially reasonable

    The sale must be conducted in a commercially reasonable manner. Online auctions on websites that customarily conduct self-storage lien sales satisfy this standard. A purchaser in good faith takes the property free of any rights of persons against whom the lien was claimed, even if the owner did not fully comply with Part III (§507-69). From sale proceeds the owner deducts the lien amount and costs; any excess is held for the occupant. If proceeds are insufficient, the occupant remains liable for the deficiency (§507-65(1)(G)).

    HRS §§ 507-65(1)(G), 507-66(b), 507-69

  8. 08

    Immediately after sale — one-year hold begins

    Surplus held one year then remitted to State

    After deducting the lien amount and costs of sale, the owner retains any excess on the occupant's behalf. The occupant, or any other person with a court order or judicial process against the property, may claim the surplus (or the portion sufficient to satisfy their claim) at any time within one year of the sale date. After one year any remaining surplus must be paid to the State as provided in chapter 523A (Hawaii Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act). This one-year period is set by both §507-65(1)(F) and §507-66(b).

    HRS §§ 507-65(1)(F), 507-66(b)

Notice requirements

Permitted delivery

  • Default notice (§507-63): email to last known electronic mail address AND postal mail, postage prepaid
  • Notice of lien (§507-64): email to last known electronic mail address AND postal mail, postage prepaid
  • Final demand and notice of sale (§507-65): certified mail to last known address AND email to last known electronic mail address, postage prepaid
  • If occupant provided alternate contact per §507-70(b): §507-63 and §507-64 notices also go to the alternate address and require telephone contact at the alternate number; §507-65 final demand goes to both addresses by certified mail and requires telephone contact

The notice must include

  • §507-63 default notice must contain: (1) claim showing sums due and when they became due; (2) statement occupant is in default of the rental agreement; (3) statement that access will be denied unless all sums are paid; (4) notice that access has been denied and that the lien may be imposed if unpaid within 15 days; (5) name, street address, telephone number, and email address of the owner or designated agent
  • §507-64 notice of lien must state: (1) occupant's right to use the space has terminated and occupant no longer has access; (2) that stored property is subject to a lien and the amount; (3) that owner will seize property after a date not less than 15 days from mailing unless lien is paid
  • §507-65 final demand must state: (A) sums for rent/charges not paid; (B) occupant's right to designated space terminated; (C) occupant no longer has access; (D) property is subject to lien and amount; (E) property will be sold after a date not less than 30 days from mailing unless lien is paid in full; (F) surplus proceeds held one year then remitted to the State under ch. 523A; (G) deficiency liability disclosure; plus (2) an itemized statement of all sums due and dates due

HRS §§ 507-63, 507-64, 507-65, 507-70(b)

The part most guides skip

Vehicles, boats & RVs

Hawaii's §507-61 expressly includes motor vehicles and boats within the definition of "personal property" subject to the storage lien. The storage lien under §507-62 covers vehicles and boats the same as all other stored property — there is no abbreviated process and no tow-away authority in Part III. An operator storing a vehicle or boat that a non-paying occupant has left behind must follow the complete three-notice sequence (§§ 507-63, 507-64, 507-65) and the sale and advertising rules of §507-66 before disposing of the property. One critical priority rule applies: any lien that has already attached and is set forth in the documents of title to the motor vehicle or boat (for example, a bank auto loan recorded on the title) has priority over the storage lien (§507-62). The storage operator cannot extinguish a recorded title lien through the Part III sale process. Operators should perform a title search before investing in the full enforcement process on a high-value vehicle, and should consult Hawaii DMV (HRS ch. 286) and the titling bureau (HRS ch. 249) for the title-transfer steps that follow a lien sale. The act is silent on whether a bill of sale from a §507-66 sale is sufficient to transfer title for a vehicle or boat, or whether a court order is needed — verify with counsel before completing any vehicle sale.

Titled property path

Under §507-62, any lien recorded in the documents of title to a motor vehicle or boat takes priority over the storage lien. This means a bank, credit union, or other lienholder whose interest is noted on the certificate of title ranks ahead of the operator. A perfected security interest holder may redeem the property by paying the total amount due as specified in the §507-65 final demand, and the owner must then deliver possession to that party (§507-67). Part III does not provide a self-contained title-transfer mechanism for vehicles or boats sold at lien sale. Operators completing a vehicle or boat sale should issue a bill of sale, retain complete notice records, and direct the buyer to the Hawaii Division of Motor Vehicles and Licensing (ch. 286) or the Harbors Division for vessel titles (HRS ch. 200A) for title transfer. Consult counsel on whether a court order may be required where a title lienholder did not participate in the sale.

HRS §§ 507-61, 507-62, 507-67

Sale rules

Method
The sale must be conducted in a commercially reasonable manner. Hawaii expressly authorizes online auctions conducted on websites that customarily handle self-storage lien sales (§507-66(b)). If the owner chooses any commercially reasonable method other than newspaper publication, at least three independent bidders must participate in the sale. A good-faith purchaser takes the property free of all prior rights, even if the owner did not fully comply with Part III. If sale proceeds fall short of the lien plus costs, the occupant remains liable for the deficiency.
Advertising
No sooner than 15 days after the §507-65 final demand is sent, the owner must advertise by one of two paths: (1) newspaper — one insertion per week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the judicial district where the sale is held; or (2) any commercially reasonable alternative — including online self-storage auction sites — provided at least three independent bidders participate. The advertisement must include: a general description of the goods, the name of the person on whose account they are stored, total sums due, and the name and location of the facility.
Proceeds & surplus
Sale proceeds are applied to satisfy the lien (unpaid rent, charges) and costs of sale. Any surplus is held by the owner on the occupant's behalf for one year from the sale date. During that year the occupant — or any person with a court order or judicial process against the property — may claim the surplus or the portion sufficient to satisfy their claim. After one year, any remaining excess must be remitted to the State under HRS chapter 523A (unclaimed property). Operators should consult ch. 523A for reporting and remittance procedures.

HRS §§ 507-65(1)(F), 507-66(a), 507-66(b)

Late fees

HRS Part III (§§ 507-61 to 507-72) contains no statutory late-fee provision — no cap, no formula, and no grace-period requirement. Late fees are governed entirely by the written rental agreement. Operators should ensure any late-fee amount and conditions are clearly stated in the written agreement; the §507-70(a) requirement that the contract be written provides the natural place for late-fee disclosures. Verify with counsel that any late-fee amount charged is not challenged as an unenforceable penalty under general Hawaii contract principles.

HRS § 507-70(a) (general contract requirement; no specific late-fee section)

Operator questions

What happens if my rental agreement has no blank for an alternate contact name and phone number?

Your lien rights disappear. Section 507-70(b) states that "this part shall not apply, and the lien authorized by this part shall not attach" unless the rental agreement or supporting documentation requests, and provides space for, an alternate contact name, address, and phone number. The occupant does not need to fill it in — but the blank must be there. Operators using out-of-state lease templates that omit this field are not protected by Part III at all. Audit your form now and add the alternate-contact block before relying on the lien. An occupant's failure to provide alternate contact information does not affect the operator's remedies — the failure must be the operator's, not the occupant's.

How many separate notices must I send before I can sell a non-paying occupant's property?

Three, in sequence. First, the §507-63 default and access-denial notice (email + postal) — this triggers a 15-day cure period before the lien may be imposed. Second, the §507-64 notice of lien and seizure (email + postal) — the seizure date must be at least 15 days from mailing. Third, the §507-65 final demand and notice of sale (certified mail + email) — the sale date must be at least 30 days from mailing. After the final demand you must also wait at least 15 days before running the advertisement. Each notice must go to both email and postal addresses. If the occupant provided an alternate contact, all three notices have additional delivery and telephone-contact obligations.

Can I use an online auction site instead of running a newspaper ad?

Yes. Section 507-66(b) expressly states that a sale conducted on an online website that customarily conducts self-storage lien sales is a commercially reasonable sale. If you use any commercially reasonable method other than the two-week newspaper option, you must ensure at least three independent bidders participate in the sale. The advertising must still include a general description of the goods, the person's name, total sums due, and the facility's name and location — and it cannot be run until at least 15 days after the §507-65 final demand was mailed.

What happens to surplus sale proceeds if the occupant never claims them?

The owner holds the surplus for one year from the sale date. During that year the occupant, or anyone with a court order against the property, may claim the excess. After one year, any remaining surplus must be paid to the State of Hawaii under HRS chapter 523A, the Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act. Operators should review chapter 523A for reporting deadlines and remittance procedures — the one-year self-storage hold does not align with all ch. 523A dormancy periods and the reporting obligation may arise earlier than expected.

I store boats and cars. Does the same process apply to titled vehicles as to household goods?

The same three-notice lien-sale process applies — Hawaii's Part III has no separate tow-away provision or abbreviated vehicle path. Motor vehicles and boats are expressly included in the §507-61 definition of personal property. One critical difference: any lien that is set forth in the documents of title to a motor vehicle or boat has priority over your storage lien under §507-62. Before investing in the full enforcement process on a high-value vehicle, run a title search to determine whether a lienholder is recorded; that lienholder can redeem the property by paying your charges under §507-67. The act does not describe a self-contained title-transfer procedure after sale — consult Hawaii DMV and counsel for post-sale titling steps.

Is there a statutory cap on late fees I can charge?

No. HRS §§ 507-61 to 507-72 contain no late-fee provision — no cap, no formula, and no grace period. Your rental agreement controls entirely. State clearly in the written lease the amount or formula for late fees and when they begin to accrue. Because there is no statutory floor or ceiling, any late-fee amount must be defensible as a reasonable contractual liquidated charge rather than an unenforceable penalty; seek counsel if you plan to charge an amount substantially in excess of actual administrative costs.

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