Medical debt laws in Hawaii
In Hawaii, the statute of limitations on medical debt is 6 years (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1). Hawaii draws no written/oral/open-account distinction: HRS § 657-1(1) applies one 6-year period to actions to recover any debt founded upon any contract, obligation, or liability, so an unpaid medical bill is 6 years however it is characterized. That clock decides whether a collector can win a lawsuit against you — which changes what you should do next, so check the dates on the bill before you do anything else.
| Written contracts | 6 years |
| Oral agreements | 6 years |
| Open accounts (credit cards) | 6 years |
| Medical debt | 6 years |
What the time limit actually means
The statute of limitations does not erase a debt — it limits how long a collector can successfully sue over it. A time-barred debt can still be requested, reported (within credit-reporting time limits), and settled. But if a collector sues after the period has run and you raise the statute of limitations as a defense, the case should be dismissed. The defense is not automatic: you must respond to the lawsuit to use it.
Careful: Hawaii has no revival statute in HRS ch. 657; under Hawaii case law a voluntary part payment or an unequivocal acknowledgment/new promise to pay can restart the 6-year period, so partial payment is treated as risky for consumers (case notes to HRS ch. 657; confirm with counsel).
Hawaii protections for medical debt
- Medical Debt Acquisition and Forgiveness Program (SB 3025, Act 220, SLH 2026) (S.B. 3025, Act 220, Session Laws of Hawaii 2026 (signed July 9, 2026)) — Directs the Office of Wellness and Resilience to buy and cancel qualifying residents' outstanding medical debt (households up to 400% of the federal poverty level), with no application required; initial funding of $500,000 could retire up to roughly $91 million in debt, contingent on available funds.
- Charity care is federal law. Nonprofit hospitals must maintain a written Financial Assistance Policy and publicize it (IRS §501(r)). If your bill is from a nonprofit hospital, ask for the FAP application before paying anything. How to apply →
- Surprise out-of-network bills. The federal No Surprises Act bans most out-of-network balance billing for emergency care and for out-of-network providers at in-network facilities. When a bill is illegal →
- Credit reporting. The national bureaus no longer report paid medical collections, medical collections under $500, or those less than a year old.
Rules Hawaii sets for collectors
Beyond the federal FDCPA, Hawaii has its own collection statute — the Hawaii Collection Practices statute, HRS ch. 480D (Haw. Rev. Stat. §§ 480D-1 to 480D-4). HRS ch. 480D prohibits abusive, deceptive, and unfair collection practices (largely tracking the federal FDCPA) and, via § 480D-4, makes any violation an unfair or deceptive act under HRS § 480-2, opening UDAP remedies; note it applies alongside HRS ch. 443B, which governs registered collection agencies.
Yes - every collection agency collecting from Hawaii residents must register with the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs under HRS ch. 443B (§ 443B-3) and post a $25,000 bond ($15,000 per branch).
Under the FDCPA, within five days of first contacting you a collector must send a written validation notice (15 U.S.C. §1692g). If you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of that notice, the collector must stop collection activity until it mails you verification. There is no legal deadline for the collector to respond — but until it does, it cannot lawfully keep collecting.
If a collector is calling: the first 24 hours
- Do not confirm the debt is yours on the phone, and do not make a payment yet — get everything in writing first.
- Ask for the collector’s company name, mailing address, and the amount claimed. Write down the date and time.
- Check the dates: if the last activity on the bill is older than 6 years, the debt may be time-barred in Hawaii.
- Send a written validation request within 30 days. Generate the letter free →
- If the bill is from a hospital, request an itemized bill and ask about financial assistance — billing errors are common and assistance is often retroactive.
Where to complain in Hawaii
Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection (Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) handles collection complaints at the state level. Federally, file with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — complaints become part of the public record collectors are judged on.
Common questions
How long can a debt collector pursue medical debt in Hawaii?
The statute of limitations on medical debt in Hawaii is 6 years (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-1). Hawaii draws no written/oral/open-account distinction: HRS § 657-1(1) applies one 6-year period to actions to recover any debt founded upon any contract, obligation, or liability, so an unpaid medical bill is 6 years however it is characterized. After that period, a lawsuit to collect can be challenged as time-barred, though collectors may still ask you to pay voluntarily.
Can I be sued for a medical bill after 6 years in Hawaii?
A collector can still file a lawsuit after the limitations period, but the statute of limitations is a defense: if you raise it, a time-barred case should be dismissed. It is not automatic — you must respond to the lawsuit and assert it. Never ignore a court summons.
Does making a small payment restart the clock in Hawaii?
Hawaii has no revival statute in HRS ch. 657; under Hawaii case law a voluntary part payment or an unequivocal acknowledgment/new promise to pay can restart the 6-year period, so partial payment is treated as risky for consumers (case notes to HRS ch. 657; confirm with counsel).
Does unpaid medical debt go on my credit report?
Since 2023, the three national credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) do not report paid medical collections, medical collections under $500, or medical collections less than a year old. Larger, older unpaid medical collections can still appear.
Do hospitals in Hawaii have to offer financial assistance?
Every nonprofit hospital in the United States is required by federal law (IRS Section 501(r)) to have a written Financial Assistance Policy and to tell patients about it. Hawaii adds its own protections on top — see the list on this page.
How do I dispute a medical bill that went to collections?
Send the collector a written debt validation request. Under the federal FDCPA (15 U.S.C. §1692g), if you dispute the debt in writing within 30 days of their first notice, the collector must stop collecting until it mails you verification of the debt. You can generate that letter free on this site — no account needed.
Where do I complain about a debt collector in Hawaii?
File with the Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection (Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) (https://cca.hawaii.gov/ocp/consumer-complaints/) and with the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov/complaint. Complaints are free and create a record.
Keep reading
- Statute of limitations on all debt in Hawaii
- Free debt validation letter generator — no account needed
- Look up a debt collector — CFPB complaint records for the biggest agencies
- Charity care: hospital financial assistance, applied
- Medical debt laws in Louisiana
- Medical debt laws in Missouri
- Medical debt laws in New York
- Medical debt laws in Rhode Island
- Medical debt laws in Virginia
- Medical debt laws in Arizona
Legal information, not legal advice. Statutes change and courts interpret them — for advice on your situation, talk to a lawyer or your state’s legal aid office. Last reviewed AUG 2026.