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How to Request a Designation of Successor(s)
A Designation of Successor identifies who will succeed to your Hawaiian Home Lands leasehold interest upon your death. This guide walks you through submitting your request through the DHHL Beneficiary Portal. All designations are subject to review and verification of Hawaiian blood quantum.
Submission of this request does not constitute approval. Designations must be filed with and approved by DHHL prior to the lessee’s death. You will be required to appear in person to execute final signatures and confirm identity.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1
Log In and Navigate to My Leases
From the Beneficiary Portal home page, click the MY LEASES tile.
2
Select Your Lease
Your active leases will appear in the My Leases list. Click on your Lease Number (shown in blue) to open the lease detail page.
3
Click “Request to Designate Successor(s)”
On the lease detail page, you will see action buttons in the upper right. Click Request to Designate Successor(s) to open the designation form.
You will also see options to Request Transfer and Report a Death on this page. Make sure to select the correct action.
4
Complete the Designation Form
The form will open as a modal window. Complete each Part as applicable:
Part B — Primary Successor(s)
Select the person(s) you wish to designate as your primary successor. Eligible relatives include those who are at least one-quarter Hawaiian (spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings) and native Hawaiians or those at least one-half Hawaiian (parents, widows/widowers of children and siblings, nieces and nephews).
Part C — Alternate Successor(s)
Select alternate person(s) to succeed in the event the Part B designee is unable or unwilling to qualify.
Part D — Net Proceeds
Designate a spouse or children with less than 25% Hawaiian blood quantum to receive net proceeds if Parts B and C designees do not qualify or choose not to succeed.
Once you have made your selections, click Next to proceed.
5
Review the Summary and Click Finish
The final screen will display a summary titled Designation of Successor to Hawaiian Home Lands Homestead Lease. Please review the following before submitting:
- Submitting this form revokes any previous designations filed with and approved by DHHL.
- All designations are subject to verification of Hawaiian blood quantum.
- Section 209 of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, governs the requirements for designation of successors. The designation must be filed with and approved by DHHL prior to the lessee’s death.
When you are ready, click Finish to submit your request.
What Happens Next
After submitting your request through the portal, DHHL staff will review your submission. You will be contacted to schedule an in-person appointment to execute final signatures and verify your identity. Please be prepared to present a valid government-issued photo ID.
The Department reserves the right to require additional documentation to confirm identity. Failure to provide sufficient proof of identity may result in processing delays or denial of the designation.