HI · checked October 18, 2026

Shotgun laws in Hawaii

What Hawaii adds on top of federal law: short-barreled shotguns, 14-inch "firearms," feature rules, magazine limits, permits and waiting periods.

Decorative editorial illustration for the state shotgun law referenceVerify the current state and federal rules with official sources
Federal update — Oct 9, 2026

ATF says it is no longer enforcing federal NFA approval or registration for short-barreled shotguns. That does not change state law: where a state only allows SBSs that are registered under the NFA, you still need that registration to be legal under state law. What changed.

Short-barreled shotgunsProhibited

Hawaii bans making, owning, selling or acquiring shotguns with barrels under 18 inches, with no exception for federal registration.[1]

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-8(a)
14" 'firearms' (Shockwave / TAC-14)Unclear — see notes

Hawaii defines a 'pistol' as any firearm with a barrel under 16 inches and also bans shotguns with barrels under 18 inches; how a 14-inch 'firearm' is classified was not confirmed.[2]

Semi-auto / feature rulesNo state feature ban

Hawaii's assault weapon ban covers pistols only. A 2025 bill (SB401) to add assault rifles and shotguns had not been enacted, per a bill tracker.[3]

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 134-8(a)
Magazine limitsNo limit for shotguns

Hawaii's 10-round limit applies only to detachable magazines for pistols, not shotguns.[1]

Permit to buyPermit / ID required

A permit to acquire from the county police chief is required; a rifle/shotgun permit covers further long-gun purchases for one year.[4]

Waiting period14-day wait

A permit can't be issued until 14 days after the application; later long-gun purchases on the same one-year permit are exempt.[4]

Where a state has no official guidance on a point, the summary says what the statute text appears to say, and marks it unclear when it can't be read either way.

Also know

SB401 bill status came from a third-party tracker (app.azure.legiplex.com/hi/legislature/2026/2026-r/bills/sb401), which showed it carried over without final passage.

Not legal advice

This is a plain-English summary. Cities and counties can add rules, and laws change. Confirm with Hawaii's official sources or a licensed attorney before you buy, build or travel.

Federal rules that apply everywhere

  • Under the National Firearms Act, a 'shotgun' is a weapon designed and intended to be fired from the shoulder that uses a fixed shotgun shell to fire shot or a single projectile through a smooth bore with each pull of the trigger. source
  • The Gun Control Act uses nearly the same definition: a shotgun is designed and intended to be fired from the shoulder and fires shot or a single projectile through a smooth bore for each pull of the trigger. source
  • Federal law defines a short-barreled shotgun as a shotgun with a barrel under 18 inches, or any weapon made from a shotgun with an overall length under 26 inches. source
  • The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the law that cut the NFA tax, is Public Law 119-21 and was approved on July 4, 2025. source

Shotguns to consider

Use the 3-step quiz — it flags Hawaii's rules on your matches — or compare every model.

Sources

  1. Hawaii — Short-barreled shotguns (secondary source)
  2. Hawaii — 14" 'firearms' (Shockwave / TAC-14) (secondary source)
  3. Hawaii — Semi-auto / feature rules (secondary source)
  4. Hawaii — Permit to buy (secondary source)

Last checked October 18, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Send a correction.

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