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ROH §8-5.6

Getting the deed and paying back the buyer to get your property back

Read the official text at honolulu.gov ↗

After a tax sale, the city must give the buyer a deed, which must be recorded within 60 days. The old owner can get the property back by paying the buyer the purchase price plus costs and 12% yearly interest, within one year of the sale or of the deed recording.

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The ordinance, as written (Honolulu County) — Tax liens - Tax deed - Redemption

A copy, taken August 22, 2026. The version published by Honolulu is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.

The director or the director’s subordinate shall, on payment of the purchase price, make, execute, and deliver all proper conveyances necessary in the premises and the delivery of the conveyances shall vest in the purchaser the title to the property sold; provided that the deed to the premises shall be recorded within 60 days after the sale; provided further, that the taxpayer may redeem the property sold by payment to the purchaser at the sale, within one year from the date thereof, or if the deed shall not have been recorded within 60 days after the sale, then within one year from the date of recording of the deed, of the amount paid by the purchaser, together with all costs and expenses that the purchaser was required to pay, including the fee for recording the deed, and in addition thereto, interest on such amount at the rate of 12 percent a year, but in a case of redemption more than one year after the date of sale by reason of extension of the redemption period on account of late recording of the tax deed, interest shall not be added for the extended redemption period. )
Read the official text at honolulu.gov ↗as published Jan 1, 2026our copy taken Aug 22, 2026

Published by the City and County of Honolulu through American Legal Publishing.

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