Resident permit · GA → HI
Is a Georgia Resident Permit Valid in Hawaii?
No — leave it holstered and cased. Your Georgia resident permit has no legal effect in Hawaii, and Hawaii offers no permitless path for visitors either.
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 (Georgia)
- Permit
- Georgia Weapons Carry License (WCL)
- Issued by
- Judge of the probate court of the applicant's county of domicile
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
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
Hawaii's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.
- 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
Georgia vs Hawaii: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Georgia 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 | Georgia | 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 resident permit in Georgia: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Hawaii honor a Georgia non-resident permit?
- Georgia does not issue non-resident carry permits (georgia.gov requires applicants to be a Georgia resident and apply at the probate court (county of domicile); 18-20 only for military members with basic training completed. Out-of-state residents cannot get a WCL, but under SB 319 they may carry without one if they would otherwise qualify), so the question does not arise.
- Can a Hawaii resident permit holder carry in Georgia?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Georgia's law, not Hawaii's.
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
- Georgia Attorney General - Firearms License Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia.gov - Apply for a Firearms License — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia General Assembly House Budget & Research Office - Constitutional Carry in Georgia (SB 319 policy brief) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia Department of Public Safety - Georgia's Firearm Permit Reciprocity — accessed 2026-08-08