Estate Planning & Probate in City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii
There are two reasons people look up City and County of Honolulu probate: to keep a family out of it, or to get a loved one's estate through it. Start with your situation below; both paths use City and County of Honolulu's actual court and recording details.
Someone died — settling an estate
Filing probate at the First Circuit Court, what it costs, transferring property, and local attorneys.
What to do when someone dies in City and County of Honolulu→Planning ahead as a property owner
Keep a City and County of Honolulu home out of probate with a transfer-on-death deed or a living trust.
Estate planning in City and County of Honolulu→The Probate Process in City and County of Honolulu
Probate is the court-supervised process of settling someone's estate after they die — validating the will, paying debts and taxes, and transferring what's left to the heirs. In City and County of Honolulu, probate runs through the First Circuit Court at Ka'ahumanu Hale, 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu. The court sits in the 1st Circuit.
Full City and County of Honoluluprobate guide: cost, how to file & attorneys →Probate Court Record
First Circuit Court
City and County of Honolulu · 1st Circuit
Address
Phone
Hours
Recording Deeds & Property Documents
Recording Office Record
Bureau of Conveyances
City and County of Honolulu · Registrar of Conveyances · Mike H. Imanaka
Address
Phone
Fax
Hours
E-recording
$41 for 1-50 pages, $106 for 51+ pages; a 2-page TOD deed records for $41; TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax.
Full recording details →Verified September 4, 2026 · Source
Local Procedures at the First Circuit Court
The court offers a self-help center, open First Wednesday of the month, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (in-person); other Mon/Wed/Fri, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (phone), in Honolulu District Court Access to Justice Room, 1111 Alakea Street, 3rd Floor, Honolulu, HI 96813. Staff can review paperwork for completeness and explain procedures, though they cannot provide legal advice. Call 808-909-2847 for details.
Ex Parte Petitions: Do NOT efile directly through JEFS. Submit unfiled original in paper form to Estate and Probate Branch. Email list of interested parties in Excel format to EstatesAndProbate.1CC@courts.hawaii.gov. Ex parte petitions efiled directly will be processed without opportunity for correction. Case Type Notation: Documents must note proceeding type (Small Estate, Informal, Supervised, Will Deposit, Demand for Notice, No Fault, or Determination of Death). When a proceeding changes form, the same case number (P. No.) is used throughout.
Hawaii Estate Planning Articles
Articles about estate planning, probate, and trusts relevant to families in City and County of Honolulu.
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