Hawaii Gun Laws

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In Hawaii you need to obtain a "Permit to Acquire" to purchase any firearm.  For a rifle permit you can either take the Hawaii hunter education course, or an NRA firearms safety course from an approved Instructor. For  a handgun permit to acquire you Must take an NRA pistol safety course from an approved instructor. Contact information for instructors can be found in the menu at the top of the page.

In Hawaii you cannot own:

Short barreled rifles (rifles with a barrel less than 16") 

Short barreled shotguns (shotguns with barrels less than 18") 

Any automatic firearm

Suppressors or "silencers"

"Assault pistols" such as AR or AK style pistols

Cane guns

Explosives, grenades

Exploding or armor piercing ammo

Currently, pistol magazines are limited to 10 rounds. This includes ANY magazines that are capable of being used in rifles such as pistol caliber carbines that take glock or other pistol magazines.

Rifle magazines are currently unrestricted. There was a bill last legislative session to ban ALL magazines over 10 rounds but it failed. It will get reintroduced in the 2026 legislative session.

You can have one or the other! If you have a medical marijuana card you cannot purchase firearms. Even though the card is ok in the state of Hawaii, it is Not federally recognized. If you have a medical card and would like to purchase a firearm you must wait until the card expires, wait a year and then you are eligible to apply for firearm permits.

Hawaii's firearms laws, outlined in HRS Section 134, regulate possession, acquisition, and use. Administered by county police chiefs, these laws set strict requirements for permits, restrict ineligible individuals, and define penalties for violations. Below is a summary of each section in Chapter 134. - Section 134-1: Definitions - Clarifies terms like firearm (any weapon firing a projectile by explosive force), automatic firearm, and crime of violence (felonies involving bodily injury or deadly weapon use), critical for eligibility and prohibitions. - Section 134-2: Permits to acquire - Requires a permit to acquire a firearm, issued by the county police chief. Applicants must be 21, pass background checks, provide fingerprints, and meet federal and state eligibility (no felonies, mental health adjudications, or domestic violence orders). Permits are valid for 30 days for handguns and one year for long guns, including rifles and shotguns. - Section 134-3: Registration - Mandates registration of all firearms with the county police chief within five days of acquisition or arrival in Hawaii, including serial numbers and owner details. Non-compliance is a petty misdemeanor, and unregistered firearms may be confiscated after notice. - Section 134-4: Transfer of rifles and shotguns - Requires a permit for all transfers of rifles and shotguns, handled through licensed dealers who verify eligibility. Transfers must comply with registration rules. - Section 134-5: Possession by licensed hunters and minors - Permits licensed hunters to carry unloaded firearms in vehicles to hunting areas. Minors under 16 can use firearms under adult supervision for hunting or target shooting, with specific safety rules. - Section 134-6: Place to keep - Firearms must be unloaded and in a secure container when traveling, except when in use at home, a range, or other designated areas. Secure storage is required when minors could access them to prevent unauthorized use. - Section 134-7: Persons prohibited from owning - Bars felons, fugitives, those under indictment, drug offenders, minors (except as allowed), and those with mental health adjudications or domestic violence convictions from possessing firearms or ammunition. Violations are felonies. - Section 134-8: Prohibited weapons - Bans automatic firearms, silencers, short-barreled shotguns, cane guns, and assault pistols (with exemptions for law enforcement). Possession is a class B felony; manufacturing or selling is a class A felony. - Section 134-9: Licenses to carry - Concealed carry licenses are shall-issue, requiring completion of a concealed carry class, qualifying with the gun to be carried, and application with the police department. Open carry is generally prohibited except for law enforcement or specific activities like hunting. - Section 134-10: Alteration of identification marks - Prohibits altering or removing a firearm's serial number, a felony offense to prevent tracking evasion. - Section 134-10.5: Storage of firearms - Requires firearms to be stored in a securely locked box, container, or a location a reasonable person would believe secure when minors could access them without parental permission. Violations are a misdemeanor. - Section 134-11: Exemptions for law enforcement - Exempts police, military, and certain officials from permit and carry restrictions when acting in their official duties, provided they follow training and certification rules. - Section 134-12 to 134-15: Explosives and background checks - Regulates ammunition sales (must align with registered firearms) and mandates federal background checks for all transfers. Explosives like bombs are heavily restricted. - Section 134-16 to 134-17: Restricted items and penalties - Bans high-capacity pistol magazines (over ten rounds) and sets penalties for violations, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies depending on the offense. - Section 134-18 to 134-31: Permits for tear gas and other items - Regulates permits for less-lethal devices like stun guns and tear gas, with similar eligibility and application processes as firearms. - Section 134-34 to 134-51: Miscellaneous provisions - Includes rules for lost/stolen firearm reporting (within 24 hours), safe storage near schools, and bans on carrying in sensitive locations (schools, government buildings, within 1,000 feet of school zones).