Non-Resident permit · TX → HI
Is a Texas Non-Resident Permit Valid in Hawaii?
Your permit stops at the state line. Hawaii recognizes no Texas non-resident permit, and without a Hawaii-issued license there is no lawful way for a visitor to carry concealed.
Why
- Hawaii does not recognize any out-of-state carry permit.
No provision of HRS chapter 134 recognizes any out-of-state carry permit; only a license issued by a Hawaii county chief of police authorizes carry, and county licensing pages describe no reciprocity path. Post-Bruen (Act 52, 2023) concealed licenses are issued on objective shall-issue criteria; unconcealed licenses still require showing 'urgency or need' (HRS 134-9(b)).
The permit (Texas)
- Permit
- Texas License to Carry a Handgun (LTC)
- Issued by
- Texas Department of Public Safety (Handgun Licensing Program)
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Non-resident licenses available — Tex. Gov't Code 411.173(a) requires DPS to establish a procedure for legal residents of other states who meet all other eligibility requirements to obtain an LTC.
The destination (Hawaii)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- Yes — proactive
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in Hawaii
Whatever your permit status, Hawaii law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- Hawaii imposes a duty to inform: you must tell an officer you are carrying. HRS 134-9.2 (enacted by Act 52, 2023) requires a person carrying a firearm who is stopped by law enforcement (including as driver or passenger) to immediately disclose that they are carrying; licensees must also keep the license card in immediate possession and produce it on request (county rules). Violation is a petty misdemeanor.
- Hawaii limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Hawaii is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Hawaii recognizes.
- Without a Hawaii license there is no lawful loaded vehicle carry; firearms may only be transported unloaded and enclosed between narrowly permitted places, and Act 52 restricts leaving firearms in unattended vehicles even for licensees.
Off-limits places in Hawaii
Hawaii bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Schools, preschools, summer camps and child care facilities
- Government buildings and courthouses
Texas vs Hawaii: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Texas into Hawaii changes 5 rules: permitless carry (Yes (21+) → No); duty to inform police (No → Yes); magazine limit (None → 10 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (All states → None); open carry (Yes, no permit → Restricted).
| Rule | Texas | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (21+) | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | Yes |
| Magazine limit | None | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | None |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Restricted |
Going the other way, a Hawaii non-resident permit in Texas: no such permit issued.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Hawaii honor a Texas resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a Hawaii non-resident permit holder carry in Texas?
- Hawaii does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Texas.
Official sources
- 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
- Texas DPS — State Reciprocity Information (chart NOT updated for SB 706; superseded by statute) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas DPS — Firearm Carry Act of 2021 (HB 1927 permitless carry) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas DPS — LTC Eligibility FAQs (18-20-year-old applicants after FPC v. McCraw) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas DPS — Laws that Relate to Carrying FAQs (vehicle carry, 46.03 places) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas Legislature — HB 1927 enrolled text (Penal Code 46.02, 46.03) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas Gov't Code 411.173 as amended by Acts 2025 ch. 483 (current statute text) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Texas Legislature — SB 706 (89R) enrolled text, amending Gov't Code 411.173(b), repealing (c)-(d) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Texas Legislature — SB 706 (89R) bill history (signed 2025-06-20, effective 2025-09-01) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Texas Gov't Code 311.005(7) — "state" includes any district, commonwealth, territory — accessed 2026-09-27
- Texas DPS — 89th Legislation (SB 706 effective September 1, 2025) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Texas DPS — LTC Application FAQs (fee, validity, training) (via Wayback 2025-12-16) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Texas DPS — LTC Training Requirements FAQ (via Wayback 2026-01-17) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Texas DPS — Licensing & Registration (how to apply, fee schedule) (via Wayback 2026-07-04) — accessed 2026-09-27