(a) Summons: Issuance. Upon the filing of the complaint the clerk shall forthwith issue a summons. Plaintiff shall deliver the complaint and summons for service to a person authorized to serve process. Upon request of the plaintiff separate or additional summons shall issue against any defendants.
Rule 4.Process.
Last amended January 1, 2026 · Last verified July 3, 2026
In one sentenceRule 4 governs how a summons is issued and what it must say, and sets out the specific method for delivering the summons and complaint to each kind of defendant.
Full Text of Rule 4
(b) Same: Form. The summons shall
(1) be signed by the clerk, under the seal of the court,
(2) contain the name of the court, the names of the parties, and the date when issued,
(3) be directed to the defendant,
(4) state the name and address of the plaintiff's attorney, if any, otherwise the plaintiff's address,
(5) state the time within which these rules require the defendant to appear and defend, and shall notify the defendant that in case of defendant's failure to do so judgment by default will be rendered against the defendant for the relief demanded in the complaint,
(6) contain a prohibition against personal delivery of the summons between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on premises not open to the public, unless a judge of the district or circuit courts permits, in writing on the summons, personal delivery during those hours, and
(7) contain a warning to the person summoned that failure to obey the summons may result in an entry of default and default judgment. When, under Rule 4(e), service is made pursuant to a statute or rule of court, the summons, or notice, or order in lieu of summons, shall correspond as nearly as may be to that required by the statute or rule.
(c) Same: By whom served. Service of all process shall be made: (1) anywhere in the State by the sheriff or the sheriff's deputy, by some other person specially appointed by the court for that purpose, or by any person who is not a party and is not less than 18 years of age; or (2) in any county by the chief of police or the chief's duly authorized subordinate. A subpoena, however, may be served as provided in Rule 45.
(d) Same: Personal service. The summons and complaint shall be served together. The plaintiff shall furnish the person making service with such copies as are necessary. Service shall be made as follows:
(1) Upon an individual other than an infant or an incompetent person, (A) by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to the individual personally or in case the individual cannot be found by leaving copies thereof at the individual's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein or (B) by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to an agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process.
(2) Upon an infant, by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint personally (A) to the guardian of the infant's property or if there is no guardian of the infant's property or service cannot be made upon such guardian then as provided by order of the court and (B) if the infant be of the age of 16 years or over, also to the infant; and upon an incompetent person, by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint personally (A) to the guardian of the incompetent's property, or if the incompetent is living in an institution then to the director or chief executive officer of the institution, or if service cannot be made upon either of them, then as provided by order of the court, and (B) unless the court otherwise orders, also to the incompetent person.
(3) Upon a domestic or foreign corporation or upon a partnership or other unincorporated association which is subject to suit under a common name, by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to an officer, a managing or general agent, or to any other agent authorized by appointment or by law to receive service of process and, if the agent is one authorized by statute to receive service and the statute so requires, by also mailing a copy to the defendant.
(4) Upon the State by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to the attorney general of the State or to the assistant attorney general or to any deputy attorney general who has been appointed by the attorney general.
(5) Upon an officer or agency of the State by serving the State and by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to such officer or agency. If the agency is a corporation, the copies shall be delivered as provided in paragraph (3) of this subdivision of this rule.
(6) Upon a county, as provided by statute or the county charter, or by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to the corporation counsel or county attorney or any of the corporation counsel’s or county attorney’s deputies.
(7) Upon an officer or agency of a county, by serving the county and by delivering a copy of the summons and of the complaint to such officer or agency. If the agency is a corporation the copies shall be delivered as provided in paragraph (3) of this subdivision of this rule.
(8) Upon a defendant of any class referred to in paragraph (1) or (3) of this subdivision of this rule, it is also sufficient if the summons and complaint are served in the manner prescribed by any statute.
(e) Same: Other service. Whenever a statute or an order of court provides for service upon a party not an inhabitant of or found within the State, of a summons, or of a notice, or of an order in lieu of summons, service shall be made under the circumstances and in the manner prescribed by the statute or order. Whenever a statute or an order of court requires or permits service by publication of a summons, or of a notice, or of an order in lieu of summons, any publication pursuant thereto shall be made under the circumstances and in the manner prescribed by the statute or order. The publication of summons pursuant to Hawai‘i Revised Statutes §§ 634-23, 634-26, and 634-36, shall not include the case caption and shall be in a form that substantially complies with Form 1-A of the Appendix of Forms.
(f) Territorial limits of effective service. All process may be served anywhere within the State and, when a statute or order so provides, beyond the limits of the State.
(g) Return. The person serving the process shall make proof of service thereof to the court promptly and in any event within the time during which the person served must respond to process. When service is made by any person specially appointed by the court, that person shall make affidavit of such service.
(h) Amendment. At any time in its discretion and upon such terms as it deems just, the court may allow any process or proof of service thereof to be amended unless it clearly appears that material prejudice would result to the substantial rights of the party against whom the process issued.
Amendment History
Amended May 15, 1972, effective July 1, 1972
further amended September 14, 1993, effective September 14, 1993
further amended May 12, 1995, effective June 1, 1995
further amended December 7, 1999, effective January 1, 2000
further amended April 25, 2003, effective July 1, 2003
further amended August 26, 2011, effective January 1, 2012
further amended July 9, 2025, effective January 1, 2026
Plain-English Summary
Rule 4 governs the mechanics of process: how a summons is issued and what it must contain, and how the summons and complaint reach a defendant. After a complaint is filed, the clerk issues a summons, which the plaintiff must arrange to have delivered to someone authorized to serve it. The summons itself must identify the court and parties, be signed and sealed by the clerk, name the plaintiff's attorney or address, state the deadline to appear and defend, warn of default if the defendant fails to respond, and restrict personal delivery between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. absent a judge's written permission.
The rule then sets out, in detail, who may serve process — the sheriff, a specially appointed person, or any adult non-party, or in some cases a police chief — and exactly how service must be made on different kinds of defendants, with individuals, minors, incompetent people, corporations, partnerships, the State, a state officer or agency, a county, and a county officer or agency each getting their own method. It also addresses service on people outside Hawaii, service by publication, the reach of Hawaii process, how the server proves service happened, and the court's power to allow a defective summons or proof of service to be amended rather than thrown out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is allowed to serve a summons and complaint in Hawaii?
Rule 4(c) allows service anywhere in the state by the sheriff or a deputy, by someone the court specially appoints, or by any non-party at least 18 years old; a county's chief of police or a designated subordinate may also serve process within that county.
What must a Hawaii summons include?
Under Rule 4(b), the summons must be signed by the clerk under the court's seal, name the court and parties, give the date issued, be directed to the defendant, list the plaintiff's attorney or address, state the deadline to respond and the consequence of default, and restrict late-night personal delivery unless a judge permits it in writing.
Can a defective summons or proof of service be fixed instead of dismissing the case?
Yes. Rule 4(h) lets the court allow an amendment to the process or the proof of service, on terms it finds just, unless the amendment would clearly cause material prejudice to the party the process was issued against.
Source & verification. The rule text and History are reproduced verbatim from the
official Hawaii Rules of Civil Procedure (Haw. R. Civ. P. 4). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Hawaii (Haw. Rev. Stat. § 602-11; Haw. Const. art. VI, § 7). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 3, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: service of processsummons requirementsserving a defendantprocess server rules