Hawaii Asset Search Services
U.S. Asset Records reads the statewide Bureau of Conveyances indexes, Land Court registrations, UCC and entity filings, vehicle titles and court records, then runs every name through the other 49 states.
Order Hawaii Asset SearchStatewide records · Flat-Fee Pricing · 1-5 days · FCRA/GLBA Compliant
Quick Answer
A Hawaii asset search from U.S. Asset Records costs $195 flat-fee for the Asset Profile Report or $295 for the FCRA-compliant Creditor-Status Profile, delivered in 1 to 5 days. It identifies real property on every island, business interests, vehicles, vessels, aircraft, UCC filings and judgments, here and nationwide. The subject is never contacted.
What is a Hawaii asset search, and why does one statewide office change the work?
A Hawaii asset search identifies the land, business interests, vehicles, UCC filings and judgments connected to a person or company, on every island and in other states. Lawyers order it before filing suit, after winning a judgment, and in divorce and estate matters.
Counties keep no deed books here. Every deed, mortgage and lease over one year anywhere in the State is recorded with one office, the bureau of conveyances in the Department of Land and Natural Resources (HRS 502-1, 502-83). Land registered in the Land Court is a separate system: a judgment binds it only when a memorandum citing the certificate of title is registered (HRS 501-136, 501-151). The search therefore reports which system each parcel sits in, because that decides how the creditor records.
Key Points for Creditors
| Coverage | Bureau of Conveyances and Land Court records statewide, the federal District of Hawaii, and other states |
|---|---|
| Price | $195 Asset Profile Report; $295 Creditor-Status Profile (FCRA, for collection use) |
| Delivery | 1 to 5 days, depending on complexity and county |
| Judgment lien | Record a clerk-certified copy with the bureau of conveyances (HRS 636-3) |
| Judgment life | Ten years, extendable once on motion, never past twenty years (HRS 657-5) |
| Homestead | $30,000 or $20,000, fixed by statute and not indexed (HRS 651-92) |
| Fraudulent transfers | Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, HRS 651C-1 to 651C-10 |
| Self-settled trusts | Permitted transfers in trust, HRS ch. 554G |
One Bureau, Two Title Systems
- Bureau of Conveyances: The single recording office for land on Oahu, Maui, the Big Island, Kauai and the smaller islands (HRS 502-1). An unrecorded conveyance loses to a later good-faith buyer who records first (HRS 502-83), so the index is read under the subject, spouse, trusts and entities.
- Land Court registrations: The Land Court has exclusive jurisdiction to register title (HRS 501-1). Liens, judgments and lis pendens against registered land go on the certificate of title through the assistant registrar, who is the registrar of conveyances (HRS 501-9, 501-136, 634-51).
- UCC financing statements: Filed with the bureau of conveyances as well, not with a business agency (HRS 490:9-501), so personal property collateral and fixture filings come out of the same office.
- Business entities: LLCs and other entities file with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (HRS 428-101); members, managers, officers and agents are listed.
- State court records: Civil judgments, garnishments, pending suits and divorce cases in the state courts.
- Federal court: A single federal district, which also takes in Midway, Wake and other Pacific islands (28 U.S.C. 91). PACER shows federal suits, bankruptcies and judgments.
- Vehicles, vessels, aircraft and other states: Vehicle titles under a DPPA permissible purpose, Coast Guard documentation, the FAA registry, then property, entity and court records nationwide.
Recording and Levying on a Judgment
Because every parcel is indexed in one place, a single recording reaches land on any island. The work is in finding what the debtor owns and how it is titled.
| Step | What the statute says | What the search supplies |
|---|---|---|
| Record the lien (HRS 636-3) | A money judgment of a state court or the federal court here becomes a lien on real property once a clerk-certified copy is recorded in the bureau of conveyances; the lien ends when the judgment does | Parcels in the debtor’s name, and whether each is Land Court registered |
| Keep it alive (HRS 657-5) | Presumed paid after ten years unless extended; the motion must be filed within ten years and on notice, and no extension runs past twenty years from the original judgment | Whether assets justify the extension motion |
| Execute and sell (HRS 651-31, 651-43, 651-44, 651-49) | A writ may issue at any time while the judgment lives; levied property is advertised for 30 days by posting in three places, with three newspaper notices on Oahu, and sold to the highest bidder, conveying only the debtor’s interest | Legal descriptions, mortgages of record and remaining equity |
| Garnish wages and accounts (HRS 652-1) | After judgment, 5% of the first $100 of monthly wages, 10% of the next $100 and 20% of the rest can be taken; debts and money held by third parties can be garnished too | The employer and other holders of the debtor’s money |
| Examine the debtor (HRS 636-4; HRCP Rule 69) | The court can order the debtor and anyone who knows the debtor’s affairs to be examined orally and to produce records; Rule 69 adds discovery from any person | Specific holdings to ask about under oath |
| File a sister-state judgment (HRS 636C-1, 636C-3, 636C-4) | An exemplified judgment filed with the clerk is treated like a local one, including for a lien; the clerk mails notice to the debtor | Whether property here justifies filing |
How the Family Court Divides the Estate
This is not a community property state; IRS Publication 555 lists nine such states and this one is not among them. On divorce the court may finally divide the parties’ estate, real, personal or mixed, whether community, joint or separate, in the way that appears just and equitable (HRS 580-47(a)).
One listed factor is concealment of, or failure to disclose, income or an asset (HRS 580-47(a)), so an asset that surfaces only in a public-records search can weigh in the division. Assets a spouse moved into a 554G trust after the marriage, or within thirty days before it without written notice, stay divisible (HRS 554G-9). The report gives recording dates and grantees for both spouses, every entity and every trust of record.
Small, Fixed Exemptions
| Protection | Rule | Effect on recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Homestead (HRS 651-91, 651-92) | One parcel, the dwelling and up to one acre: $30,000 for a head of family or a person 65 or older, $20,000 for anyone else, measured over earlier recorded liens. The figures are written into the statute and are not indexed | Most equity above the cap is reachable; no protection against mortgages or tax liens |
| Sale proceeds (HRS 651-96) | Cash equal to the exemption stays protected for six months after a sale | Track reinvestment in a new home |
| Motor vehicle (HRS 651-121(2)) | One vehicle up to $2,575 over liens, at wholesale value | Most unencumbered vehicles have reachable value |
| Household goods, jewelry and tools (HRS 651-121(1), (3)) | Necessary furnishings, clothing and books; jewelry and watches up to $1,000; tools of the trade, including one commercial fishing boat and nets | Luxury items and non-trade equipment are reachable |
| Recent wages (HRS 651-121(6)) | Pay for services in the 31 days before the proceeding | Older earnings and savings fall outside it |
| Retirement (HRS 651-124) | 401(k), 403(b), IRA and Roth IRA rights are exempt, except contributions made within three years before a bankruptcy filing or the start of the creditor’s lawsuit | Recent large contributions can be reached |
| LLC interests (HRS 428-504) | Charging order is the exclusive remedy, but the court may order foreclosure of the charged interest at any time; no single-member carve-out | A foreclosure buyer takes a transferee’s rights |
| Limited partnership interests (HRS 425E-703) | Same structure: exclusive charging order, with foreclosure available at any time | Partnership property is listed separately |
The UFTA and Permitted Transfers in Trust
Hawaii never moved to the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act. Its Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act still runs from 651C-1 to 651C-10, and chapter 554G separately lets a person shelter assets in a trust for their own benefit.
- Deadlines (HRS 651C-9): Actual intent: four years after the transfer, or one year after it was or could reasonably have been discovered if later. Constructive fraud: four years. Insider preference: one year.
- Badges (HRS 651C-4(b)): Eleven factors, such as a transfer to an insider, retained control, concealment, a suit filed or threatened first, or a transfer of substantially all assets.
- Insiders and entireties (HRS 651C-1; HRS 509-2): Insiders include relatives and companies the debtor directs or controls. Spouses may hold property as tenants by the entirety, and that interest is not an “asset” under the act to the extent a creditor of one spouse alone cannot reach it.
- Transferees (HRS 651C-8): Judgment for the lesser of the asset’s value or the claim against the first transferee or a later one who was not a good-faith buyer for value.
- Permitted transfers in trust (HRS 554G-8): A creditor must prove intent to defraud, hinder or delay by clear and convincing evidence, within the 651C-9 periods for a claim that predates the transfer, or within two years after the transfer for a later claim.
- Trust exceptions (HRS 554G-9): Support, alimony and property-division creditors once 30 days in default, injury claims arising on or before the transfer, lenders told the trust secured the loan, and state taxes.
- In bankruptcy: A trustee can avoid transfers made within 2 years before the petition under 11 U.S.C. 548.
Method
The subject, spouse, trusts and entities are run through the bureau of conveyances indexes, Land Court certificates, UCC records, entity filings, state and federal court records, and vehicle, vessel and aircraft registries, then through other states.
An analyst confirms each match and reports the reference needed to order a certified copy: document number, certificate of title number, entity number, title record or case number.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Hawaii asset search cost?
$195 flat-fee for the Asset Profile Report, or $295 for the FCRA-compliant Creditor-Status Profile used in collection. Both prices are published.
How long does it take?
1 to 5 days, depending on complexity and county.
Do the counties keep land records?
No. All land records in the State go to one office, the bureau of conveyances (HRS 502-83), with Land Court registered land handled through its assistant registrar (HRS 501-9).
Can you find a debtor’s bank accounts?
No. Account numbers and balances are never provided. Under 15 U.S.C. 6821, part of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, obtaining someone’s bank information from a bank by false pretenses is a federal violation, and so is knowingly asking someone to do it. After judgment, creditors reach accounts through court process aimed at banks named in the public record. Real property, business interests, vehicles, and judgments are identified in every Asset Profile Report.
How does a judgment become a lien on land?
By recording a clerk-certified copy of the judgment with the bureau of conveyances (HRS 636-3). For Land Court land, a memorandum citing the certificate of title must be registered (HRS 501-151).
Is the subject contacted?
No. Only public records and licensed databases are used.
How long does a judgment last?
Ten years, unless the creditor moves for an extension within that time. No judgment can be extended beyond twenty years from the original date (HRS 657-5).
How much home equity is exempt?
$30,000 for a head of family or someone 65 or older, $20,000 for others, in one parcel (HRS 651-92). The amounts are fixed in the statute and do not adjust for inflation.
Is Hawaii a community property state?
No. The court divides the estate, whether community, joint or separate, as is just and equitable, and may consider a spouse’s concealment of assets (HRS 580-47).
Can a creditor reach an LLC interest?
Through a charging order, which is the exclusive remedy, but the court may order the charged interest foreclosed at any time (HRS 428-504). The report separates LLC property from personal property.
Do 554G trusts stop creditors?
Mostly. A creditor must prove intent to defraud by clear and convincing evidence within strict deadlines, with exceptions for support and property-division debts, earlier injuries, some lenders and state taxes (HRS 554G-8, 554G-9).
How much of a paycheck can be garnished?
5% of the first $100 a month, 10% of the next $100 and 20% of the rest, or the weekly equivalent (HRS 652-1).
Where These Cases Go Next
the divorce financial discovery guidefind a person’s assets legallymore on pre-foreclosure property researchasset searches in Alaskastart your flat-fee orderLast reviewed and updated: October 21, 2026 · U.S. Asset Records editorial team
What are the terms for a Hawaii search?
One published price per report, a fixed delivery window, and a cited record behind each finding.
- Price: $195 Asset Profile Report or $295 Creditor-Status Profile, flat-fee
- Coverage: Bureau of Conveyances and Land Court records statewide, federal court and other states
- No-hit refund: Full refund if no assets found
Islands and Counties
The Census Bureau counts 5 counties here, Kalawao among them, and 1,446,146 residents (July 2024 estimate). Honolulu County holds 69.1%; with Hawaii County and Maui County the three largest hold 94.9%, and Kauai County most of the rest.
None of them keeps a deed registry, so there is no county-by-county sweep. The statewide indexes are read once, under every name, and each parcel is reported with its island.
Related Asset Search Resources
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Sources for This Page
Every legal statement on this page cites one of these primary sources.
- ▸ HRS 636-3, judgment liens
- ▸ HRS 636-4, examination of judgment debtors
- ▸ HRS 657-5, life of judgments
- ▸ HRS 651-31, execution
- ▸ HRS 651-43, advertisement for sale
- ▸ HRS 651-92, real property exemption
- ▸ HRS 651-121, personal property exemptions
- ▸ HRS 651-124, retirement exemption
- ▸ HRS 652-1, garnishment
- ▸ HRS 651C-1 to 651C-10, Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act
- ▸ HRS 651C-9, limitation periods
- ▸ HRS 636C-3, foreign judgments
- ▸ HRS 634-51, lis pendens
- ▸ HRS 580-47, division of property
- ▸ HRS 554G-8, permitted transfers in trust
- ▸ HRS 554G-9, exceptions
- ▸ HRS 502-83, recording in the bureau of conveyances
- ▸ HRS 501-151, Land Court judgments
- ▸ HRS 509-2, tenancy by the entirety
- ▸ HRS 428-504, LLC charging orders
- ▸ HRS 425E-703, limited partnership charging orders
- ▸ HRS 490:9-501, UCC filing office
- ▸ Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 69
- ▸ IRS Publication 555, Community Property
- ▸ 28 U.S.C. 91, District of Hawaii
- ▸ 15 U.S.C. 6821, pretexting for financial information
- ▸ 11 U.S.C. 548, fraudulent transfers in bankruptcy
- ▸ U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 county population estimates
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“In divorce cases, finding undisclosed assets can make or break equitable distribution. U.S. Asset Records has helped my clients uncover property, vehicles, and business interests that spouses attempted to conceal.”
What the Report Contains
Each report is analyst-written, and each finding cites the record it came from.
- Real property schedule: every parcel found, with county, assessed value and recording detail
- Business interests: entities where the subject appears as owner, officer, manager or registered agent
- Vehicles, vessels and aircraft: with title and registration detail
- Judgments and liens: the subject’s existing creditor exposure
- UCC filings: secured-creditor relationships and the collateral described
- Nationwide cross-reference: holdings in other states under the same names
Reference This Page
Researchers, journalists, and legal professionals are welcome to cite this resource. Suggested citation:
U.S. Asset Records. (2026). Hawaii Asset Search Guide. Retrieved from https://usassetrecords.com/hawaii-asset-search/