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HRS §803-11

Breaking into a house to make an arrest

This section says when police or someone making an arrest needs to enter a house and is refused, they can break doors or barriers. But first, they must loudly announce they have a warrant, or if no warrant is needed, say why they are there.

courts

The statute, as written — Entering house to arrest

Whenever it is necessary to enter a house to arrest an offender, and entrance is refused, the officer or person making the arrest may force an entrance by breaking doors or other barriers. But before breaking any door, the officer or person shall first demand entrance in a loud voice, and state that the officer or person is the bearer of a warrant of arrest; or if it is in a case in which arrest is lawful without warrant, the officer or person shall substantially state that information in an audible voice. [PC 1869, c 49, §10; RL 1925, §3976; RL 1935, §5410; RL 1945, §10711; RL 1955, §255-11; HRS §708-11; ren L 1972, c 9, pt of §1; gen ch 1985]
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.