Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 480-17 (2026)

  Individual liability for corporate or company act

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §480-17  Individual liability for corporate or company act.  (a)  Whenever a corporation violates any of the penal provisions of this chapter, the violation shall be deemed to be also that of the individual directors, officers, or agents of the corporation who have authorized, ordered, or done any of the acts constituting in whole or in part the violation.

     (b)  Whenever a limited liability company violates any of the penal provisions of this chapter, the violation shall be deemed to be also that of the individual members, managers, or agents of the limited liability company who have authorized, ordered, or done any of the acts constituting in whole or in part the violation. [L 1961, c 190, §15; Supp, §205A-15; HRS §480-17; am L 1997, c 224, §1]

 

Case Notes

 

  Does not limit liability of corporate officers, directors, or agents to criminal liability.  6 H. App. 125, 712 P.2d 1148.

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1985–2026 · leading case: E. Star, Inc. v. Union Bldg. Materials Corp., 712 P.2d 1148 (Haw. App. 1985).
E. Star, Inc. v. Union Bldg. Materials Corp., 712 P.2d 1148 (Haw. App. 1985). · cites it 13× “Second, HRS § 480-17 (1976) limits individual liability of a corporate director, officer, or agent to the penal provisions of chapter 480.”
Calipjo v. Purdy., 439 P.3d 218 (Haw. 2019). · cites it 4× “, and rejecting Calipjo's alternative argument that Purdy was liable for unfair or deceptive acts or practices pursuant to HRS § 480-17(a), 21 the ICA also held Purdy could not be held liable for unfair or deceptive acts or practices.”
Fuller v. Pac. Med. Collections, Inc., 891 P.2d 300 (Haw. App. 1995). · cites it 2× “2d at 1155 (HRS § 480-17 (1985) does not limit an employee’s *226 individual liability under HRS chapter 480 only to criminal liability).”
Bush v. Rewald, 619 F. Supp. 585 (D. Haw. 1986). “§ 480-17. There is no evidence that the five attorney defendants named sold anything.”
Calipjo v. Purdy, 543 P.3d 1093 (Haw. App. 2024). · cites it 4× “Regarding Purdy, we reasoned that he was not a party to either Deposit Receipt Offer and Acceptance (DROA), and that HRS § 480-17 did not apply because Regal Corp.”
Lerma (D. Haw. 2026). · cites it 4× “The Lermas briefly argue that Dold may be held individually liable pursuant to HRS § 480-17, which provides that when a corporation “violates any of the penal provisions of this chapter, the violation shall be deemed to be also that of the individual directors, officers, or…”
Calipjo v. Purdy (Haw. 2025). · cites it 3× “4 HRS § 480-17(a), governing individual liability for a corporate or company act, provides, “[w]henever a corporation violates any of the penal provisions of this chapter, the violation shall be deemed to be also that of the individual directors, officers, or agents of the…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 480-17(a) — 3 cases
Calipjo v. Purdy., 439 P.3d 218 (Haw. 2019). “, and rejecting Calipjo's alternative argument that Purdy was liable for unfair or deceptive acts or practices pursuant to HRS § 480-17(a), 21 the ICA also held Purdy could not be held liable for unfair or deceptive acts or practices.”
Calipjo v. Purdy (Haw. 2025). “4 HRS § 480-17(a), governing individual liability for a corporate or company act, provides, “[w]henever a corporation violates any of the penal provisions of this chapter, the violation shall be deemed to be also that of the individual directors, officers, or agents of the…”
Calipjo v. Purdy, 543 P.3d 1093 (Haw. App. 2024). “Regarding Purdy, we reasoned that he was not a party to either Deposit Receipt Offer and Acceptance (DROA), and that HRS § 480-17 did not apply because Regal Corp.”
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