Hawaii Statewide Rule
Hawaii Vehicle Carry: License Required
Key Facts
- HRS 134-25 prohibits
- HRS 134-25 prohibits unlicensed vehicle carry statewide.
- Lawful transport requires
- Lawful transport requires unloaded firearm in enclosed container.
- Magazines must be
- Magazines must be separated from the firearm in transport.
- Class B felony
- Class B felony penalty up to 10 years in prison.
- HRS 134-9 license
- HRS 134-9 license is the only general carry authorization.
Summary
Hawaii imposes some of the nation's strictest rules on carrying firearms in vehicles. HRS 134-25 and HRS 134-26 prohibit carrying a loaded or unloaded pistol, revolver, or long gun in a motor vehicle except under narrow license and transport exceptions.
[§134-26] Carrying or possessing a loaded firearm on a public highway; penalty. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person on any public highway to carry on the person, or to have in the person's possession, or to carry in a vehicle any firearm loaded with ammunition; provided that this section shall not apply to any person who has in the person's possession or carries a pistol or revolver in accordance with a license issued as provided in section 134-9. (b) Any vehicle used in the commission of an offense under this section shall be forfeited to the State, subject to the notice and hearing requirements of chapter 712A. (c) Any person violating this section shall be guilty of a class B felony. [L 2006, c 66, pt of §1]
Full Breakdown
Under HRS 134-25, it is unlawful for any person to carry, possess, or transport a pistol or revolver in a vehicle without a HRS 134-9 license to carry. HRS 134-26 and HRS 134-27 impose parallel restrictions on rifles, shotguns, and ammunition. The narrow lawful-transport exception allows an unloaded firearm to be conveyed in an enclosed container directly between the owner's residence, a target range, a hunting area, a place of repair, a gun show, or the issuing police station. Loaded magazines must be separated from the firearm during transport. Carry licenses issued under HRS 134-9 following the 2023 Bruen-response amendments allow lawful vehicle carry only by licensees, subject to extensive sensitive-place restrictions. Unlicensed vehicle carry is a class B felony, and the law applies uniformly statewide with no county-level deviation permitted.
Violations & Penalties
Carrying a pistol or revolver in a vehicle without a license is a class B felony under HRS 134-25, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep a loaded handgun in my car in Hawaii?
How can I legally transport a firearm to the range?
Do counties have different vehicle carry rules?
Sources
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