RELATING TO RECORDS.

HB2247

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2247

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING
TO RECORDS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION 1.
�
Section
502-17, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (d) and (e)
to read as follows:

����
"(d)
�

On receipt for recordation of a transfer or separate description
document concerning a lot in a subdivision, the registrar shall accept and file
the document with:

����
(1)
�
A
metes and bounds description, either solely or as part of the document;
and

����
(2)
�
A
county certified plat map, unless the land is being deregistered pursuant to
part II of chapter 501[
; and

����
(3)
�
A
letter from a licensed professional surveyor, certifying that the metes and
bounds description conforms to the accompanying plat map
].

����
The document shall otherwise comply with
the requirements for recordation under this section.
�
Any parcel created or subdivided before the
effective date of the subdivision laws of the respective counties is exempt from
the provisions of this subsection.

����
(e)
�

For checking the survey and plan as to form and mathematical
correctness, the department shall charge [
$2 an hour
]
a fee pursuant
to rules adopted by the department of accounting and general services,
and
shall require the owner of the land to deposit the [
estimated
] cost
thereof before [
making such check.
]
approving the survey and plan.
"

����
SECTION 2.
�

Section 502-18, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�502-18
�
Description; lot subdivisions.
�
A metes and bounds description of the
exterior boundaries of the parcel or parcels of land sought to be registered as
a file plan shall be written upon the plan, or printed or typewritten on
unruled good quality white paper 11 inches long by 8 1/2 inches wide and shall
be filed [
in duplicate
] with the file plan.
�
The metes and bounds description shall be
dated and signed by the licensed professional surveyor making the field survey,
or under whose supervision the field survey was executed.
�
If the land sought to be registered as a file
plan is being deregistered pursuant to part II of chapter 501, the metes and
bounds description shall be dated and signed by the licensed professional
surveyor making the file plan, or under whose supervision the file plan was
made.
�
The boundaries of the land platted
shall be described as running from left to right (clockwise) and the azimuth
system shall be used in designating the courses of the survey with zero or 360
degrees at due South; 90 degrees at due West; 180 degrees at due North; 270
degrees at due East.
�
Any printed or
typewritten description filed separately with the file plan shall be recorded
in the registry system and the book and page
or document number
thereof
noted on the file plan.
�
Expense of
recordation shall be charged to the owner.
�

The initial point in the description shall clearly show the connection
with the government triangulation system.
�

All outside corners of the tract shall be substantially marked by monuments
in the ground, where practicable; unless the land is being deregistered
pursuant to part II of chapter 501.
�
In
all cases where tracts of land are subdivided into lots, with the intention of
conveying separate lots by lot number and reference to the plat, it is
necessary to show the true azimuths and lengths of all principal lines and the
lot areas.
�
A sufficient number of
durable monuments shall be placed in the ground so as to accurately identify
each lot, unless the land is being deregistered pursuant to part II of chapter
501.
�
Any lands being deregistered
pursuant to part II of chapter 501 shall not subdivide or consolidate when
registering as a file plan[
, and only contiguous parcels shall be shown on
the same plan
].
�
Only contiguous
parcels shall be shown on the same plan unless the department of accounting and
general services determines that an exception would be appropriate.
"

����
SECTION 3.
�

Section 502-19, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�502-19
�
Plans on
[
tracing cloth;
]

tangible medium;
size; scale.
�

All plans [
must
]
shall
be on [
tracing cloth of good
quality,
]
a tangible medium of good quality, approved by the department
of accounting and general services,
and shall be of one of the following
sizes, the figures indicating inches:
�
10
x 15; 15 x 21; 21 x 32; 30 x 36; 36 x 42; or [
42, 48, or 54
]
36

wide without restriction as to length; which plans shall be prepared and drawn
according to [
some
] one of the following scales: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50,
60,

100, 200, 300, 400, 500,
600,
1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, [
or
] 5000,
or
6000
feet to an inch."

����
SECTION 4.
�

Section 502-20, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�502-20
�
New maps for old.

�
The registrar [
at such times when the
original tracings of
]
shall forward
filed plans and land court maps
on file in the bureau of conveyances[
,
]
to the department of
accounting and general services, when the original tracings of the plans or
maps
are found to be in [
such
]
the
condition that
satisfactory [
blueprint
] copies thereof cannot be made[
, shall
forward any such map or plan to the department of accounting and general
services of the State
], with the request that another [
tracing
]
copy
of good quality
thereof be made.
�
The
department, on receipt of the request and map or plan, shall prepare another [
tracing
]

copy
thereof[
, and shall
]
on a tangible medium of good quality,

certify that same is a true copy of the original on file in the bureau of
conveyances, and [
shall
] file the same[
, together with two certified
blueprint copies,
] with the registrar.
�

�
Any such certified [
tracing
]

copy
of a map or plan shall thereafter be regarded for all purposes as
the original."

����
SECTION 5.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed
and stricken.
�
New statutory material is
underscored.

����
SECTION 6.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST

Report Title:

DAGS; Plans; Land Survey; Subdivision; Maps

Description:

Removes outdated
requirements and formats for plans filed with the registrar's office.
�
Updates permissible drawing scales used in
plans.
�
Clarifies that statutory filing
fees are set pursuant to the rules adopted by the Department of Accounting and
General Services.
�
Repeals obsolete terms
such as "blueprint."
�

Authorizes the Department of Accounting and General Services to approve the
format of plans.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.