HRS §501-101
How Owners Can Deal With Registered Land
Owners of registered land can sell, mortgage, lease, or handle it just like unregistered land. But for most deals to actually transfer or affect the land, they must be registered. Until registration, the deal only works as a contract between the parties.
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The statute, as written — Voluntary dealing with registered lands
An owner of registered land may convey, mortgage, lease, charge, or otherwise deal with the same as fully as if it had not been registered. The owner may use forms of deeds, mortgages, leases, or other voluntary instruments like those now in use and sufficient in law for the purpose intended. No deed, mortgage, or other voluntary instrument, except a will and a lease for a term not exceeding one year, purporting to convey or affect registered land, shall take effect as a conveyance or bind the land, but shall operate only as a contract between the parties, and as evidence of authority to the registrar or assistant registrar to make registration. The act of registration shall be the operative act to convey or affect the land, and in all cases under this chapter the registration shall be made in the office of the assistant registrar in the bureau of conveyances, during office hours prescribed in section 502-32. The rules of court may provide for forms of conveyances respecting registered land.
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