Hawaii has significant carry restrictions, and the legal landscape has shifted substantially since the 2022 Supreme Court decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. New legislation, court rulings, and injunctions continue to affect what is currently enforceable. This page provides a general overview only — verify the current status of any specific provision with County police department or a licensed Hawaii attorney before relying on it.
Hawaii carry status overview
Hawaii requires a License to Carry to carry a concealed handgun, issued by County police department. Hawaii's carry licensing was historically extremely restrictive prior to Bruen, with very few licenses issued statewide. Post-Bruen, Hawaii moved toward shall-issue but retains significant requirements and sensitive-location restrictions. Each of Hawaii's counties has its own police department handling applications.
| Concealed carry | License to Carry required |
| Governing law | Hawaii Revised Statutes § 134-9 |
| Issuing authority | County police department |
| Open carry | Generally prohibited |
| Vehicle carry | Strict requirements — verify current rules |
| Post-Bruen changes | Yes — significant sensitive-location and process changes since 2022 |
Applying for a permit
Apply through County police department. Be prepared for a more involved process than in most other states — additional documentation, longer processing times, and in some cases an in-person interview may be required. Training requirements are typically more extensive than in shall-issue states.
Application info: https://www.honolulupd.org/information/firearms-unit/ ↗
Sensitive locations (post-Bruen)
Following the 2022 Bruen decision, Hawaii enacted expanded "sensitive location" restrictions that prohibit carry — even with a valid permit — in a substantially wider range of places than before. Categories commonly include:
- Government buildings and courts
- Schools and educational institutions (K–12 and higher ed)
- Healthcare facilities
- Public transit
- Places of worship (unless authorized)
- Bars and establishments serving alcohol
- Public parks and gathering places (varies)
- Polling places
Private property, unless affirmatively authorized by the owner— struck down. HRS § 134-9.5 was held unconstitutional in Wolford v. Lopez (June 25, 2026). See the dedicated section above.
These categories are illustrative — the specific list and ongoing litigation status varies. Verify the current, enforceable list directly with County police department before carrying anywhere in Hawaii.
Wolford v. Lopez — the Supreme Court struck Hawaii's private-property rule
Hawaii was the defendant in the most consequential carry decision of 2026, and the outcome changed the rule that had the largest practical effect on licence holders in the state.
When Bruen forced Hawaii to abandon its near-impossible "exceptional case" licensing standard, the legislature responded with Act 52 of 2023. Alongside the new shall-issue framework, Act 52 added HRS § 134-9.5, which flipped the traditional common-law default on private property: rather than a licensee being free to enter public-facing private property unless told otherwise, the licensee needed the owner's express and affirmative consent first. Challengers argued this effectively barred carry on roughly 96% of publicly accessible land in Hawaii.
Three Maui County licence holders and an organisation sued. The Ninth Circuit upheld the rule; the Supreme Court granted review, heard argument on January 20, 2026, and decided the case on June 25, 2026.
The majority found Hawaii's proffered historical analogues unpersuasive — early statutes it relied on targeted unauthorised hunting and trespass on land closed to the public, not armed self-defence in public-facing businesses. Justice Alito described the practical effect of the rule as staggering, observing that an ordinary run of errands past a gas station, a grocery store and a dry cleaner could leave a licensed carrier a criminal several times over without ever intending to break the law.
What this means in practice: the default has reverted. A Hawaii licence holder may carry onto private property open to the public unless the owner has said otherwise — by posting a sign or telling them directly. Act 52's other sensitive-place categories were not before the Court and remain in force.
Beyond Hawaii: four other states — California, Maryland, New York and New Jersey — had adopted materially similar default rules after Bruen. The decision bears directly on those laws, and it prompted supplemental briefing in New Jersey's own pending sensitive-places litigation.
Bringing a firearm to Hawaii: the 5-day registration rule
This is the requirement that catches mainland visitors, and it applies whether or not you ever intend to carry.
Any firearm brought into Hawaii must be registered with the county chief of police within 5 days of arrival, and the firearm must be brought to the station physically so it can be inspected. Failure to register is a criminal offence. Hawaii requires registration of all firearms and ammunition with the chief of police of the county of one's residence, business, or place of sojourn — the last of which expressly covers temporary lodging, so a visitor is not exempt.
Acquiring a firearm in Hawaii is a further step again: HRS § 134-2 requires a Permit to Acquire from the county police chief before any acquisition, with a minimum 14-day waiting period on application.
Shall-issue on paper, and what the numbers show
Hawaii became shall-issue when Act 52 took effect on January 1, 2024. The county chief of police must issue to an applicant meeting objective criteria — 21 or older, a U.S. citizen, national or lawful permanent resident, a Hawaii resident, not otherwise disqualified — and may no longer demand a showing of exceptional need. Licences are valid for four years and are recognised statewide once issued, though the application goes through your own county. Most counties require passing a shooting proficiency test.
The uptake figures give a sense of scale: as of December 31, 2025, 3,764 Hawaii residents held a valid Licence to Carry — roughly 0.34% of the adult population, though that was up about 70% year over year.
One further point of Hawaii-specific law worth knowing: in State v. Wilson (2024), the Hawaii Supreme Court held that the Hawaii state constitution confers no independent individual right to carry firearms in public. Carry rights in Hawaii therefore rest entirely on the federal Second Amendment — which is precisely why federal litigation like Wolford matters so much here.
Unconcealed (open) carry remains separately governed and is still issued only in an exceptional case where the applicant shows reason to fear injury to person or property. In practice, open carry licences are close to nonexistent.
Frequently asked questions — Hawaii
Is it difficult to get a carry permit in Hawaii?
The process in Hawaii is generally more involved than in shall-issue states — expect more documentation, training requirements, and processing time. Apply through County police department for the current specific requirements.
Has Hawaii's carry law changed recently?
Yes, likely. Following the 2022 Supreme Court Bruen decision, many restrictive states including Hawaii enacted new legislation addressing "sensitive locations" and permit processes. This area of law is actively litigated and continues to change. Always verify the current status before relying on any specific provision described here.
Does Hawaii honor permits from other states?
No, and the position is stricter than simple non-recognition. Hawaii recognizes no out-of-state permit, and under HRS § 134-9(a)(5) it issues a License to Carry only to Hawaii residents. Non-residents are categorically ineligible — there is no non-resident licence to apply for, and no exception for military personnel, seasonal residents, or people who own property in the state. If you are visiting Hawaii, there is no lawful route to carrying a handgun there.
I'm flying to Hawaii with a firearm. What do I have to do?
Register it with the county chief of police within 5 days of arrival, and bring the firearm physically to the station for inspection. This is a requirement most mainland visitors have never encountered and failing to do it is a crime. It applies to bringing a firearm into the state at all — it is separate from, and does not grant, any authority to carry.
Is Hawaii shall-issue or may-issue?
Shall-issue, since Act 52 of 2023 took effect on January 1, 2024. Before that, Hawaii's "exceptional case" standard made licences almost impossible to obtain in practice. Guides describing Hawaii as may-issue are describing pre-2024 law. That said, shall-issue applies to the licence itself — Act 52 simultaneously created an extensive sensitive-places list, so obtaining the licence and being able to use it are two different questions. As of December 31, 2025, 3,764 Hawaii residents held a valid Licence to Carry: about 0.34% of the adult population.
Can I carry into a shop or business in Hawaii?
The rule changed in June 2026. Hawaii's HRS § 134-9.5 had made private property open to the public presumptively off-limits unless the owner affirmatively consented. On June 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court struck that rule down 6–3 in Wolford v. Lopez. The default is now the traditional one: a licensee may carry onto public-facing private property unless the owner says otherwise. Note that Act 52's other sensitive-place categories were not at issue and remain in force, and at least one county has its own posted-property ordinance.