Debt relief in Hawaii: collection rules, time limits and your options
Updated November 9, 2026
Hawaii at a glance (checked November 2026)
| Hawaii | |
|---|---|
| Time limit to sue on credit cards and other contracts | 6 years |
| Wage garnishment for consumer debt | 5% of the first $100 a month, 10% of the next $100, 20% of the rest |
| State debt collection laws | Collection agency law (HRS chapter 443B) and the Collection Practices Act (chapter 480D) |
| Who registers collection agencies | Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs |
| Where to complain | Regulated Industries Complaints Office, Office of Consumer Protection, and the CFPB |
Debt collection rules in Hawaii
Hawaii has two collection laws. Collection agencies, the businesses that collect debts for others, must register with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, post a bond and renew every two years (HRS chapter 443B). Other businesses that regularly collect consumer debts, including many creditors collecting their own accounts, fall under Hawaii's Collection Practices Act (chapter 480D).
Both laws ban threats of violence or arrest, false statements about a debt, and other abusive tactics. Breaking them counts as an unfair or deceptive practice under Hawaii's consumer protection law, which lets you sue for damages.
The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act applies to third-party collectors as well. They can't call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Hawaii time, must send you a validation notice, and have to stop collecting if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days, until they verify it.
How long creditors have to sue
Hawaii gives creditors 6 years to sue on contracts, written or oral, and on open accounts. That covers credit cards, personal loans and most medical bills (HRS § 657-1). The clock usually starts when you default.
Once the 6 years have run, a collector can still ask you to pay but can't sue you or threaten to. Be careful with old debts: a written acknowledgment, and in some cases a payment, can restart the clock. If a creditor does win a judgment, it lasts 10 years and can be extended.
What can be garnished in Hawaii
Hawaii uses its own sliding scale, which protects lower earners more than federal law does. From your pay after taxes and other required deductions, a creditor with a judgment can take at most 5% of the first $100 a month, 10% of the next $100, and 20% of everything above $200 (HRS § 652-1). It can never take more than the federal limit either.
For example, on $3,000 a month of take-home pay, the most a creditor could take is about $575. The federal 25% rule alone would allow $750.
Child support and taxes follow separate rules. Social Security and other federal benefits stay protected from ordinary creditors, even in your bank account.
Ways out of debt in Hawaii
- Nonprofit credit counseling can combine your card payments into one debt management plan with lower rates. Look for an agency accredited by the NFCC or FCAA.
- Paying only the minimum can keep you in debt for decades. Our minimum payment calculator shows how long it would take and what it would cost.
- Debt settlement companies can't charge you a fee until they've actually settled a debt, under federal rules. Forgiven amounts can count as taxable income.
- Bankruptcy: Hawaii lets you choose between its own exemption list and the federal one. A bankruptcy attorney can tell you which protects more of what you own.
Where to get help or complain
- Regulated Industries Complaints Office takes complaints about registered collection agencies.
- Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection handles complaints about unfair or deceptive business practices.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau takes complaints about collectors and lenders nationwide.
- Legal Aid Society of Hawaii gives free civil legal help across the islands.
General information about Hawaii law, not legal advice. Checked November 2026.