The number of adults licensed to carry concealed firearms in Hawaii County increased sharply in 2025.

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The number of adults licensed to carry concealed firearms in Hawaii County increased sharply in 2025.

According to a report released Wednesday by the state Department of Attorney General, the total number of active concealed-carry licenses in Hawaii County as of Dec. 31, 2025, was 656. That’s 231 more licenses than reported as of Dec. 31, 2024, or a 54% increase.

And with 160,047 people ages 21 and older, Hawaii County has 14.4% of that statewide population demographic, but 17.4% of the licenses to carry a concealed handgun in public.

According to the latest numbers, statewide 3,764 private citizens possessed a valid license to carry. That’s 0.34% of the state’s resident population of people 21 or older, but marks a 70.5% increase from the 2,207 licensees tallied in 2024.

The largest increase statewide was in the City and County of Honolulu, up 90%, and the smallest was in Kauai County, up 20.6%.

The City and County of Honolulu, with 765,017 adults 21 or older, had 2,576 licensees as of Dec. 31, or 68.4% of the licensees.

Maui County, with 125,468 adults, had 239 licensees, or 6.3% of the state’s licensees.

And Kauai County, with 57,181 adults, had 293 licensees, or 7.8% of the statewide licensees.

The 2025 total includes people holding still-valid licenses issued in 2024 — the first complete year of the new licensing program — plus new licensees from 2025.

Hawaii Police Department Chief Reed Mahuna said he’s “unable to opine” on the cause of the 2025 increase.

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“But, as a police chief, I am always concerned about the amount of handguns in our community,” Mahuna said. “Ghost guns, a firearm that does not have a serial number on it, unlicensed and unregistered firearms — those are more of a concern for us. Those are the types of weapons that criminals use, so they are definitely more of a concern.”

Mahuna said there is “a significant demand for concealed-carry permits in our community.”

“A very diverse segment of our community have availed themselves of a concealed-carry permit. They are professionals — doctors, lawyers, people who work in any number of professions,” he said.

Statewide, there were only 38 concealed-carry application denials — 33 on Oahu, five in Hawaii County and none on either Maui or Kauai.

On Hawaii Island, four of the denials were because the applicant was prohibited by law from owning or possessing a firearm. The other three were listed under the category of “other” reasons.

There were also eight license revocations statewide, seven on Oahu and one on Hawaii County.

Those whose applications were denied and licenses revoked can seek relief from those actions — first through an administrative appeal decided by the county police chief, and secondly, if needed, through a review by the state Judiciary.

A total of four administrative appeals were requested statewide in 2025, with two being granted, one denied and one pending at year’s end. The Judiciary reported no judicial reviews were requested in 2025.

The full report can be downloaded from the Department of the Attorney General’s Research and Statistics website at ag.hawaii.gov/cpja/rs.

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Email John Burnett at [email protected].