Hawaii concealed carry laws and reciprocity

A person carrying a firearm who is stopped by police, or is a driver or passenger in a stopped vehicle, must immediately disclose that they are carrying and, on request, identify its location and present the carry license; licensees must also carry the license, photo ID, and proof of registration.

Carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle on a public highway is a class B felony unless the person carries a pistol or revolver under an HRS 134-9 license; others may transport firearms only unloaded in an enclosed container.

Except as provided in HRS 134-5 (hunting) and 134-9 (licenses), firearms must be kept at the possessor's home, business, or place of sojourn, and may be moved only unloaded in an enclosed container to listed places; carrying a pistol in violation is a class B felony.

Since January 1, 2024, a county chief of police shall grant a statewide concealed-carry license to a qualified resident applicant age 21+ who meets the training, character, and other criteria of HRS 134-9; unconcealed-carry licenses remain discretionary and county-only.

A concealed-carry license under HRS 134-9(a) requires the applicant to be a resident of Hawaii. The separate discretionary unconcealed license (for applicants engaged in the protection of life and property who show urgency or need) is valid only in the issuing county.

Unconcealed carry requires a separate license that a chief of police may grant only to applicants engaged in the protection of life and property who show urgency or need, valid only in that county. A concealed-carry licensee who causes alarm by failing to keep the firearm concealed commits a petty misdemeanor.

HRS 134-9.5 makes it an offense for a licensee to enter or remain on another person's private property with a firearm unless the owner has given express authorization by unambiguous written or verbal consent or by posting clear and conspicuous signage that carrying is authorized, so on private property not open to the public a no-firearms sign is unnecessary and carrying is barred by default. In Wolford v. Lopez (June 25, 2026) the U.S. Supreme Court held that default rule unconstitutional as applied to private property open to the public, where owners can still exclude armed visitors under the common-law rule by withdrawing consent.

Licensees may not carry in any bar or restaurant serving alcohol for on-premises consumption or its adjacent parking; the Ninth Circuit upheld this restriction in 2024.

Licensees may not carry on any beach, playground, park, state park, state monument, county park, or other state- or county-managed recreation area (except authorized target ranges); the Ninth Circuit upheld the beach and park restrictions in 2024.

Places of worship are not among the prohibited locations in HRS 134-9.1, so licensees may carry there unless the property owner prohibits it; Hawaii's default ban on carrying onto private property without express consent (HRS 134-9.5) was held unconstitutional for property open to the public in Wolford v. Lopez (U.S. June 25, 2026).

Licensees may not carry on the campus or premises of any public or private community college, college, or university, including adjacent parking areas.

HRS 134-9.1 bars licensees from state and county buildings, medical facilities, jails, bars and restaurants serving alcohol, stadiums, theaters and sporting events, libraries, colleges, schools and child care facilities, beaches and parks, shelters, polling places, banks, public transit and airports, amusement parks, museums and zoos, and posted permitted public gatherings, generally including adjacent parking. The separate private-property default ban (HRS 134-9.5) was held unconstitutional as applied to property open to the public in Wolford v. Lopez (U.S. 2026).

Under HRS 703-304(5)(b), deadly force in self-defense is not justified if the actor knows they can avoid it with complete safety by retreating, except that there is no duty to retreat from one's dwelling or, in most cases, place of work.

HRS 134-8(c) prohibits detachable magazines holding more than ten rounds that are designed for or capable of use with a pistol; the limit does not apply to rifle-only magazines.

HRS 134-8(a) prohibits the manufacture, possession, sale, or transfer of assault pistols (with a limited exception in 134-4(e)); the statute does not ban assault rifles or shotguns.

HRS 134-8(a) prohibits the manufacture, possession, sale, or transfer of mufflers, silencers, or devices for deadening the sound of discharged firearms; violation is a class C felony.

HRS 134-8(a) prohibits rifles with barrels shorter than sixteen inches.

HRS 134-8(a) prohibits shotguns with barrels shorter than eighteen inches.