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Small claims in Kauai County covers money disputes up to $5,000 and runs on simplified procedures built for people without a lawyer.
This page sets out the ceiling on claims, what the court charges, the courthouse that covers Kauai County, how notice reaches the other party, the time limits, and the filing steps. Squabble can prepare and lodge the paperwork when you decide to go ahead.
There is more than one hub courthouse in Kauai County. Which one takes a case turns on the defendant's address or the location of the dispute, matched by ZIP code.
Tap a courthouse to see its details in the list below.
Confirm the courthouse before you file. The court's own small-claims page carries its current filing location and hours, and Squabble confirms the courthouse for your case when you file.
The nearest counties to Kauai County are Honolulu County and Kalawao County. About 73,840 people live in Kauai County.
Paper filing is the route at this court, either in person or by post. Squabble puts the documents together in the form the clerk expects.
Small claims hearings are held in person at the courthouse.
Have copies of your evidence for the bench and for the other party. Some courts take documents electronically before the hearing as well.
Residents of Kauai County, Hawaii, a county of 73,840 people that includes towns such as Lihue, Kapaa, Hanalei, Koloa, Waimea, and Princeville, can bring small claims cases through the Hawaii Small Claims Court, which handles claims up to $5,000. Cases are filed at the Kauai (5th Circuit) District Court: Small Claims in Līhuʻe, located at Puʻuhonua Kaulike 3970 Kaʻana Street, 96766, which can be reached at (808) 482-2303. The related (5th Circuit) Kauai Circuit Court sits at 3970 Kaʻana Street in Līhuʻe, 96766, with a phone number of (808) 482-2300 and information posted at https://www.courts.state.hi.us/general_information/contact/kauai. That court is open Monday through Thursday from 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM and on Friday from 7:45 AM to 4:00 PM, and it is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Electronic filing is not available in this county. The county also covers ZIP codes including 96703, 96714, 96741, 96746, and 96796, and its nearby counties are Honolulu County, Kalawao County, and Maui County.
More than one location takes small claims here. The court matches a case to a location by address.
Kauai County covers these 17 towns and cities:
Anahola, Eleele, Hanalei, Hanamaulu, Hanapepe, Kalaheo, Kapaa, Kaumakani, Kealia, Kekaha, Kilauea, Koloa, Lawai, Lihue, Makaweli, Princeville, Waimea.
ZIP codes:
With about 73,840 residents, Kauai County ranks 4th by population among the 5 counties of Hawaii. Kauai (5th Circuit) District Court: Small Claims, in Līhuʻe, is about 53 miles from the Honolulu County courthouse in Honolulu.
Neighbouring counties and the courts that serve them:
This is the part of the court built for ordinary money arguments. The procedure is stripped back, and there is a ceiling on the amount at stake.
Maximum claim
The county where it happened and the county where they live are both generally available.
You can't divide one dispute into several smaller cases to get around the limit.
A small-claims judge generally orders one side to pay money; other kinds of orders belong in higher courts.
Hawaii allows parties to be represented by an attorney in the small claims division of the district court, and with the court's approval a party may even be represented by a non-attorney who serves without compensation. However, in residential landlord-tenant security deposit disputes, Haw. Rev. Stat. 633-28(b) prohibits licensed attorneys from appearing on behalf of another person, so both landlord and tenant appear without counsel in those cases.
Where a party is under 18, the court appoints a guardian to act.
This state expects your supporting evidence to be submitted with the filing, not just brought to the hearing.
Over the limit? A claim above the ceiling can be trimmed to fit, or filed in full in the ordinary civil court. Trimming generally means writing off the remainder.
Kauai County is under the same limits as nearby Honolulu County and Kalawao County. They are the same across all 17 Kauai County ZIP codes, from 96703 onward.
If someone owes you money, up to $5,000, small claims is built for it. These are the disputes residents bring most often.
Kauai County takes in Anahola, Eleele and Hanalei and the rest of the county. Kauai County has about 73,840 residents.
It's built to be navigable without a lawyer. Here's the shape of a case from start to finish.
Fill in the claim, pick the courthouse that covers the dispute, and pay what the court charges.
Formal notice reaches the other party, who then has a window to respond or resolve it.
The hearing is informal and quick, sometimes by video, and the judge decides on the spot or sends the outcome later.
Kauai (5th Circuit) District Court: Small Claims lists (808) 482-2303 as its number. This is the route a Kauai County case takes, whether it starts in 96703 or anywhere else among the county ZIP codes.
After you file, the other party must be formally notified. This is called service of process. You generally cannot serve the papers yourself. Hawaii courts usually take delivery by delivery arranged by the court, email service where the court allows it, certified mail or personal delivery by an approved server.
A sheriff, a constable, a professional server, the court clerk using certified mail, or an uninvolved adult can all serve papers, depending on local rules. Fees and permitted methods vary.
Courts set their own cut-off for how many days before the hearing notice must land. The clerk gives you that date along with the hearing date. Court provides instructions for certified mail with return receipt and signature card.
Service is proved on paper. The server completes and signs a form, and it is filed before the matter is heard.
Service is where many self-filed cases stall. Squabble can coordinate professional Service of Process so it's done correctly and on time.
Honolulu County and Kalawao County are the counties nearest to Kauai County. Addresses in Kauai County include places such as Anahola, Eleele and Hanalei.
The law fixes how long you have, counted from the dispute itself. A case brought later can be refused outright.
| What the claim is about | Time limit to file |
|---|---|
| Written contract | 6 years |
| Oral contract | 6 years |
| Property damage | 2 years |
| Personal injury | 2 years |
The same periods apply in Kauai County as in nearby Honolulu County and Kalawao County, which are in the same state. Kauai County, population about 73,840, is covered by the table above.
Money owed under a contract in Hawaii generally accrues interest at 10% per year before judgment (Haw. Rev. Stat. §478-2, §636-16).
Want to estimate what interest adds to your claim? Use the Squabble interest calculator to see the running total before you file.
Kauai County is under the same state rate as nearby Honolulu County and Kalawao County. It is the same rate across all 17 Kauai County ZIP codes.
Make sure the claim is under the maximum and that the limitation period has not expired.
State the party's full legal name, explain the events, and set out the calculation.
File at the Kauai County hub courthouse for your dispute's ZIP code, or on paper, by mail or at the counter, and pay the $35–$80 fee (or request a waiver if you qualify).
Service comes after the date is set. File the server's proof once the papers have been delivered.
Sort the documents and exhibits in advance so they can be handed up in order.
Attend the hearing, in person or by video if that is offered, make your case, and receive the outcome.
Go through the events with Eleanor. The documents are prepared, Triple-Checked™ for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and filed for you.
Start for FREE →Claim form starts the case · Proof of service shows the defendant was notified · Fee waiver if you qualify. Exact form names vary by court; Squabble prepares the right ones for your courthouse.
Kauai County takes in filings from 17 ZIP codes, 96703 first in the list. Kauai County has a population of about 73,840.
Hearings are short and plainly run. Questions come from the judge, and most parties appear without help.
Kauai County has about 73,840 residents. Kauai County hearings are held at one of its 2 listed courthouses, depending on where the case is filed.
Winning and being paid are two different things. The judgment records what is owed; collecting it is its own process, backed by court remedies that vary from state to state.
Part of the debtor's earnings may be redirected toward the judgment where state law provides for it.
Funds can be collected directly from the debtor's bank account through a court-ordered levy.
Filing the judgment with the county can attach a lien to land or buildings the debtor owns.
Courts can also summon the debtor to answer questions about income and property under oath. Until the balance is paid, interest usually continues to run at the statutory rate.
Honolulu County and Kalawao County are the counties nearest to Kauai County. A Kauai County judgment comes from one of its 2 listed courthouses.
Checked August 2026. Because courts revise fees, limits and procedures, confirm the current position before filing.
Talk with Eleanor about what happened. Squabble prepares your demand letter and court-ready documents, Triple-Checks them for administrative and jurisdictional accuracy, and files your Kauai County case for you.
