Hawaii · Debt collection rights · Updated Oct 2026

Debt collectors in Hawaii: your rights

What debt collectors can and can't do in Hawaii, how long they have to sue, how much of your pay and bank account is protected, collector licensing, where to complain and what to do if you are sued, in plain English from official sources.

6 yearsto sue on a written contract
5–20%wage garnishment limit
Yescollector license required
Yesstate debt collection law
Check your courtto answer a debt lawsuit

Your federal rights

These federal rules apply in Hawaii and every other state. Hawaii's own law, below, can add more.

  • Who the federal law covers. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) covers debt collectors who collect for someone else and companies that buy debts, not usually the original creditor collecting its own debt (15 U.S.C. 1692a(6)). Some state laws also cover original creditors.
  • A validation notice. A collector must give you a validation notice, in its first message or within 5 days after it, with the amount, the creditor and how to dispute (15 U.S.C. 1692g(a); 12 CFR 1006.34).
  • Your right to dispute. If you dispute the debt in writing within the validation period (30 days after you get the notice), the collector must stop collecting until it mails you verification (15 U.S.C. 1692g(b); 12 CFR 1006.38).
  • When collectors can contact you. No calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your time, or at work if your employer doesn't allow it (15 U.S.C. 1692c(a)). More than 7 calls in 7 days about one debt is presumed to break the law (12 CFR 1006.14(b)(2)).
  • Telling a collector to stop. If you tell a collector in writing to stop contacting you, it must stop, except to tell you it is ending collection or will take a specific step such as a lawsuit (15 U.S.C. 1692c(c)).
  • What collectors can't do. No threats, obscene language, false statements (for example pretending to be a lawyer or the government, or threatening arrest) and no unfair practices such as collecting fees your contract doesn't allow (15 U.S.C. 1692d, 1692e, 1692f). A collector generally can't discuss your debt with your family, neighbors or employer (15 U.S.C. 1692c(b)).

Read how to dispute a debt or stop collector calls.

Hawaii law and extra protections

State law
Hawaii Collection Agencies law (HRS ch. 443B) and Collection Practices by Debt Collectors law (HRS ch. 480D)
Law
Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 443B; ch. 480D
Covers original creditors
Yes
Extra protections
  • Chapter 480D also covers businesses collecting their own consumer debts (not just collection agencies). They may not threaten arrest or violence, falsely accuse you of fraud, or add fees the law or your contract does not allow. (HRS §§ 480D-2, 480D-3)
  • A collection agency may not contact you once it knows you have a lawyer and knows the lawyer's name and address. (HRS § 443B-19(5))
  • A collection agency may not try to make you pay its own collection fees, or interest and fees not allowed by your agreement or by law. (HRS § 443B-19(3), (4))
  • A collection agency must register with the state before collecting from people in Hawaii. (HRS § 443B-3)
Can you sue under it?
Yes, through Hawaii's consumer protection law. A violation of ch. 443B or ch. 480D counts as an unfair or deceptive practice under HRS § 480-2. A consumer who is harmed can sue for $1,000 or three times actual damages, whichever is more, plus lawyer fees and costs ($5,000 minimum option for elders). (HRS §§ 443B-20, 480D-4, 480-13(b))
Official text
Read the law

Old debts in Hawaii

Written contracts
6 years
Open accounts and unwritten agreements
6 years
Does a payment restart the clock?
No Hawaii statute sets this rule. The official notes to HRS § 657-1 list old Hawaii Supreme Court decisions treating a payment or a new promise as restarting the clock (for example, 22 Haw. 140 (1914)). Ask a lawyer before you pay on a very old debt.
Law
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1(1) (6 years for a debt based on a contract, obligation or liability)
Official text
Read the law

The time limit is the statute of limitations. Once it runs out, the debt is “time-barred”: a collector must not sue or threaten to sue you, but the debt still exists. Read more about time-barred debt.

Is my debt too old? Check Hawaii's time limit

Every state limits how long a creditor or collector has to sue you over a debt. This is the statute of limitations. Choose your state, the type of debt and the date of your last payment to see the limit and an estimated end date. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.

Credit cards count as written contracts in some states and as open accounts in others. If you are not sure, try both.

Or the date you first missed a payment, if you never paid.

Hawaii: 6 years for a written contractEnter the date of your last payment to see when the time limit ends.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Your state's law and your account records decide the exact start date and the type of debt.

Wage garnishment and bank accounts in Hawaii

Wage limit
Stricter than federal: no more than 5% of the first $100 a month, 10% of the next $100, and 20% of everything above $200 a month (or the weekly equivalent). (HRS § 652-1(b))
Law
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 652-1

Federal benefits such as Social Security, SSI and VA benefits that were directly deposited are protected in your bank account up to two months' worth (31 CFR 212.6). A creditor usually needs a court judgment before it can garnish your wages or bank account.

Property you can keep in Hawaii

Home equity is protected up to $30,000 if you are head of a family or 65 or older, and up to $20,000 for others (HRS § 651-92(a)). One vehicle is protected up to $2,575 in wholesale value, and wages for work done in the 31 days before the court proceeding are exempt (HRS § 651-121(2), (6)).

Collector licensing in Hawaii

License required
Yes
Who licenses
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Collection Agency Program (registration)
Check a license
Official license lookup

If you are sued in Hawaii

If you don't answer
If you do not respond by the deadline in the papers, the court can enter a default judgment, which can lead to garnishment of your wages or bank account.

Don't ignore court papers. Read what to do if a debt collector sues you.

Where to complain in Hawaii

Free help in Hawaii

Good to know in Hawaii

  • Hawaii's wage garnishment formula takes much less than the federal limit: at most 20% of pay above $200 a month, and less below that. (HRS § 652-1(b))
  • Hawaii's debt collection rules in HRS ch. 480D also apply to businesses collecting their own debts. (HRS § 480D-2)
  • Wages for work done in the 31 days before a court proceeding are exempt. (HRS § 651-121(6))

Free letters to send a collector

Dispute a debt and ask for proof (validation letter)

Within 30 days of the collector's validation notice.

Tell a collector to stop or limit contact

Stop all contact, writing only, or no calls at work.

Questions about debt collection in Hawaii

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Hawaii?

6 years for written contracts and 6 years for open accounts and unwritten agreements (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1(1) (6 years for a debt based on a contract, obligation or liability)).

Does paying on an old debt restart the clock in Hawaii?

No Hawaii statute sets this rule. The official notes to HRS § 657-1 list old Hawaii Supreme Court decisions treating a payment or a new promise as restarting the clock (for example, 22 Haw. 140 (1914)). Ask a lawyer before you pay on a very old debt.

How much of my paycheck can be garnished in Hawaii?

Stricter than federal: no more than 5% of the first $100 a month, 10% of the next $100, and 20% of everything above $200 a month (or the weekly equivalent). (HRS § 652-1(b))

Do debt collectors need a license in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA), Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Collection Agency Program (registration)

Does Hawaii have its own debt collection law?

Yes: the Hawaii Collection Agencies law (HRS ch. 443B) and Collection Practices by Debt Collectors law (HRS ch. 480D) (Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 443B; ch. 480D). It also covers original creditors collecting their own debts.

Where can I complain about a debt collector in Hawaii?

DCCA Regulated Industries Complaints Office (RICO), for collection agencies; DCCA Office of Consumer Protection for other businesses: https://cca.hawaii.gov/file-a-complaint/

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources

Other states