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HRS §502-94

Hawaiian document translations and their legal use

The registrar can hire expert translators to turn Hawaiian property documents into English. The English versions are recorded with the same book and page numbers, and certified copies can be used in court as evidence of what the Hawaiian document means.

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The statute, as written — Translation of Hawaiian documents, recording

The registrar may appoint such number of qualified translators at such compensation as may be provided for by appropriations of the legislature from time to time for the purpose of translating into English, conveyances and other instruments filed or recorded in the bureau of conveyances, including, but not limited to, conveyances and other instruments affecting title to property. The translators shall be persons expert in the knowledge and usage of both the Hawaiian and the English languages. The translations into English shall be recorded in the bureau of conveyances in books bearing the same book and page numbers as the Hawaiian instruments from which they have been translated and any reference in conveyances or otherwise to such documents by book and page number shall be deemed to refer equally to the Hawaiian and the English versions of such documents. Each such English translation and copies thereof duly certified by the registrar may be used in evidence in the same manner as the original instrument in the Hawaiian language and shall constitute prima facie evidence as to the true meaning and intent of the Hawaiian instrument from which it has been translated.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.