Short answer

No — not always. Whether you must publish a notice to creditors for three months depends on which Hawaii probate procedure you use and whether the decedent’s house is part of the small-estate process. In Hawaii the “small estate” procedures are generally intended to make it easier to collect and distribute certain types of decedent property (usually personal property) without full probate. Selling real property (a house) commonly requires a different process (formal probate or a court order), and the formal process typically includes creditor notice requirements.

Detailed answer — how this works in Hawaii

1. Two different paths: small‑estate affidavit vs. formal probate

Hawaii law provides procedures to settle estates. Broadly speaking there are two relevant paths:

• Small‑estate/simplified collection procedures: These procedures let an heir or personal representative gather and distribute certain assets (often personal property or small-value accounts) without opening full probate. The Hawaii Judiciary publishes self-help information about small estates and simplified procedures (see: Hawaii Courts — Small Estates).
• Formal probate / administration: If the estate includes real property (like a house), significant assets, unresolved claims, or creditors that must be paid, the estate will often require opening a probate administration. Formal administration provides authority to sell real estate, pay debts, and distribute the remainder under court supervision.

2. Notice to creditors — when it is required

Notice to creditors is a key part of formal probate. Under Hawaii’s probate laws (see Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 560), when an estate is administered formally the personal representative must give notice to creditors so that known and unknown creditors have an opportunity to present claims. The probate statutes and court rules set the content and publication requirements for those notices. You can review the Hawaii Probate Code at the Legislature’s site: Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 560.

Small‑estate procedures, by contrast, often do not require the same published creditor notice period as formal administration because they are limited in scope. However, that does not mean there are never creditor consequences — creditors may still have a right to assert claims against assets that pass under a small‑estate procedure. Whether publication is required depends on the specific statutory small‑estate mechanism used.

3. Selling a house — special rules

Real property (a house) raises additional issues:

• If the house is owned solely by the decedent and title must transfer into the heirs or be sold, a small‑estate affidavit that only covers personal property may not be enough. Many small‑estate procedures exclude real estate or limit what can be done with it without a court order.
• To sell real property you usually need legal authority to convey title: that authority usually comes from a court (letters of administration, executor’s deed, or a court order) or via an allowed statutory transfer. If you obtain that authority through formal probate, the probate process will include creditor‑notice steps.

4. Practical effect on your question

If you only use a small‑estate affidavit to collect personal property, you typically won’t be publishing a three‑month creditor notice as part of that limited procedure. But if you need authority to sell the house — and you need formal probate or a court-approved sale — then creditor notice (including published notice and/or mailed notice to known creditors) becomes part of the formal probate procedure. That process is designed to give creditors time (commonly a statutory minimum period) to present claims before final distribution or sale.

5. What to do next — practical steps

1. Check title and estate assets. Confirm whether the decedent owned the house in their name alone, whether there was a surviving joint owner, or whether the house passed by survivorship, trust, or beneficiary designation.
2. Look for a will. If there is a will, a named executor can open probate to get authority to sell real property. If there is no will, an intestate heir can petition the court for appointment as administrator.
3. Read the Hawaii Courts guidance on small estates to see if the house or sale can be handled under simplified rules: Hawaii Courts — Small Estates.
4. If you must open formal probate to sell the house, expect notice to creditors and other procedural steps under the Hawaii Probate Code: HRS Chapter 560.
5. Consider contacting a probate attorney or the Probate Self‑Help Center at the Hawaii Judiciary if you need help determining which procedure applies and how to meet notice requirements.

Helpful hints

• If the house has a mortgage or liens, you usually need to clear those before or at sale — probate can help with that.
• If all heirs agree and title already vests by operation of law (joint tenancy, transfer on death deed, or trust), you may not need probate or creditor publication — but verify title and documentation first.
• Don’t sign a sale contract or transfer title until you have legal authority to convey the property. A buyer’s title company will require proof of authority (e.g., letters of administration, executor’s deed, or clear transfer documents).
• Even if a small‑estate affidavit is available for some assets, real property frequently requires formal court involvement, which triggers statutory creditor‑notice obligations.
• Seek a quick consult with a local probate attorney if the house’s value, mortgages, multiple heirs, or creditor issues exist; the cost of a short consult is often small compared with the risk of an improper transfer.

Where to verify statute and forms

Hawaii Revised Statutes, Chapter 560 (probate code): https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol10_Ch0501-0588/HRS0560/

Hawaii Judiciary self-help on small estates: https://www.courts.state.hi.us/self-help/probate/small-estates