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  1. Hawaii County Court
  2. Hawaii County Arrest Records

Hawaii County, Hawaii Arrest Records

Per Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) § 378-1, Hawaii County arrest records are official documents that contain information about individuals who have been apprehended and taken into custody by a local law enforcement agency. The Hawaii Police Department, the county’s primary law enforcement agency, typically generates these records after taking an individual in custody. These records serve the public interest by documenting law enforcement operations and enabling future review to ensure compliance with state laws.

Generally, arrest records are incorporated into several government records, most notably the criminal history records compiled by the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC). However, different laws control the release of these records. Arrest records are subject to the Hawaii Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA), while the Hawaii Revised Statutes §846-2.7 governs the release of criminal history records. 

Are Arrest Records Public Information in Hawaii, Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii County arrest records are presumed public per the Hawaii Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA). The act states that all government records, including arrest records, are open to public inspection unless closed or restricted by law. Thus, anyone may inspect and request copies of arrest records from Hawaii County law enforcement agencies during regular business hours. 

Note that only arrests that resulted in convictions, acquittal, or dismissal due to physical or mental illness, disorder, or defects are public. There are other exceptions to the UIPA. For instance, juvenile records are prohibited from public access under HRS § 846-12, and expunged arrest records are also exempt from public access. Additionally, information whose disclosure would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, such as Social Security numbers, is usually redacted from public records.

Hawaii County Arrest Search

Record seekers may conduct a criminal history record check through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC) to find an individual’s Hawaii County arrest records. This check may be conducted by name or fingerprints. 

There are four ways to conduct a name-based criminal history record check: online, in-office, by mail, and at public access locations. An online check may be performed through the HCJDC’s eCrim website at $5 per name plus an additional $12 to certify each result. For in-office or by-mail requests, requesters must complete the HCJDC-073 form (Name-Based). There is a $30 service fee and an additional $20 to certify results for these types of requests. These fees are payable by credit card, debit card, or Apple Pay for in-office requests and money order or cashier's check (payable to “State of Hawaii”) for both in-office and by-mail requests. The completed HCJDC-073 form and relevant fee may be submitted in person or by mail at: 

Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center 

Attn: CHRC Unit 

465 S. King Street, Rm 102 

Honolulu, HI 96813

Meanwhile, interested persons may also visit public access locations to request a name-based criminal history record check at $25 per search. Fortunately, the Hawaii Police Department is among these locations. 

On the other hand, fingerprint-based criminal history record checks may be conducted through the HCJDC in-office or by mail. For in-office requests, applicants must complete the HCJDC-073 form (Fingerprint Background Check and Fingerprint Services/Card), submit it to the HCJDC, and pay a $55 service fee (plus $20 for optional certification). For mail-in requests, applicants must obtain the search subject’s fingerprint card(s), complete the HCJDC-073 form (Fingerprint Background Check and Card Scan), and prepare the $35 service fee plus $20 for certification (optional). It is worth noting that the Hawaii Police Department provides fingerprinting services. The completed request form, fingerprint card, and fee should be mailed to HCJDC.

In cases where individuals were arrested in Hawaii County, but are held in federal custody. Interested persons may use the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator tool to find their arrest information. 

Hawaii County Inmate Locator

The Hawaii Police Department provides online Booking Logs containing arrest information and other relevant details for people arrested and booked into the local county jail. Typical information found in the booking logs includes, but is not limited to, the following; 

  • The arrestee’s name
  • Arrest date and time
  • Released data and time
  • Arrestee’s age, gender, and race
  • The arrestee’s address
  • The arresting officer's name. 

Note that parties listed in the booking logs are considered innocent until they are found guilty in a court of law. An arrestee's custody status may be verified by contacting the Hilo cellblock at (808) 961-8100 for East Hawaii or the Kona cellblock at (808) 326-4646, ext. 293 for West Hawaii.

Active Warrant Search in Hawaii County

An arrest warrant is a legal document issued by a judicial authority, such as a judge, that authorizes law enforcement officers to arrest an individual. Arrest warrants usually contain the following information:

  • The warrant’s subject name or description that may be used to identify them
  • The name of the circuit where the warrant originated
  • The date the warrant was issued
  • The issuing official's signature

Unfortunately, there are no official government-provided tools that allow individuals to look up active warrants in Hawaii County online. Thus, interested persons must contact relevant government entities directly to obtain information about active arrest warrants. These include county courts, which issue warrants, and the Hawaii Police Department, which executes local warrants. 

How to Find Arrest Records for Free in Hawaii County

In Hawaii County, interested persons may find arrest information online for free by reviewing the Booking Log on the Hawaii Police Department’s website. They may also find information about arrested adults by calling the agency’s dedicated phone numbers. There are two numbers they can call based on the location of the arrest:

  • East Hawaii: (808) 961-2213 
  • West Hawaii: (808) 326-4646, ext. 293 

The Hawaii Police Department may also allow free in-person inspection of arrest records during regular business hours at any of its eight district stations. It is important to contact a station before visiting to ensure that the sought record is available and can be inspected for a fee. While in-person inspection of arrest records may be free, requests for copies are usually subject to a fee.

Hawaii County Arrest Report

An “arrest report” and “arrest record” are separate documents. An arrest report is an official document prepared by the arresting officer that provides their narrative account of an arrest. These include the reason for the arrest, observations, evidence collected, and circumstances surrounding the arrest. It may also contain statements from witnesses present at the scene. 

Conversely, an arrest record contains basic information about an arrest rather than a full narrative. These typically include, but are not limited to, the arrestee's name, the arrest location, the arrest date and time, and charges. 

How to Get an Arrest Record Expunged in Hawaii County

In Hawaii County, an arrest record may be expunged through the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center (HCJDC) in accordance with applicable laws. HRS §831-3.2 permits expungement of non-conviction arrest records. However, an expungement order can not be issued in any of the following situations: 

  • Arrest for a felony or misdemeanor where the arrestee has not been convicted due to bail forfeiture.
  • Less than five (5) years have passed since an arrest or citation for a petty misdemeanor or violation where the arrestee was not convicted due to bail forfeiture.
  • An individual was arrested for any offense and has not been convicted due to being absent from the jurisdiction.  
  • An individual was involuntarily hospitalized per HRS §706-607 or was acquitted or had their charges dismissed under HRS chapter 704 due to a mental or physical disease, defect, or disorder. 
  • Less than one year has passed since the defendant's discharge and dismissal following a deferred guilty plea or nolo contendere plea under HRS Chapter 853.
  • Less than four years have passed since the defendant's discharge and dismissal of an HRS § 712-1200 charge following a deferred guilty or nolo contendere plea.

Arrests resulting in a conviction may also be eligible for expungement if they were for any of the following offenses: 

Note that individuals whose arrest resulted in a conviction must first obtain a court order granting the expungement of their conviction before applying for expungement through the HCJDC.

The HCJDC charges a $35 fee for first-time expungement and $50 for non-first-time expungement. Furthermore, there is an additional $10 non-refundable processing fee, regardless of whether it's an applicant’s first time. These fees may be paid by cashier’s check or money order made payable to the “State of Hawaii”. Eligible individuals can apply for expungement using the Expungement Application (Form HCJDC 159(b)). The form should be completed and submitted along with other required documentation and the relevant fee to:

Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, Attn: Expungement 

465 South King Street, Room 102 

Honolulu, HI 96813

Generally, the expungement process takes up to 120 days to complete. For information about expunging juvenile charges, interested persons may contact the Hawaii County family court at:

  • Hilo:  (808) 961-7500
  • Kona: (808) 443-2112

How Do You Remove Hawaii County Arrest Records From the Internet?

Hawaii County arrest records may be removed from the internet through any of the following methods:

  • Apply to have the record expunged: Eligible records become confidential upon expungement. Due to their confidential status, they will not appear during criminal history background checks conducted through HCJDC’s eCrim website and other methods. Record holders may also submit their expungement order to other government entities to request the removal of relevant records from online databases they maintain.  
  • Submit an opt-out request: third-party aggregator websites usually allow individuals to opt out of their services, which effectively removes their public records from the website's database. While opt-out procedures vary by site, most provide either an online request form or a dedicated phone number individuals can call.

What Do Public Hawaii County Arrest Records Contain?

Some of the typical contents of public Hawaii County arrest records include:

  • The Arrestee’s full name
  • The arrestee’s address, age, gender, and race
  • Arrest date and time
  • The arresting officer’s name
  • Charges
  • Bail or bond information