Resident permit · NJ → HI
Is a New Jersey Resident Permit Valid in Hawaii?
No — this is one of the pairs where carrying is off the table. Hawaii doesn't honor the permit and doesn't allow permitless carry for visitors, so there is no lawful concealed-carry path on this trip.
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 (New Jersey)
- Permit
- State of New Jersey Permit to Carry a Handgun (PTC)
- Issued by
- Chief police officer of the applicant's municipality or the Superintendent of State Police; out-of-state applicants apply in person through an NJSP station
- 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
Recognition is only half the question. Once you're inside Hawaii, its carry rules apply to you exactly as they do to locals.
- 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
New Jersey vs Hawaii: what changes at the state line
Crossing from New Jersey into Hawaii changes one rule: open carry (No → Restricted).
| Rule | New Jersey | Hawaii |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | No |
| Duty to inform police | Yes | Yes |
| Magazine limit | 10 rounds | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | None | None |
| Open carry | No | Restricted |
Going the other way, a Hawaii resident permit in New Jersey: not recognized.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Hawaii honor a New Jersey non-resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the resident permit on this page.
- Can a Hawaii resident permit holder carry in New Jersey?
- Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on New Jersey'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
- New Jersey State Police — Concealed Carry Facts and FAQ's (reciprocity, duty to disclose, magazine limit, sensitive places) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJSP — N.J.S.A. 2C:58-4.6 Places where carrying a firearm is prohibited (current as of 12-11-25) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJSP — Concealed Carry Permit Instructions for Out-of-State Residents (03/03/2026) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJ OAG — N.J.A.C. Title 13 Chapter 54 (Firearms and Weapons; 13:54-2.3 carry-permit criteria; under-21 handgun disability) — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJ Attorney General Directive 2022-07 — carrying of firearms in public after Bruen — accessed 2026-08-08
- NJSP — Concealed Carry Permits (how to apply, forms, CCARE) — accessed 2026-09-27
- NJSP — Concealed Carry Permit Instructions for N.J. Residents & Dual Residents (03/03/2026) — accessed 2026-09-27
- New Jersey P.L.2022, c.131 (permit to carry; $200 application fee) — accessed 2026-09-27