You may find yourself in Hawaii or you live there and you have a big desire for Airsoft whether you like to compete in it or you just like to shoot bottles with a realistic Airsoft replica in your backyard.
It is always recommended to make a research on what does the law say whenever you may suspect that the topic is sensitive.
I have made a research in order to answers the questions regarding the legal issues about Airsoft in Hawaii.
So, what does the law say?
Most importantly the Airsoft guns are not recognized as Firearms as defined by federal or Hawaii Laws. You do not need a permit to acquire it and you do not need to register it.
However, there are certain limitations that must be considered before you start using one. The law may be confusing sometimes, but I have acquired as many information on this topic as I possibly had an access to.
If you want to find more information on similar laws you can find it on Hawaii government page here.
Prohibitions on Airsoft gun use in Hawaii
Airsoft guns are considered as replica guns in Law and therefore certain limitation are applied to them.
- No person shall visibly carry an airsoft gun on any street, alley, public road or any public lands. The replica must be properly wrapped or carried in a suitable case.
- No person is allowed to brandish an airsoft replica gun in the presence of a law enforcement officer engaged in their duties or performances.
- It is unlawful that any person discharges any airsoft gun on any private parcel of land without the consensus of the owner of such parcel.
- If the case of showing an airsoft replica gun is associated with promotion of history or in educational purposes it is allowed to do so, however any crime committed with a replica will be treated accordingly if it was not such case.
Punishments for breaking the law regarding Airsoft guns in Hawaii
The following statements are referred to the previous paragraphs.
A person that violates the law stated under paragraph 1) , shall be deemed guilty and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine that does not exceed 500$, or by imprisonment that does not exceed 30 days.
If a person violates the law stated under paragraph 2) , shall be punished by a fine that does not exceed 1000$, or by imprisonment that does not exceed one year.
Restrictions regarding sale,rental, gifts or other transfers of Airsoft guns in Hawaii
- It is considered unlawful for any dealer to sell, rent,lend or transfer an airsoft gun to any person under the age of 18 years.
- It is unlawful for any person to sell,rent,lend,give or transfer an airsoft gun to any person under 18 years old, except where the supervision and responsibility take is present, from a parent, guardian, ward or instructor.
So simpy be aware that if you are under 18, your parent or guardian must be present when receiving a gun. They can import the gun on their name and later on supervise you if you attend to use it under the controlled environment.
Can you use an airsoft gun on the private property in Hawaii?
You are allowed to use any airsoft gun on your own property as long as it is done inside your own privacy without forcing the others into it, if you somehow happen to threaten people who pass by they may call the police on you and cause an incident. It is suggested to keep the view of your replica away from the eyes of the people who are not familiar with the story. Take care that not a single BB leaves your property.
The conclusion on the topic
Nowadays, it is difficult to talk about real guns and therefore anything that resembles it like a realistic airsoft replica may cause the unwanted responses from the public and the law.
People are sceptical and most of the common folk, including the officers can not tell a part a real gun from an airsoft replica one. There have been numerious cases when the replicas were found to be a part of a criminal activity, including bank robberies, gas station robberies or street robberies.
There also have been the cases when the people were shot because the police officers could not tell a part a realistic replica from a real gun and thought it was an immediate threat to their safety from a far.
It is not enough to just think what does the Law allow you to do, but also to bear in mind what may cause a provocative response in the society, which may lead to the unwanted scenarios. To furthermore secure yourself from possible incidents keep your replica invisible in a bag whenever traveling with it in public. It is also recommended to keep the orange markings on it if your gun has been imported with it, if you remove it you probably will not get punished because you are not supposed to display your gun in public anyways, but the best practice is still the smartest choice.