What is the correct answer to: Hawaii requires disclosure of:

The correct answer is Lava zones, flood zones, and other natural hazards. Answer B is correct because Hawaii Revised Statutes §508D-15 and the accompanying SRPDS form explicitly require disclosure of lava zones (designated 1–9 by the USGS), Special Flood Hazard Areas (FEMA designations), tsunami evacuation zones, and other geologic or environmental hazards. These disclosures are mandatory for most residential transactions and must be provided to the buyer before the execution of a purchase contract, or as early as practicable. Failure to disclose known material hazards can expose a seller to rescission of the contract and civil liability.

What background knowledge is needed for this Contracts question?

Hawaii's robust natural hazard disclosure requirements evolved significantly after the 1990 Kalapana lava flows on the Big Island destroyed over 100 homes and buried entire neighborhoods, dramatically illustrating that buyers needed explicit warning about lava zone designations. The Hawaii legislature codified comprehensive seller disclosure requirements under HRS Chapter 508D, which took effect in 1994, establishing one of the nation's first state-level frameworks to address volcanic hazard disclosure. Over the decades, the SRPDS form has been updated to incorporate FEMA flood map revisions, tsunami evacuation zone updates, and new USGS lava zone boundary changes, reflecting the dynamic and evolving nature of Hawaii's geological landscape.

What is a good way to remember the answer to this Contracts question?

Use the acronym 'LFN' — Lava, Flood, Natural hazards — and picture a Hawaiian island map with three colored overlays: red for lava zones, blue for flood zones, and green for other natural hazards. Whenever you see a Hawaii disclosure question, mentally superimpose this colorful hazard map over the islands and remember: Hawaii discloses what the earth, water, and nature can do to your property. When encountering Hawaii-specific questions, remember that disclosures are more comprehensive than in other states due to unique environmental risks.

What exam tip applies to this Contracts question?

On Hawaii-specific exam questions about disclosures, always look for the answer that reflects the state's unique geographic identity — volcanic and oceanic hazards will almost always be part of the correct answer. If an answer choice sounds like a generic federal requirement (lead paint) or sounds too narrow (structural only), eliminate it immediately in favor of the option that captures Hawaii's distinctive environmental disclosure obligations.

How does this Contracts concept apply in real world practice?

Consider a retired couple from Ohio purchasing a home on the lower East Rift Zone of Hawaii's Big Island in 2018. Had they not received proper lava zone disclosure, they might not have known their property sat in Lava Zone 1 — the highest-risk zone — which is exactly where the Kilauea eruption of May 2018 destroyed over 700 homes. Because Hawaii's disclosure law required the seller to identify the lava zone on the SRPDS, a diligent buyer's agent could have flagged that private lava insurance was nearly impossible to obtain in that zone, potentially saving the buyers from a catastrophic financial loss.

ContractsGeneralMEDIUM

Hawaii requires disclosure of:

Correct Answer

B) Lava zones, flood zones, and other natural hazards

Hawaii requires disclosure of lava zones, flood zones, and natural hazards.

Answer Options

Nothing specific

Lava zones, flood zones, and other natural hazards

Only structural issues

Only lead paint

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The Statute of Frauds is a legal requirement that certain types of contracts must be in writing and signed to be enforceable. In real estate, all contracts for the sale of land or interests in land must be in writing.

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Hawaii requires disclosure of:

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