Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 2024 ‘Registration in Hawaii.’ Owner Responsibilities. San Francisco, CA: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 22 December
Relevant contents
[Editor's note: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence regularly updates its webpages with new data as US gun regulation evolves state by state. For the most up-to-date information on US gun laws, please refer to the Giffords URL below]
Registration of Firearms in Hawaii
With very few exceptions, all firearms in Hawaii must be registered. To acquire a firearm, either through purchase, gift, inheritance, or any other manner, all persons must first obtain a permit (…) and then must register the firearm with the county police chief within five days of acquiring it. The registration must include the name of the manufacturer and importer, model, type of action, caliber or gauge, serial number, and source from which the firearm was obtained, including the name and address of the prior registrant. If the firearm has no serial number, the permit number shall be entered in the space provided for the serial number, and the permit number shall be engraved upon the receiver portion of the firearm prior to registration.
All registration data that would identify the individual registering the firearm by name or address are confidential and shall not be disclosed to anyone, except if required by a law enforcement agency for the lawful performance of its duties or as may be required by order of a court.
State or federally licensed dealers shall register their firearms, but are not required to have the firearms physically inspected by the chief of police at the time of registration.
Under state law, every person arriving in Hawaii who brings or causes to be brought into Hawaii a firearm must register the firearm within three days of the person's or the firearm's arrival, whichever arrives later.5 State law also provides that a nonresident alien may bring into the state up to ten firearms not otherwise prohibited by law for a continuous period not to exceed 90 days for firing range or target shooting activities.
State law exempts the following firearms from the registration requirement:
(1) Any device that is designed to fire loose black powder or that is a firearm manufactured before 1899;
(2) Any device not designed to fire or made incapable of being readily restored to fire; or
(3) All unserviceable firearms and destructive devices registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives of the U.S. Department of Justice pursuant to Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations.
No fee shall be charged for registration…
Last accessed at:
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/registration-in-hawaii/