Non-Resident permit · HI → RI
Is a Hawaii Non-Resident Permit Valid in Rhode Island?
Hawaii doesn't put this permit on the table for non-residents (applicants must document that they currently live in Hawaii (HRS 134-9(a)(5), per Hawaii County PD 2025 rules); Maui PD requires being 'a resident of the state of Hawaii'; Hawaii County requires county residency. Citizen, US national, or lawful permanent resident required). See our non-resident permit guide for the states that do, and which of their permits Rhode Island accepts.
Why
- Hawaii does not issue carry permits to non-residents (applicants must document that they currently live in hawaii (hrs 134-9(a)(5), per hawaii county pd 2025 rules); maui pd requires being 'a resident of the state of hawaii'; hawaii county requires county residency. citizen, us national, or lawful permanent resident required).
No reciprocity for carrying within the state. Sole exception (§ 11-47-8(a)): a holder of a valid carry license from another state may transport a handgun through Rhode Island in a vehicle only while merely passing through, with no intent to stop or remain in the state.
The permit (Hawaii)
- Permit
- Hawaii License to Carry Concealed Firearm
- Issued by
- Chief of police of each county (Honolulu, Hawaii County, Maui, Kauai police departments)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — Applicants must document that they currently live in Hawaii (HRS 134-9(a)(5), per Hawaii County PD 2025 rules); Maui PD requires being 'a resident of the state of Hawaii'; Hawaii County requires county residency. Citizen, US national, or lawful permanent resident required.
The destination (Rhode Island)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in Rhode Island
Your Hawaii habits may not match Rhode Island's law. Check these three areas before you carry there.
- No Rhode Island statute imposes a duty to proactively inform police that you are carrying; licenses must be carried and produced on demand.
- Rhode Island limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Rhode Island is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Rhode Island recognizes.
- Carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle requires a Rhode Island carry license; an out-of-state permit holder may only transport through the state without stopping (§ 11-47-8(a)).
Off-limits places in Rhode Island
Rhode Island bans carry in 2 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Elementary and secondary school premises (R.I.G.L. § 11-47-60)
- Courthouses (barred by judicial administrative order rather than statute)
Hawaii vs Rhode Island: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Hawaii into Rhode Island changes one rule: duty to inform police (Yes → No).
| Rule | Hawaii | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | No |
| Duty to inform police | Yes | No |
| Magazine limit | 10 rounds | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | None | None |
Going the other way, a Rhode Island non-resident permit in Hawaii: not recognized.
Driving on from Rhode Island
How a Hawaii non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Rhode Island:
- Connecticut — No such permit issued
- Massachusetts — No such permit issued
Frequently asked questions
- Does Rhode Island honor a Hawaii resident permit?
- Not recognized. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Rhode Island treats the two permit types differently.
- Can a Rhode Island non-resident permit holder carry in Hawaii?
- Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Hawaii's law, not Rhode Island's.
- Does Hawaii issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Hawaii issues carry permits to residents only (applicants must document that they currently live in Hawaii (HRS 134-9(a)(5), per Hawaii County PD 2025 rules); Maui PD requires being 'a resident of the state of Hawaii'; Hawaii County requires county residency. Citizen, US national, or lawful permanent resident required). Non-residents who want multi-state coverage usually obtain a non-resident permit from a state that offers one, such as those listed in our non-resident permit guide.
Official sources
- RI Attorney General — Pistol Permits (BCI) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47-8 — Carrying of weapons (out-of-state pass-through exception) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47-11 — License or permit to carry concealed (municipal shall-issue, non-resident eligibility) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47.1-3 — Large capacity feeding devices prohibited (10-round limit, eff. 2022-06-20) — accessed 2026-08-08
- RI Attorney General — Concealed-Carry Permit Guidance (AG 2022-01, post-Bruen) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Town of Middletown, RI — Concealed Carry Permits — accessed 2026-09-27
- City of East Providence — Weapons Carry and Permit Package (rev. 04/2019) — accessed 2026-09-27
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-12 (license fee; term) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Honolulu Police Department - Firearms (license to carry, Act 52 references) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Maui Police Department - License to Carry a Concealed or Unconcealed Firearm — accessed 2026-08-08
- Hawaii Police Department (County of Hawaii) - Rule 1 Firearms Permits and Licenses (2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Hawaii Police Department - PM 12.3 License to Carry Application Processing — accessed 2026-08-08
- Hawaii Session Laws 2023, Act 52 (SB 1230) - amendments to HRS 134-9 — accessed 2026-09-27
- Honolulu Police Department - Checklist for License to Carry Firearm (Civilian) — accessed 2026-09-27