How to Search Hawaii Public Records

Hawaii's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 5 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The Hawaii Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the Circuit Court, District Court, Family Court. Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the state Department of Health (or equivalent) and may also be available locally.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained at the county level by the Assessor, Recorder, or Clerk's office.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
1,450,589
Households
478,800
Median Income
$95,322
Median Home Value
$715,000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2024 Population Estimates Program; 2022 ACS 5-year)

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Edited by — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: Hawaii recorded documents URL verified against the official state publisher at cca.hawaii.gov on the review date. 6 primary .gov sources cited below.

Hawaii Recorded Documents — Key Facts (2026)

Deeds, mortgages, UCC filings, liens, military discharges in Hawaii — what gets recorded and where in 2026.
County
Where deeds live
Permanent record
SoS
Where UCC live
Secretary of State
Article 9
UCC governs
Secured transactions
Public
Most recorded docs
With redaction
Federal
DD-214 / IRS liens
National-level
Common recorded document types — typical volume
Deeds
100
Mortgages
95
Liens (property)
70
UCC (business)
55
Powers of attorney
25
Military DD-214
10
Unit: relative volume (deeds=100).

What Changed in 2026 — Hawaii Recorded Documents

2026
Hawaii recorded documents portal active
The official Hawaii portal at cca.hawaii.gov continues to serve as the canonical entry point for recorded documents in 2026.
2026
Latest federal complement for recorded documents
The NASS UCC Filings overview at www.nass.org provides federal-level context that complements Hawaii state records.
2026
Hawaii access in 2026
For 2026, Hawaii continues to publish recorded documents information through state-authorized portals; check cca.hawaii.gov for current fees and processing times.
2026
Federal records framework refresh
Federal record types (federal liens, federal land, federal vital statistics) continue to live OUTSIDE Hawaii's state portal — see the Primary Sources below for the .gov complement.

The 5-Type Hawaii Recorded Documents Map

1
Type 1 — Real property (Deeds, Mortgages)
Hawaii County Recorder / Register of Deeds. Permanent record.
2
Type 2 — UCC (business collateral)
Most filed with Hawaii Secretary of State. Some real-estate UCCs are county.
3
Type 3 — Liens (tax, mechanic's, judgment)
Property liens at the county. IRS federal tax liens may file at county OR state.
4
Type 4 — Personal documents (POA, military DD-214)
Often optional county recording in Hawaii for safekeeping. Originals at federal NPRC.
5
Type 5 — Maps & subdivisions
Hawaii county recorder; some at state mapping office.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Hawaii Recorded Documents

❌ Myth: "All UCC filings are at the Hawaii county."
✓ Truth: False. Most UCC filings (Article 9) are at the Hawaii Secretary of State, not county.
❌ Myth: "All liens show up in a deed search."
✓ Truth: False. Federal tax liens may file at county OR state. Judgment liens vary. Always cross-check.
❌ Myth: "Recording a deed transfers title."
✓ Truth: False. The deed transfers title when delivered. Recording gives public notice — important but different.
❌ Myth: "DD-214 is only federal."
✓ Truth: Partially false. The original is federal (NPRC), but many veterans record a copy at their Hawaii county for easy access.
❌ Myth: "Old Hawaii recorded docs are fully digitized."
✓ Truth: False. Most Hawaii counties only digitized records back to ~1990-2000. Older docs are paper at the courthouse.

Primary Sources (All .gov / Official)

Related Recorded Documents Resources

Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Recorded docs
Sample Hawaii counties: Hawaii · Honolulu · Kauai · Maui

Recorded Documents Databases

1 official Hawaii recorded documents sources.

Recorded Documents

Deeds, Mortgages, Recorded Documents
Official Free
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Hawaii Counties

All 5 Hawaii counties. Click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

In Hawaii, deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real-property documents are recorded at the county level by the county Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder). The Official Hawaii Recorded Documents at cca.hawaii.gov handles statewide filings such as UCC-1 financing statements and corporate documents.

UCC-1 financing statements covering personal property and business collateral are filed centrally with the Official Hawaii Recorded Documents at cca.hawaii.gov. Fixture filings on real estate are an exception — those go to the county where the property is located.

Most Hawaii countys publish a free online index of recorded documents (by name, document type, or date). Image access (the actual deed image) is often available either free or for a small per-page fee. Statewide UCC and corporate filings are searchable through the Official Hawaii Recorded Documents at cca.hawaii.gov.

Certified copies of deeds, mortgages, and other recorded documents are issued by the county Recorder where the document was originally recorded. Fees and ID requirements vary; see your specific county page below. The Official Hawaii Recorded Documents (cca.hawaii.gov) handles certified copies of statewide filings such as UCCs and articles of incorporation.

A deed is the recorded instrument that conveys ownership; the title is the legal concept of ownership itself. Deeds in Hawaii are recorded with the county Recorder; title insurance and title searches are private-sector services that examine the chain of recorded deeds. The Official Hawaii Recorded Documents at cca.hawaii.gov publishes the statewide rules.