Statute of Limitations in Hawaii

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Hawaii? In Hawaii, the statute of limitations is 2 years for personal injury, 6 years for written contracts and 2 years for defamation; most other civil claims fall between 2 and 6 years. Every period below is linked to its official Hawaii statute.

2 yrs injury 6 yrs contracts 2 yrs defamation Official citations Verified Jun 13, 2026

This tool provides estimates for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Limitation periods depend on discovery rules, tolling, statutes of repose, and the specific facts. Always verify against the cited statute or consult a Hawaii attorney.

Hawaii statute of limitations by claim type

Every Hawaii civil deadline below is quoted from the statute and linked to its official text. Verified Jun 13, 2026 against the official Hawaii statutes (capitol.hawaii.gov).

Hawaii statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	HRS § 657-7
Wrongful death	2 years	HRS § 663-3	2 years from date of death
Written contract	6 years	HRS § 657-1
Oral contract	6 years	HRS § 657-1
Property damage	2 years	HRS § 657-7
Medical malpractice	2 years	HRS § 657-7.3	2 yrs from discovery; 6-year repose
Defamation (libel/slander)	2 years	HRS § 657-4	libel and slander; 2 years
Debt collection	6 years	HRS § 657-1

Enter a date of incident in the lookup above to estimate your exact filing deadline and add a reminder to your calendar.

Hawaii deadlines at a glance

In Hawaii, civil filing deadlines run from 2 years (personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, medical malpractice and defamation) to 6 years (written contract, oral contract and debt collection). Its 2 years personal-injury deadline is in line with most states.

Several Hawaii claims carry specific accrual, discovery, or repose rules worth noting:

Wrongful death (2 years): 2 years from date of death (HRS § 663-3).
Medical malpractice (2 years): 2 yrs from discovery; 6-year repose (HRS § 657-7.3).
Defamation (2 years): libel and slander; 2 years (HRS § 657-4).

New to limitation periods? Read what a statute of limitations is: how the clock accrues, the discovery rule, and tolling.

The most-searched Hawaii deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (HRS § 657-7).
Debt: 6 years. Most debt is time-barred after 6 years (HRS § 657-1). A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so respond to a collector with a validation or dispute letter. Find a letter template →
Defamation: 2 years. Libel and slander (HRS § 657-4).
Contracts: 6 years. Written agreements (HRS § 657-1).

Count the exact filing date

A limitation period gives you the year; the deadline calculator counts the precise date (answer windows, court days, and holidays included) and exports it to your calendar.

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Statute of limitations in other states

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Hawaii statute of limitations FAQ

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Hawaii?

It depends on the claim. In Hawaii, personal injury is 2 years (HRS § 657-7); written contract is 6 years (HRS § 657-1); defamation is 2 years (HRS § 657-4). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Hawaii?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Hawaii it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 6 years for written contracts and 2 years for defamation, with most other civil claims between 2 and 6 years. The clock generally starts when the claim accrues. Every period is linked to its official Hawaii statute above.

What is the statute of limitations for a car accident in Hawaii?

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Hawaii deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under HRS § 657-7.

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Hawaii?

In Hawaii, most debt has a statute of limitations of 6 years under HRS § 657-1. After it expires the debt is time-barred and a collector generally cannot win a lawsuit to force payment. A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so be careful on an old debt.

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Hawaii?

2 years under HRS § 657-7.3 (2 yrs from discovery; 6-year repose).

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