Updated: 6/17/2026
You can ship firearms to Hawaii as part of your household goods move. Most moving carriers permit firearms in personal shipments, provided they’re properly declared and comply with Hawaii’s registration requirements upon arrival.
When relocating all your personal possessions to Hawaii, firearms raise specific questions about what’s permitted and how to transport them legally. Here’s what you need to know before your move.
Moving Ammunition to Hawaii
Ammunition cannot travel with your household goods shipment. Royal Hawaiian Movers does not accept ammunition in shipments classified as household goods.
Shipping ammunition to Hawaii separately is also limited. USPS does not ship ammunition at all. FedEx Ground does not allow ammunition shipments to or within Hawaii. UPS Ground accepts small arms cartridges in certain Hawaii regions, but only through a UPS Customer Center or scheduled pickup and many online ammunition retailers won’t ship to Hawaii addresses at all. Your options come down to bringing ammunition in checked baggage on your flight, within FAA limits of 11 pounds per passenger in original packaging or purchasing after you arrive. Prices in Hawaii run higher than on the mainland due to the shipping costs involved in getting ammunition to the islands.
Laws for Importing Firearms into Hawaii from Out of State
All firearms imported into Hawaii from out of state must be registered within five days of arrival, and registration must be completed in person. Hawaii does not recognize out-of-state carry permits, so any permit you hold from another state has no standing here. The registration process, fees and hours differ by island, so the details below apply specifically to your destination.
Oahu (Honolulu Police Department)
Firearms brought in from the mainland must be registered in person as an out-of-state registration at HPD’s Records and Identification Division, Firearms Section, located at 801 South Beretania Street, Honolulu. Walk-in hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Wednesday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., excluding holidays. The background check fee is $42.00 cash or $43.26 by debit or credit card. Since 2022, HPD requires a physical inspection for all firearms brought into the state from other jurisdictions.
Maui, Lanai and Molokai (Maui Police Department)
Firearms brought into Hawaii via commercial airline, air cargo, container, commercial mail carrier or other means must be registered in person within five calendar days of arriving. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID, proof of U.S. citizenship if born outside the United States, and a fingerprinting fee of $42.00 by cashier’s check or money order payable to the County of Maui, Department of Finance. All firearms must be unloaded and transported in a rigidly constructed, enclosed container. MPD’s Firearms Section is located at 55 Mahalani Street, Wailuku. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. They are closed Fridays, weekends and holidays.
Big Island (Hawaii Police Department)
Residents must register their firearms with the Hawaii Police Department at their district police station. The fingerprint check fee is $42, effective January 1, 2025, payable by money order or cashier’s check only, made out to the Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center. New Administrative Rules covering permits and licenses took effect October 1, 2025.
Kauai (Kauai Police Department)
Registration requirements follow the same statewide framework. Contact the Kauai Police Department directly for current hours, fees and location before your move.
Across All Islands
All firearms acquired or brought into Hawaii must be registered within five days. Antique firearms and certain muzzle-loading firearms are exempt. Once registered, your registration remains valid until you sell or otherwise dispose of the firearm. Your first registration requires fingerprinting and a photograph. Subsequent registrations of additional firearms do not require fingerprinting or the fee, and your registration is valid statewide across all counties.
Black Powder Guns
Black powder firearms and firearms manufactured before 1899 are generally exempt from Hawaii’s registration requirement, but the rules differ by island and the exemption is narrower than it sounds.
On the Big Island, registration is not required for firearms designed to fire loose black powder or firearms manufactured before 1899, but a permit is still required. On Maui, locally acquired black powder firearms are exempt from registration, but that exemption does not extend to black powder firearms imported from out of state, which must still be registered within five days of arrival. Contact the Kauai Police Department directly to confirm their current requirements before your move.
If you’re bringing a black powder firearm to Hawaii from the mainland, check with your destination island’s police department before you arrive. The statewide exemption from registration does not mean there are no requirements at all.
Prepping Your Firearms for the Move to Hawaii
When you’re moving to Hawaii with firearms, your first task will be to find a company that will ship them. There are a few who will not. Royal Hawaiian Movers, as well as our DeWitt sister companies, would be happy to include your firearms in your household goods shipment.
Once you’ve located a company that can assist you, your next task is to be 100% up front with them. Tell them about all the firearms you plan to ship. This is the best way to stay legal and it gives you the opportunity to use their expertise to make this move an easier one.
If you’re packing your items on your own:
- Remove all ammunition, remove all magazines and put the safety on. You can never be too careful.
- A hard-shelled padded gun case will work well to protect your items during transit. You can also bubble wrap your guns and put them in a box. Although you should identify the box to your movers, do not label the box as containing firearms, per ATF regulations.
- Do not seal the box before your movers arrive. Your movers will need to verify and record all the details, such as the make, model and serial number on their inventory sheet. Then, the box can be sealed and stowed properly.
- Keep a copy of this information for your records, along with any paperwork you have for your guns.
If you’ve hired full-service movers who will do the packing for you:
- Go through the same safety precautions as though you were packing these yourself: Remove all ammunition, remove all magazines and put the safety on.
- Your movers will record the make, model and serial number for each gun.
- Keep a copy of this information for your records, along with any paperwork you have for your guns.
- Then, your movers will pack your guns securely within your shipment.
- As with a self-pack move, the box will not be labeled that it contains firearms, in accordance with ATF regulations.
Once your firearms arrive in Hawaii, you have five days to register them in person at your island’s police department. HPD requires a physical inspection for all firearms brought in from the mainland, so plan to bring your firearm unloaded and in an enclosed rigid container to your registration appointment
Making Your Move to Hawaii with Firearms
Moving firearms to Hawaii means a five-day registration window, a mandatory physical inspection at your island’s police department and fees and hours that differ by island. Having your documentation ready and knowing your destination island’s process before your shipment arrives saves real headaches on arrival day.
Royal Hawaiian Movers coordinates household moves to and from all four islands and can answer any questions about your move. Reach out to one of our moving consultants before your pack-out date.
