The rule in Hawaii
The small claims limit in Hawaii is $5,000. The rule is Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 633; the Hawaii State Judiciary, Small Claims brochure puts it this way: “the amount claimed is no more than $5,000 excluding any interest and costs that may be awarded by the court”. The court that hears these cases: District court small claims division.
Among the 51 jurisdictions with a verified figure on this site, Hawaii ranks 40th from the top. That is $5,000 below the median of $10,000. It is 2 times Kentucky's $2,500 floor and 20% of the $25,000 top figure. 9 other verified jurisdictions use the same $5,000 figure, including Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut and Louisiana.
Hawaii has no land border with another state; the closest figures in the ranking are Arizona at $5,000, Arkansas at $5,000 and Connecticut at $5,000. All of them match the Hawaii figure exactly.
Worked check against the $5,000 figure: a $2,500 claim uses 50% of the limit and leaves $2,500 of room; a claim of exactly $5,000 still fits, because the rule caps the amount rather than excluding it; a claim of $5,001 is $1 over, and the rule leaves interest and costs out of that count.
Published fees from the same source: filing fee: $35. On the $2,500 example the listed fee is $35, about 1.4% of the amount claimed.
In residential security deposit cases the brochure says neither party may be represented by an attorney.
Deposit disputes are a common small claims case. Hawaii caps deposits at 1 month's rent, plus a pet deposit of up to 1 month (deposit rules), so a claim for a full deposit stays under the $5,000 limit whenever the monthly rent is $5,000 or less.
Source: Hawaii State Judiciary, Small Claims brochure · Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 633 · last checked October 20, 2026.
Where the case goes
A claim within the limit is filed with the District court small claims division. The linked source is the place to confirm forms, the filing fee and where to file before starting; the guides on filing a small claims case and serving the papers explain the usual steps in general terms.
Questions
What is the small claims limit in Hawaii?
$5,000, under Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 633. Checked October 20, 2026.
Do interest and costs count toward the Hawaii limit?
No. The source words the limit as “the amount claimed is no more than $5,000 excluding any interest and costs that may be awarded by the court”, which leaves those amounts out of the count.
How much does it cost to file a small claim in Hawaii?
The source lists filing fee $35.