Ballard Family Mortuary – Kahului was established in 1997 on Ala Makani Street in Kahului, just off Hana Highway by Kahului Airport, and serves all of Maui. It offers funeral and cremation services, has a large chapel and a lanai reception area, and states it transports loved ones to the neighbor islands, the continental United States and other countries.
What to Do When Someone Dies in Maui County, Hawaii
How probate works in Maui County: the Second Circuit Court record, what the process costs, and how to file there.
Probate Court Record
Maui County Second Circuit Court
Maui County · 2nd Circuit
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 7:45 AM-4:30 PM (except state holidays)
Office
Hoapili Hale, 2145 Main Street, Suite 106, Wailuku, HI 96793-1679
Website
E-filing
Filing in person
Walk-ins accepted
Self-represented filing
Allowed
E-filing
Required for attorneysAttorneys must register as JEFS (Judiciary Electronic Filing and Service System) users and file every document through JEFS (HEFSR Rules 4.1(a) and 2.2). A self-represented party may register for JEFS but is not required to, and may keep filing paper documents at the courthouse (HEFSR Rule 4.1(c); JEFS Self-Represented Litigant Guide, April 2023). JEFS requires multi-factor authentication since September 13, 2026. Death certificates are sealed upon filing under Hawaii Probate Rules Rule 3(d). Second Circuit civil e-filing questions: 808-244-2998 or DCCrim.2DC@courts.hawaii.gov. On paper: Original wills: after the pleading is e-filed, the original paper will, one copy and a paper copy of the file-stamped pleading are submitted to the clerk (RCCH Rule 2(g)).
Filing in person
Walk-ins acceptedCounter hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday except state holidays; no appointment is published.
Self-represented filing
AllowedSelf-represented filers may file probate without an attorney; JEFS e-filing is optional for them and paper filing is accepted at the counter (HEFSR Rule 4.1(c); JEFS Self-Represented Litigant Guide). Hawaii does not publish a county-specific probate forms packet.
Self-help center
- Maui Court Self-Help Center, Hoapili Hale, 2145 Main Street, Wailuku, HI 967931-808-909-2841 · courtnavigator.2cc@courts.hawaii.gov · Monday, Thursday 10:00 AM-1:00 PM (phone; in person the second and fourth Thursday)Volunteer attorneys and Legal Aid staff give limited legal information on District and Family Court civil matters (landlord-tenant, collection, temporary restraining orders, divorce, custody), not probate. The phone line is answered only while the center is open and not operating in person, and takes no voice messages when closed. The volunteer Court Navigators answer questions about court resources, locations and procedures for Second Circuit cases by email, usually within one business day; they cannot give legal advice.
Fax
1-808-244-2777
Departments
- Chief Court Administrator1-808-244-2929
- Information (Court & Operational Support Services)1-808-244-2706
- Estate & Guardianship1-808-244-2939
- Legal Documents (Document Filing, Notary Authentication, File Room)1-808-244-2969
- Court Reporters1-808-244-2986
- Family Court Clerks1-808-244-2700
- District Court Clerks1-808-244-2846
- Fiscal (Accounting and Purchasing)1-808-244-2999
- Law Library/Service Center/Jury Pool (Self Service Forms, TROs)1-808-244-2706
- ADA Accommodation Requests (Circuit Court)1-808-244-2929 · adarequest@courts.hawaii.gov
About the court
- Second Circuit includes the islands of Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and Molokini. Satellite courts: Lahaina District Court (808-661-0970), Hana District Court (808-661-0970), Lanai District Court at 312 Eighth Street, Lanai City, HI 96763 (808-565-6447), Molokai District Court at 55 Makaena Street, Kaunakakai, HI 96748 (808-553-1100; closed 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for lunch until a staff vacancy is filled, with calls forwarded to the Lahaina District Court). Document Drop-off was disabled for the Second Circuit on April 25, 2022.
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
How Probate Works in Maui County
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 Maui, probate runs through the Second Circuit Court at Hoapili Hale, 2145 Main Street, Suite 106, Wailuku. The court sits in the 2nd Circuit. The same 2nd Circuit also serves Kalawao.
The personal representative opens the case, gives notice to heirs and creditors, files an inventory of the estate's assets, settles outstanding debts and taxes, and then distributes the remainder under the will — or under Hawaii intestacy law when there is no will.
Most Hawaii estates take 9 months to 15 months to move through this process. Creditors have 4 monthsHRS §§ 560:3-801, 560:3-803, 560:3-805, 560:3-806 (am L 2023, c 158; § 3-801 am L 2024, c 7)Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present a claim, counted from the first publication of the notice to creditors.
What Probate Costs in Maui County
What probate costs in Maui County, Hawaii comes down to a handful of line items — the court filing fee, attorney and executor compensation, publication, and sometimes a bond — scaled by the estate's size and whether the will is contested. The case itself runs through the Second Circuit Court at Hoapili Hale, 2145 Main Street, Suite 106, Wailuku. The court is part of the 2nd Circuit.
Procedures at this court that affect cost: Filing-fee under- or over-payments on e-filed documents are reviewed by the Legal Documents Branch (808-244-2969) or Estate and Probate (808-244-2939); a filing fee not paid within 10 days of e-filing results in the document being stricken.
Hawaii charges $215Haw. Rev. Stat. § 607-5(b)(14), (c)(32); § 607-5.7(a)(2); Hawaii State Judiciary, List of Civil Filing Fees (updated 6/17/2022)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source to open probate, the same in every county. Additional filings during administration — inventory, accounting, the final petition — add to the total.
Estimate the costs for this estate:
Attorney fees in Hawaii are negotiated, typically 2.3%Modeled estimate under HRS § 560:3-721 (court reviews attorney compensation for reasonableness; no statutory fee schedule): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source to 3.6%Modeled estimate under HRS § 560:3-721 (court reviews attorney compensation for reasonableness; no statutory fee schedule): the hours the statutory fee schedules imply, at the state's surveyed hourly rateVerified Sep 8, 2026View source of estate value. Flat-fee arrangements are common for straightforward estates.
Hawaii allows executors 'reasonable compensation' — around 2.2%–3.8% of a $500,000 estate, judging by what the states with statutory schedules payHRS § 560:3-719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; the § 607-18 percentage schedule applies to trustees, not personal representatives)Verified Sep 8, 2026View source. Family members who are also beneficiaries often waive the fee — executor pay is taxable income while inheritances are not.
Probate in Hawaii typically runs 9 months to 15 months, and costs accrue throughout that period.
How to File Probate at the Second Circuit Court
Probate cases in Maui County, Hawaii are filed at the Second Circuit Court. The court sits in the 2nd Circuit.
Beside the filing office, the court lists separate lines for Chief Court Administrator, Information (Court & Operational Support Services), Estate & Guardianship, and Legal Documents.
Volunteer attorneys and Legal Aid staff give limited legal information on District and Family Court civil matters (landlord-tenant, collection, temporary restraining orders, divorce, custody), not probate. The phone line is answered only while the center is open and not operating in person, and takes no voice messages when closed. The volunteer Court Navigators answer questions about court resources, locations and procedures for Second Circuit cases by email, usually within one business day; they cannot give legal advice.
Can You File Without an Attorney?
In Hawaii, informal probate is availableHRS § 560:3-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
For a full cost comparison and filing checklist, see the Maui County Self-Filing Assessment.
Maui County Filing Requirements
These are specific requirements for filing probate in this county. Following these guidelines will help avoid delays or rejected filings.
Before You File
Ex parte motions are e-filed with the proposed order as one document titled "Ex Parte Motion for [fill-in]"; the assigned judge reviews it and court staff e-file a separate order granting or denying it. The proposed order for the judge’s signature carries the attorney caption.
SourceOne P. No. per decedent: every document in the administration of an estate carries the same P. No., and immediately below it notes the type of proceeding (Small Estate, Informal, Supervised, Will Deposit, Demand for Notice, No Fault, Determination of Death). The notation changes as the proceeding changes form (Hawaii Probate Rules Rule 50(a)).
SourceDocument Requirements
A will to be probated is presented to the clerk with a pleading stating why it is presented. With an e-filed pleading, the filing party then submits to the clerk the original paper will and one copy plus a paper copy of the e-filed pleading bearing the electronic file stamp; with a conventionally filed pleading, the paper will and one copy are submitted with the pleadings (RCCH Rule 2(g)).
SourceDeath certificates are sealed upon filing (Hawaii Probate Rules Rule 3(d)), along with birth and marriage certificates and tax returns.
SourceWhat to Bring
Filed with the opening petition at the Second Circuit Court: Death certificate — no statute or probate rule conditions an application or petition on filing one, but the mandatory statewide flag sheet requires the petitioner to state what it shows (HPR Rule 81 / Appendix A Flag Sheets 1-A, 1-B), and the Judiciary describes embossed CERTIFIED copies being submitted, sealed on filing (HPR Rule 3(d); HRS 560:1-311); Original will and any codicils (for testate estates); Application for informal probate / appointment OR petition for formal probate / appointment, verified by the applicant (notarized for informal applications) (HRS 560:3-301; HPR Rule 5(a))Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 560, art. III (UPC); §§ 560:3-103 (letters), 3-301 to 3-311 (informal), 3-401 to 3-414 (formal)Verified Aug 24, 2026View source.
Death Certificates and the Coroner in Maui County
In Maui County certified copies of the death certificate come from Hawaii Department of Health - Vital Records Issuance Section; the Local Registrar files the certificate and issues no copies to the public.
Vital Records Office Record
Hawaii Department of Health - Vital Records Issuance Section
Maui County · State vital records office
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 7:45 AM-4:00 PM
Office
201 Merchant Street, Suite 100, City Financial Tower, Honolulu, HI 96813
Website
Certified copies
From Hawaii Department of Health - Vital Records Issuance Section; the Local Registrar files the certificate and issues no copies to the public
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Issuance/Vital Statistics Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801
Certified copy fees
| First certified copy | $10 |
| Each additional copy ordered at the same time | $4 |
Verified October 15, 2026 · Source
Coroner or Medical Examiner Record
Coroner
Maui County · Maui Police Department
Phone
Office
55 Mahalani Street, Wailuku, HI 96793
Website
Release of remains
1-808-463-3833 · MPD Forensics Facility / Morgue
Mail and offices
Fax
1-808-244-6411
Verified November 3, 2026 · Source
Funeral Homes in Maui County
3 funeral homes and crematories in Maui County, each listed with the services it offers, the faiths it serves, the languages its staff speak, its address and its phone.
Nakamura Mortuary and Crematory is on Lower Main Street in Wailuku and states it has served Wailuku families since 1947. It describes a funeral home, the Maui Memorial Park cemetery and an on-site crematory in one place, and an air-conditioned chapel that can live stream any service. Appointments are held at its business office at 450 Waiale Road.
Norman's Mortuary is on Wai'ale Road in Wailuku, was established in 1949 and serves families from all over Maui. It is part of the Ballard Family of funeral homes and cremation providers on Oahu, Maui and Hawaii Island, and states experience transporting loved ones to the neighbor islands, the continental United States and other countries.
Funeral homes by city: Kahului, Wailuku
Cremation Services in Maui County
3 listings
Pre-Need Funeral Plans in Maui County
1 listing
Burial Services in Maui County
1 listing
Funeral Transport in Maui County
2 listings
Listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any funeral home or crematory.
Transferring Property in Maui County
Clearing title to real estate after a death, whether by a personal representative’s deed, an affidavit of survivorship, or a court order, happens at the Bureau of Conveyances.
Deeds and other real property documents for Maui County are recorded with the Bureau of Conveyances at 1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 120, Honolulu, HI 96813. Phone: 1-808-587-0147. Hours: Monday-Friday 7:45 AM-4:30 PM (except state holidays).
Documents submitted by mail go to P.O. Box 2867, Honolulu, HI 96803.
The Bureau of Conveyances charges $41 for 1-50 pages, $106 for 51+ pages.
Maui County accepts electronic recording through Simplifile, CSC, Indecomm and ePN.
Recording Office Record
Bureau of Conveyances
Maui County
Phone
Hours
Monday-Friday 7:45 AM-4:30 PM (except state holidays)
Office
1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 120, Honolulu, HI 96813
Website
P.O. Box 2867
Honolulu, HI 96803
Fax
1-808-587-0136
Recording fees
| 1-50 pages | $41 |
| 51+ pages | $106 |
| Transfer tax on a TOD deed | TOD deeds are exempt from transfer tax |
Bureau of Conveyances published fee schedule, eff. 2/27/2017 (dlnr.hawaii.gov/boc/recording-fees-new/, fetched 2026-10-16); rulemaking authority HRS 502-25(a); HAR § 13-16-22(a)(1)-(2) (am. and comp. 2/10/2017) states $35 / $100, raisable under HRS 92-28
Verified October 16, 2026 · Source
Probate Attorneys Serving Maui County
Hawaii allows informal probate, so many families settle straightforward estates in Maui County without hiring an attorney. A probate attorney earns the fee when the estate is contested, includes a business or out-of-state real estate, has unclear or insolvent debts, or when beneficiaries disagree.
Probate attorney fees in Hawaii are based on reasonable compensation, billed hourly or as a flat fee. Ask a Maui County firm to quote a structure up front.
A probate attorney files the petition with the Second Circuit Court, publishes the required creditor notices, prepares the inventory and accounting, handles creditor claims and tax filings, and guides the final distribution. They represent the personal representative — not the beneficiaries — a distinction that matters if a dispute develops.
Serves Maui's North Shore from Paia. Solo attorney David R. Spee handles probate and estate administration and prepares wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and beneficiary deeds. Licensed in Hawaii since 1989 and does not use mass-marketing seminars.
Serves Maui from Kahului. Handles probate proceedings, including estate disputes, alongside wills and living trusts. Attorney Jessica Daye holds a certificate in Native Hawaiian Law from Ka Huli Ao Center for Excellence in Native Hawaiian Law.
Serves Maui County from Kihei. The practice lists probate and fiduciary services together with estate planning, tax planning, and income tax assistance.
Serves Maui County from Wailuku. Handles trust administration and probate proceedings alongside estate planning, with legal assistants experienced in transfer (gift and estate) tax returns, deeds, and transfer on death deeds. Dwight Muraoka is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and has practiced solely in estate planning on Maui for over 34 years.
Serves West Maui, including Lahaina, and has practiced there since 1977. Handles probate filing and court representation, guidance for executors and beneficiaries, resolution of estate disputes, and trust administration, along with wills and revocable, irrevocable, and special needs trusts. Offers a free initial consultation for estate planning.
Serves Maui from Wailuku. Handles the initial stages of probate, including appointment of personal representatives, probate of wills, intestate estates, and appointment of special administrators, as well as trust interpretation, guardianship, and conservatorship, and prepares wills, trusts, and powers of attorney. The attorney was raised on Maui; the practice also covers landlord-tenant, criminal defense, and family law.
Firm listings are for informational purposes only. SimplyTrust does not endorse or recommend any specific firm or attorney. Contact firms directly to verify their current practice areas and availability.
Legal Sources
(9)·
- Haw. Rev. Stat. § 607-5(b)(14), (c)(32); § 607-5.7(a)(2); Hawaii State Judiciary, List of Civil Filing Fees (updated 6/17/2022)
- Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 560, art. III (UPC); §§ 560:3-103 (letters), 3-301 to 3-311 (informal), 3-401 to 3-414 (formal)
- HRS § 560:3-301
- HRS § 560:3-719 (reasonable compensation; no statutory percentage; the § 607-18 percentage schedule applies to trustees, not personal representatives)
- HRS §§ 560:3-801, 560:3-803, 560:3-805, 560:3-806 (am L 2023, c 158; § 3-801 am L 2024, c 7)
- Bureau of Conveyances published fee schedule, eff. 2/27/2017 (dlnr.hawaii.gov/boc/recording-fees-new/, fetched 2026-10-16); rulemaking authority HRS 502-25(a); HAR § 13-16-22(a)(1)-(2) (am. and comp. 2/10/2017) states $35 / $100, raisable under HRS 92-28
- Maui Second Circuit Court, official page
- Maui County Bureau of Conveyances, official page
- Maui County vital records and death investigation offices, official page
Data sourced from Hawaii statutes and official state code. Fee percentages are modeled estimates; each figure's note says how. How we research.
Tools for Settling an Estate in Hawaii
Free tools for settling an estate in Hawaii: whether probate is needed, executor and trustee pay, creditor deadlines and taxes. Run each tool for Hawaii.
How Do I Settle an Estate?
Settling an estate in Hawaii: the personal representative files the estate inventory within 90 daysHRS § 560:3-706Verified Sep 15, 2026View source of appointment; creditors have 4 monthsHRS §§ 560:3-801, 560:3-803, 560:3-805, 560:3-806 (am L 2023, c 158; § 3-801 am L 2024, c 7)Verified Oct 18, 2026View source to present claims; a simple estate closes in 6 months to 9 months.
See the Steps
How Do I Settle a Trust?
Settling a trust in Hawaii happens outside court: the trustee acts under the state's Uniform Trust CodeHRS Ch. 554D (Uniform Trust Code)Verified Oct 17, 2026View source, notifies the beneficiaries within 60 daysHRS §§ 554D-813, 554D-1005Verified Sep 15, 2026View source, then pays the debts and distributes under the trust's terms.
See the Steps
Can I Self-File Probate?
In Hawaii, informal probate is availableHRS § 560:3-301Verified Sep 8, 2026View source, and a self-represented executor can usually handle it for a simple, uncontested estate.
Get the Answer
Hire a Hawaii Probate Attorney
Browse vetted Hawaii attorneys handling probate matters.
Browse firms
Notify Banks & Financial Institutions
Each institution has a separate death claim process. Find yours below.
Is this your situation?
Get a complete guide for your specific circumstances.
