Are Divorce Records Public in Hawaii? 2026 Access & Privacy Guide

Yes, divorce records are public in Hawaii under the Uniform Information Practices Act (HRS Chapter 92F). Anyone can search basic case data—party names, docket entries, and hearing dates—for free through the Hoʻohiki portal covering 1983 to present. However, records involving minors, financial account numbers, and Social Security numbers are confidential and withheld from public inspection.

The question "are divorce records public Hawaii" reflects a real tension in Hawaii family law: the state's strong public-access tradition versus the privacy interests of divorcing spouses and their children. This guide explains exactly what is public, what is protected, how to run a divorce records search online, and how to seal divorce records when circumstances warrant it. Hawaii operates four judicial circuits and two separate online portals, and knowing which one to use saves time and money.

Key Facts: Hawaii Divorce Records

Are Divorce Records Public in Hawaii?

Divorce records are public in Hawaii under the Uniform Information Practices Act, codified at HRS § 92F-11, which establishes that government records—including court records—are open for public inspection unless a specific exemption applies. Any interested person may access the docket, party names, filing dates, and orders in a Hawaii divorce case without proving a relationship to the parties. This right applies to all four judicial circuits.

Hawaii's public-records framework treats divorce filings as civil court records maintained by the Family Court of the circuit where the case was heard. The Uniform Information Practices Act guarantees inspection and copying of court records in electronic, paper, audio, or video format, subject to statutory exemptions and court orders. This means a member of the public researching public divorce filings in Honolulu can view case titles, document lists, and court minutes through the state judiciary's online system. Certified or complete file copies, by contrast, are generally reserved for the divorced parties, their attorneys, or persons holding a court order. The distinction between viewing basic docket data and obtaining the full certified record is the single most important concept for anyone conducting a divorce records search in Hawaii.

What Divorce Information Is Public vs. Confidential

Basic case data is public in Hawaii, but sensitive material is shielded automatically by statute. Public elements include party names, case numbers, docket entries, hearing dates, and the final divorce decree. Confidential elements—withheld from public inspection—include records identifying minor children, domestic-abuse details, Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and tax returns. This tiered approach balances the UIPA's transparency mandate against family privacy.

Hawaii shields specific categories through both statute and court rule. Under HRS § 571-84, records in juvenile proceedings (under section 571-11) and paternity proceedings (under Chapter 584) are withheld from public inspection—so any divorce filing that intersects with a custody or paternity matter involving minors receives heightened protection. Custody orders, parenting plans, and related filings are accessible only to the parents, their attorneys, and authorized parties. Separately, personal-identifier information such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and passwords is statutorily protected from public scrutiny regardless of the case type. The practical result: a stranger can confirm that a divorce occurred and see the decree, but cannot pull the children's names, the parties' bank balances, or the intimate financial disclosures filed during the proceeding.

Public vs. Confidential Divorce Record Elements

How to Search Hawaii Divorce Records Online

Hawaii offers a free online divorce records search through Hoʻohiki, the state judiciary's family-court portal covering civil and family cases from 1983 to present. Searching costs nothing; you can view case titles, party lists, document lists, and court minutes. To obtain actual document copies, use eCourt Kōkua, where individual documents cost $3 flat for 1 to 30 pages and $0.10 for each additional page beyond 30.

Hawaii maintains two distinct online systems, and using the wrong one wastes effort. Hoʻohiki is the correct starting point for divorce cases because it is dedicated to Family Court matters—divorce, custody, and related civil filings. It displays general case status, hearing dates, and party involvement, though it does not reproduce full case content and excludes sealed cases entirely. eCourt Kōkua, the Judiciary Information Management System (JIMS) portal, covers civil, criminal, traffic, and appellate cases and is where you actually purchase downloadable PDFs of publicly available documents. Both portals are free to search. If you lack a computer, Hawaii provides free public-access terminals at courthouses and public libraries statewide. When the case number is unknown, the clerk charges a $5-per-name search to locate it. Records confidential by statute or sealed by court order never appear in either portal—the systems suppress them automatically.

Hoʻohiki vs. eCourt Kōkua

How to Get Certified Copies of a Hawaii Divorce Decree

Certified copies of a Hawaii divorce decree must be requested directly from the Family Court clerk in the circuit where the divorce was granted, and full certified records are generally available only to the divorced parties, their attorneys, or persons holding a court order. You must provide valid identification, an email address, phone number, mailing address, and the full records fee in advance. If you do not know the case number, the clerk charges $5 per name to locate it.

While Hoʻohiki and eCourt Kōkua let the public view basic case information and buy some individual documents, the complete certified file follows a stricter access rule. Hawaii treats certified copies of divorce records as documents requiring proof of identity and, for non-parties, legal authorization. The requesting party submits the request in writing to the circuit court that heard the case—First Circuit (Oʻahu), Second Circuit (Maui, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi), Third Circuit (Hawaiʻi Island), or Fifth Circuit (Kauaʻi). Records concerning the underlying marriage may alternatively be sought from the Vital Statistics Section of the Hawaii Department of Health, which maintains a separate index of divorce events. For historical divorce records predating 1970, the Hawaiʻi State Archives holds judiciary records from 1839 through 1970, including divorce, probate, and equity files.

Can You Seal Divorce Records in Hawaii?

Yes, you can seal divorce records in Hawaii, but only by court order upon a showing that privacy interests outweigh the public's right of access. Hawaii does not automatically seal divorce files; the default under the Uniform Information Practices Act is public access. A party seeking to seal divorce records must file a written motion, and the Family Court weighs the request against the strong presumption of openness before restricting any document.

Sealing is the exception, not the rule, in Hawaii divorce cases. Confidential records are automatically restricted by statute—for example, filings that identify minor children or contain protected personal identifiers—but wholesale sealing of an entire divorce file requires a judge's order. Under Family Court practice, requests to access or restrict confidential records must be made in writing, and the court retains discretion to seal specific documents or the full case when compelling privacy concerns exist, such as documented domestic violence, protection of a child's identity, or exposure of sensitive financial or medical information. Once a court seals a case, eCourt Kōkua and Hoʻohiki suppress it, and the information cannot be removed from or added to public view except by further court order. Because sealing narrows a fundamental public right, Hawaii judges typically grant the narrowest restriction that protects the identified interest rather than sealing everything by default. Divorce records privacy in Hawaii therefore depends less on automatic protection and more on a party's affirmative, well-supported motion.

How Divorce Records Fit the Broader Hawaii Divorce Process

Hawaii divorce records are generated at each stage of a strictly no-fault process governed by HRS Chapter 580, filed in the Family Court of the circuit where a spouse is domiciled. The only ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken under HRS § 580-41. Filing fees are $215 without minor children and $265 with children as of May 2026, and the resulting decree becomes a public record subject to the confidentiality carve-outs above.

Understanding how the file is built clarifies which documents later become public. A Hawaii divorce begins with a Complaint for Divorce filed under HRS § 580-1, which confers exclusive original jurisdiction on the Family Court of the circuit where the applicant is domiciled at filing. Act 69 (2021) modernized residency, eliminating the former requirement to reside in Hawaii for six months before filing—domicile at the time of filing now suffices to open the case, though the court will not enter a final decree until a spouse has been domiciled in Hawaii for at least six months. The marriage-breakdown ground may be established by affidavit under HRS § 580-42: if neither spouse denies the breakdown, the court may waive a hearing. Property is divided under the equitable-distribution Partnership Model of HRS § 580-47, not a community-property 50/50 split. Each of these filings—complaint, affidavit, financial disclosures, and the final decree under HRS § 580-45—enters the court file, with sensitive portions protected as described above.

Contested vs. Uncontested Timelines

Statute Citations and Verification

Hawaii divorce and records law rests on three statutory pillars: the Uniform Information Practices Act (HRS § 92F-11) governing public access, Chapter 571 governing Family Court records confidentiality (HRS § 571-84), and Chapter 580 governing annulment, divorce, and separation (HRS § 580-1 through HRS § 580-47). Filing fees of $215 to $265 are current as of May 2026. Verify with your local clerk.

Because statutes and fees change, confirm the current text and amounts before relying on them. The authoritative primary source for Hawaii Revised Statutes is the Hawaii State Legislature website (capitol.hawaii.gov), and official divorce forms come from the Hawaii State Judiciary (courts.state.hi.us). The residency framework reflects Act 69 (2021), which removed the pre-filing six-month residency requirement while preserving the six-month domicile prerequisite for entry of a final decree. Grounds are strictly no-fault under HRS § 580-41—Hawaii does not recognize adultery or cruelty as independent grounds, though spousal misconduct may inform financial orders under HRS § 580-47. Filing fees are $215 for divorces without minor children and $265 for cases involving children as of May 2026, the higher figure reflecting the mandatory Kids First parent-education surcharge; fee waivers are available below 125% of federal poverty guidelines. Verify all figures with your local Family Court clerk before filing.