Nonprofit Corporation Member Books and Records Inspection in Hawaii

At a glance

Inspection groups

Sections 414D-301(e) and 414D-302(a) let a member inspect and copy core records after at least five business days' written notice or demand. These include current governing documents, member-rights resolutions, recent member minutes and financial statements, current directors and officers, and the latest annual report. Other action excerpts, accounting records, and the membership list require the same notice plus a good-faith proper purpose, a reasonably particular description of purpose and records, and records directly connected to that purpose (§ 414D-302(b)–(c)).

Lists, copies, and statements

A member's agent or attorney shares inspection rights. The corporation can furnish reasonable copies and charge no more than estimated production or reproduction cost (§ 414D-303). It may provide a membership list compiled no earlier than the demand. Section 414D-305 restricts unrelated use, specified solicitation, commercial use, sale, and publication to the public without board consent.

Section 414D-109 supplies a separate meeting-list route: the list is available starting two business days after meeting notice through the meeting for communication with other members about that meeting. A written demand may seek inspection and, subject to §§ 414D-302(c) and 414D-305, copying at member expense. A qualifying labor union need not provide copies if doing so would violate federal or state labor-union law. Section 414D-306 separately requires the latest annual financial statements on a member's written demand, accompanied by an accountant's or officer's report.

After refusal

Under § 414D-304, the court in the county of the principal office, or Honolulu if none is in Hawaii, may summarily order core-record access at corporate expense. Applications for other records are expedited. An inspection order includes member costs and reasonable counsel fees unless the corporation proves a good-faith refusal based on reasonable doubt about the right to inspect. The court may restrict use or distribution. Section 414D-109(d) gives a separate meeting-list remedy and permits postponing the meeting until inspection or copying is complete.

Statutes and sources

• § 414D-301: “A corporation shall keep a copy of the following records at its principal office.” Official code, accessed 2026-10-02.
• § 414D-302: “The member's demand is made in good faith and for a proper purpose.” Official code, accessed 2026-10-02.
• § 414D-303: “The charge may not exceed the estimated cost of production or reproduction of the records.” Official code, accessed 2026-10-02.
• § 414D-304: “The court shall dispose of an application under this subsection on an expedited basis.” Official code, accessed 2026-10-02.
• § 414D-305: “A membership list or any part thereof shall not be obtained or used by any person for any purpose unrelated to a member's interest as a member.” Official code, accessed 2026-10-02.
• § 414D-306: “A corporation upon written demand from a member shall furnish that member its latest annual financial statements.” Official code, accessed 2026-10-02.
• § 414D-109: “The list of members shall be available for inspection by any member for the purpose of communication with other members concerning the meeting.” Official code, accessed 2026-10-02.