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.
Recorder of deeds
Records | Hawaii County, HI
UCC-1 filings
Updated Uniform Commercial Code | Bureau of Conveyances
Statewide deed index?
Bureau of Conveyances - State of Hawaii
Recording statute
2024 Hawaii Revised Statutes :: Title 28. Property :: 502. Bureau of Conveyances; Recording
Legal system
Shaping the Modern Hawai‘i Court System
Number of counties
5 counties
Population
1,446,146
Households
492,453
Median Income
$95,322
Median Home Value
$839,100

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

SearchSystems Editorial
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).

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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 additional official portals.

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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.

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Five Things People Get Wrong About Hawaii Recorded Documents

MYTH"Recording a deed is what makes it valid."
FACTRecording gives the world notice, it doesn't make the deed good or bad. An unrecorded deed can still bind the people who signed it.
MYTH"The online index goes back forever."
FACTMost Hawaii counties' online indexes reach back a few decades at best. Before that it's microfilm and deed books, and often a trip to the courthouse.
MYTH"Everything about a property is recorded."
FACTOnly what someone chose to file. Unrecorded agreements, family handshakes, and old paper deeds exist everywhere, the index shows filings, not the whole story.
MYTH"E-recording is a public search tool."
FACTE-recording is the submission pipe for title companies and lenders. The public searches the index, the two systems just meet at the recorder's desk.
MYTH"A printout equals a certified copy."
FACTCourts, lenders, and agencies usually want the certified copy with the county's seal, the free printout is for research, not proof.

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Primary Sources and Official Record Portals

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📍 Other Hawaii records:
🇺🇸 Recorded Documents in other states:
A lien on a vehicle is recorded on its Hawaii title at the DMV, not with the county recorder:
Related Public Records
National view of this topic: All states: Recorded docs
Sample Hawaii counties: Hawaii Honolulu Kauai Maui

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Recorded Documents Databases

1 official Hawaii recorded documents sources.

Court Records Criminal Records Wants & Warrants Vital Records Voter Records Licenses Recorded Documents Property Records

Recorded Documents

Deeds, Mortgages, Recorded Documents
Official Free
Recorded land documents for Hawaii, deeds, mortgages, and liens. Plats and surveys record here too, which helps when boundaries are in question. Searching here confirms current ownership and surfaces any liens before a purchase.
🌐 bocdataext.hi.wcicloud.com

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Hawaii Counties

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

Honolulu Hawaii Maui Kauai

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Which Hawaii counties publish deed and recording indexes online

4 of Hawaii's 4 counties run their own online source for deed and recording indexes, based on what this directory indexes. Every other county is covered by the statewide systems listed above, click a county for its full records page.

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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.