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Hawaii Gun Laws

You know Hawaii as a state that is completely made up of islands. The beautiful state that spans a total of 132 islands is a stunning sight to behold.

The Islands in Hawaii are a wonderful reason to visit the state, no doubt. Although, there are so many other reasons to want to live there. So many other fascinating things to know about Hawaii.

One of these things is Hawaii concealed carry and the gun laws surrounding them.

The gun laws in Hawaii govern the possession, usage, and carriage of guns in the state.

As you would have guessed for a state that believes in culture, the gun laws in Hawaii are strict.

The gun laws in Hawaii operate on a county level and adopt a “May Issue” policy.

This means that, in exceptional cases, the state “May issue” Hawaii concealed carry permits to individuals who are in dire need.

“In dire need” in this context means such an individual must be able to show reason to fear injury either to themselves or their property.

In practice though, Hawaii concealed carry permit applications are very rarely ever granted. The state issues CCW permits to active or retired law enforcement officers. Security professionals and high-ranking military members also form a part of that list.

According to Wikipedia, there are zero Hawaii concealed carry permits issued to private citizens. This statistic is from 2017 and out of a population of one million four hundred thousand people.

Hawaii Gun Reciprocity

The state of Hawaii has a CCW reciprocity policy that doesn’t honor or recognize concealed carry permits issued in other states. This is as a result of their strict gun laws.

How Does the Hawaii CCW reciprocity Work?

As stated earlier, Hawaii doesn’t have a CCW reciprocity in place with other states. This means that the state doesn’t honor or recognize the concealed carry permits of other states in the U.S.

An individual with a CCW permit of another state cannot own or carry a gun in the state of Hawaii.

Other states in the U.S have no restricted reciprocity policy with them though. In this case, the Hawaii concealed carry permit remains valid if:

  • The individual has a Hawaii concealed carry permit
  • The individual meets the requirements of the other state

For instance, an individual who is twenty-one years old and with a Hawaii CCW permit can’t go to a state at which the minimum age is twenty-three. 

The permit won’t be valid anymore as they do not meet the age requirement.

Seeing as Hawaii concealed carry permits are usually issued to only law enforcement officials they are valid in every other state. 

This is possible because of a law in the United State. The law permits all law enforcement officials to carry their concealed firearms in every state regardless of local laws.

Hawaii CCW Location Restriction

The gun laws in the state of Hawaii has put together a list of places where individuals can carry their Hawaii CCW. There is also a list of places they can’t.

Places Where You Can’t Conceal Carry In Hawaii

The state of Hawaii restricts individuals from carrying firearms in the following locations. This is irrespective of whether you have a Hawaii concealed carry permit or not

  • State or national parks, state or national forests, and wildlife management areas.
  • Secured areas of airports and airplanes.
  • Private building with signs prohibiting Hawaii concealed carry on their premises.
  • Any other place where the federal or state law prohibits Hawaii concealed carry.

Places Where You Can Use Guns In Hawaii

The law permits individuals who own a Hawaii CCW to carry their firearms in the following places:

  • Vehicles: You can carry your Hawaii concealed carry in your vehicle. This is legal as long as you have a Hawaii concealed carry permit. Note that the state of Hawaii frowns at the possession and carriage of a loaded firearm on any public highway.
  • Roadside rest areas: Individuals can carry their CCW at roadside rest areas. Note that this doesn’t extend to buildings.
  • Bars or Restaurants. There are no laws barring a Hawaii concealed carry in bars or restaurants that serve alcohol. This is only permitted if you have a Hawaii concealed carry of course. Note that if the bar or restaurant prohibits this act, you can’t carry you Hawaii CCW there.
  • Hotels: The gun laws in Hawaii is silent about concealed carry in hotels. This is because hotels set up their respective policies. You would do well to contact the hotel you intend to visit. This is to make inquiries before going there with your Hawaii concealed carry.
  • Places of Worship. While the state doesn’t prohibit this act, know that places of worship are private properties. If they so wish, they can post signs prohibiting Hawaii concealed carry on their property.

It is important to know that the state law requires you to notify an officer that you are carrying a firearm when the need arises. Failure to do so is an offense and might have consequences.

Concealed Carry for Law Enforcement Officers in Hawaii

Hawaii concealed carry permit applications are usually granted to law enforcement officials. The only time this statement doesn’t stay true is in exceptional cases.

It is thus safe to say that the only individuals who own Hawaii concealed carry permits are law enforcement officials.

The gun laws in Hawaii permits active and retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm in the state.

The state of Hawaii has put in place a firearm certification program for qualified retired law enforcement officers.

There are also some laws that govern the carry of concealed firearms by law enforcement officers in the state. These laws include:

  • Any firearms that brought to Hawaii and remain longer than five days must be registered with the county chief of police.
  • Ammunition can’t be Teflon coated or designed to explode or segment upon impact. Ammunition sold as “law enforcement only” cannot be possessed in Hawaii. That is except for authorized law enforcement officers.
  • Magazine capacity of concealed firearms cannot exceed 10 rounds.

Buying and Selling Of Firearms In Hawaii

The acquisition of firearms in Hawaii isn’t a straightforward process. Individuals who meet the required standard to own and use a gun must get a permit to buy.

As with the Hawaii concealed carry permit application, acquiring permits are only issued to qualified applications by the county chief of police.

The basic requirements for acquiring a firearm in Hawaii are:

  • The individual must be 21 years old
  • The individual must have a handgun safety training course. An affidavit or hunter’s education card is also accepted

It takes a waiting period of about fourteen to twenty days after an application for the permit to be processed.

After the acquisition of the firearm, you are authorized by law to register such a firearm with the chief of police within five days of acquisition.

Hawaii Age Requirement to Deal with Gun

Residents in Hawaii who wish to own and carry a gun must be at least twenty-one years of age.

Hawaii concealed carry permit applications of individuals who are younger than the age limit will not be considered.

Hawaii CCW Permit Requirement

Residents of the state of Hawaii who wishes to apply for a Hawaii concealed carry permit must meet all the requirements stated by the gun laws of the state.

These requirements include:

  • The individual must be at least twenty-one years of age.
  • The individual must be a lawful resident of Hawaii.
  • The person must be able to show reason to fear injury to their person or property.
  • The individual must be able to own a CCW under the Hawaiian law.
  • The individual must not be insane or incapacitated under the Hawaiian law.
  • The individual must qualify to make use of firearms.

It is important to know that the state of Hawaii is a “may issue” state that rarely issues CCW permits to citizens.

Considering this, know that you might meet all the above-stated requirements and still not get granted a license. That power lies with the county chief of police.

How to Apply for Hawaii CCW Permit

Unlike other states with complex application processes, Hawaii’s is very straightforward.

Individuals who wish to go for a Hawaii concealed carry permit application only need to do one thing:

Contact their county chief of police. Give enough reason on why you fear injury to your person or property, thus needing a Hawaii CCW.

Convincing the county chief of police of this fear is an important aspect of getting your Hawaii concealed carry permit. You won’t get it if you are unable to do this.

Even if you do, the county chief of police still reserves the right to not issue the permit to you.

Hawaii CCW Permit Training Requirement

The acquisition of a Hawaii CCW requires some prerequisites. Evidence of the completion of a Hawaii concealed carry class online is one of them.

This makes it one of Hawaii concealed carry requirements. You can’t get a Hawaii concealed carry permit if you can’t get a CCW after all.

The gun laws in Hawaii state that the state grants a Hawaii concealed carry permit to individuals only if they have completed the following:

  • An approved hunter education Hawaii concealed carry class online.
  • A Hawaii concealed carry online class available to the general public. This should be offered by a law enforcement agency of the state or of any county.
  • A firearms safety or training course offered to law enforcement officers. Security guards, investigators, deputy sheriffs, or any division or subdivision of law enforcement or security enforcement by a state or county law enforcement agency included.
  • Hawaii concealed carry classes conducted by a state-certified or NRA-certified firearms instructor.
  • The safe use, handling, and storage of firearms and firearms safety in the home
  • Education on the firearms-related laws of Hawaii.

Concealed Carry Hawaii FAQs

How Long Is Hawaii CCW Permit Valid for?

The Hawaii concealed carry permit is valid for a period of 1 year after issuance.

How Long Will It Take Me to Get A CCW Permit in Hawaii?

There is no specified processing time for the Hawaii concealed carry permit. The state laws of Hawaii doesn’t make mention of any.

Interested individuals who meet all the Hawaii concealed carry permit requirements will go meet their county chief of police and await a response.

The county chief of police is also to be contacted for other issues. These include issues such as the change of name or/and address, and for lost or stolen permits.

Can a Non Resident Get a CCW Permit in Hawaii?

The state of Hawaii doesn’t issue CCW permits to Non-residents.

This comes as no surprise. I mean let’s face it, this is a state that rarely ever gives its residents permits.

How Much Is Hawaii CCW Permit Application?

Individuals that wish to get a Hawaii concealed carry will pay an initial fee of $10. The individual will then pay an extra $42 for the processing of fingerprints.

Additional Resources

Hawaii Gun Laws
Hawaii Open Carry Laws
Hawaii Gun Permit Laws

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