Gun laws in Hawaii
Gun laws in Hawaii regulate the sale, possession, and use of firearms and ammunition in the state of Hawaii, United States. Hawaii's gun laws are among the most restrictive in the country.
Summary table
| Subject/Law | Long guns | Handguns | Relevant Statutes | Notes |
| State permit required to purchase? | Yes | Yes | Must be 21 years old to acquire a permit to purchase. | |
| Firearm registration? | Yes | Yes | Must be registered with county police chief within 5 days of purchase or arrival to Hawaii. Registration not required for black powder and pre-1899 firearms. May not bring firearm into the state if under 21. | |
| Assault weapon law? | No | Yes | Law bans assault pistols with two or more banned features. Does not apply to rifles or shotguns with a barrel length greater than 16 inches | |
| Magazine capacity restriction? | No | Yes | HRS134-8 HRS134-11 | Any magazine with a capacity of more than 10 rounds that can be inserted into a pistol is prohibited. Members of organizations are exempt from the pistol magazine limit at places of target shooting. |
| Owner license required? | No | No | No license required to own any firearms in Hawaii, but all firearms, including those brought into the state by new residents, must be registered. | |
| Permit required for concealed carry? | N/A | Yes | May-Issue by statute, but No-Issue in practice. The chief of police may grant a permit "in an exceptional case, when an applicant shows reason to fear injury to the applicant's person or property." In practice, Hawaii is "No-Issue," as issuing authorities rarely or never approve applications for permits. In March 2014, the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals ruled Hawaii's restrictive concealed carry policy unconstitutional. An en banc panel reversed the initial ruling in June 2015, holding that the Constitution guarantees no right to concealed carry in public. | |
| Permit required for open carry? | Yes | Yes | By law, Hawaii is a Licensed Open Carry State, but since licenses are rarely issued, the state is Non-Permissive for open carry in practice. The chief of police may grant a permit "Where the urgency or the need has been sufficiently indicated" provided that the person "is engaged in the protection of life and property." In practice, Hawaii is "No-Issue," as issuing authorities rarely or never approve applications for permits. On July 24, 2018, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Hawaii's laws restricting open carry are unconstitutional. That ruling was vacated on February 8, 2019 and the case is scheduled to be heard en banc. No laws against open carrying long guns. | |
| State preemption of local restrictions? | Yes | Yes | Municipalities may enact and enforce local regulations only if they are identical to, and provide the same penalty as, state law. | |
| NFA weapons restricted? | Yes | Yes | Machine guns, short barreled rifles, short barreled shotguns, and silencers/suppressors are prohibited from the average citizen. Certain Destructive Devices and AOWs are allowed with proper tax stamp and NFA paperwork from the ATF. | |
| Peaceable journey laws? | No | No | - | Federal laws observed. |
| Background checks required for private sales? | Yes | Yes | A person who wants to purchase a handgun or long gun must obtain a permit to acquire the ownership of a firearm, which requires a background check of the applicant. | |
| Red flag law? | Yes | Yes | Hawaii passed a red flag law in late June 2019. |
Hawaii is a "may issue" state for concealed carry. "In an exceptional case, when an applicant shows reason to fear injury to the applicant's person or property," a license to carry a pistol or revolver may be granted or denied at the discretion of the county police chief. In practice however very few concealed carry licenses are granted, and issuance of carry permits is normally limited to active or retired law enforcement officers, security professionals and high-ranking military members. As of December 2017 there were 0 active Handgun Carry Licenses issued to private citizens in Hawaii, out of a population of 1.4 million. Permits are valid in the issuing county only. Hawaii does not recognize concealed carry permits issued by other states.
Acquiring a firearm in Hawaii requires a permit to acquire, issued to qualified applicants by the county police chief. There is a minimum 14- to 20-day waiting period for receiving a permit. A separate permit is required for each handgun transaction to be acquired, while a "long gun" permit can be used for any number of rifles or shotguns for a period of one year. In addition to passing a criminal background check, applicants must provide an affidavit of mental health, and agree to release their medical records. First time applicants must be fingerprinted by the FBI. When applying to acquire a handgun, a handgun safety training course affidavit or hunter's education card is also required.
Firearms acquired within the state must be registered with the chief of police within 5 days. Firearms brought in from out of state, including those owned prior to moving to Hawaii, must be registered within 3 days of arrival. Registration of firearms brought in from out of state does not involve a waiting period, however a FBI fingerprint and background check will be conducted. Registration is not required for black-powder firearms or firearms manufactured before 1899.
Carrying a loaded firearm, concealed or not concealed, including in a vehicle, is a class B felony. Unloaded firearms that are secured in a gun case and are accompanied by a corresponding permit are allowed to be transported in a vehicle between the permitted owner's residence or business and: a place of repair; a target range; a licensed dealer's place of business; an organized, scheduled firearms show or exhibit; a place of formal hunter or firearm use training or instruction; or a police station.
Fully automatic firearms, shotguns with barrels less than 18 inches long, and rifles with barrels less than 16 inches long are prohibited by state law. Also banned are handgun magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition, and semi-automatic handguns with certain combinations of features that the state has defined as assault pistols.
Non-residents may transport a firearm to the state, which requires registration at a police station within 72 hours of arrival. Current law requires fingerprinting and photograph. A permit is provided for each firearm make/model/serial number. Subsequent registration of other firearms do not require the fingerprinting and photograph. The current first time fingerprinting fee is $14.75. Firearm fingerprinting fee was increased to $42.00 as of December 4, 2016 and is only payable in money order or cashiers check. Once registered the permit is valid statewide in all counties.
Firearms that are lost, stolen, or destroyed are required to be reported to the police within 24 hours.