What Coconut-kid is saying is if you purchased the receiver with a long gun permit then you will be registering it as a long gun receiver. So in the State of Hawaii it's a long gun, even if ATF has it as "Other".
I have several AR-15 receivers, some built and some still stripped. I used my long gun permit for the purchases, and not a single one was registered as a "rifle". All were registered as "
Receiver Only".
I don't think they can require you to get a pistol permit unless you tell them you intend to build a pistol when registering.
Once you decide to build a pistol, whether it was the intent all along or you decided a year later after it sat in your safe still stripped, THEN you should apply for a pistol permit
before installing the barrel. You can build the lower and upper, just don't join the two until you can legally "acquire" the pistol.
A receiver isn't a rifle, shotgun or handgun. it's a "firearm." Unless the state's laws treat receivers as "potential pistols," then a pistol permit isn't required.
Also, there are exceptions to the handgun permit requirement. I've purchased & registered a revolver with a Long Gun Permit to Acquire. No 2 week wait, either.
On a side note, I have a registration form that shows my Sig P227 .45ACP is a
semi auto rifle,P227,4.50".
I'm surprised I haven't had SWAT at my door looking for my illegal 4.5" barrel SBR!
HPD makes mistakes.