Asking for a friend.  He has a PTA.  Somebody offered to sell a firearm they say is not registered.  Can he take it in to get it registered and legal?  What if it actually was registered, or worse, even stolen?

Since you said he has a PTA, I'm assuming this is a long gun?

Long guns acquired before 1994 are not required to be registered, so it's not unheard of for an unregistered firearm to be transferred and registered after 1994.

FYI: That year is easy to remember, since it's the year the Federal Assault Weapons Ban was enacted (1994-2004).

So, I wouldn't fret the fact it isn't registered.  How and when the seller acquired the firearm isn't your friend's concern ... unless the seller seems sketchy.   

When the buyer registers, the police should be able to find out if it was registered prior. 

I've often wondered if the different HI county police departments have access to each others' registrations.  I have a feeling they didn't before things started to become digitized.  Even after, I imagine they aren't that efficient yet.  So, hypothetically, if it was registered on Oahu and then registered again on Maui, i'm not sure MPD would be able to find that out on their own.

As long as the buyer has no suspicion it's stolen, they shouldn't worry about getting into trouble if it's discovered to be reported stolen.  If that happens, hopefully your friend can get their money back from the seller if the gun gets confiscated.

Asking for a friend.  He has a PTA.  Somebody offered to sell a firearm they say is not registered.  Can he take it in to get it registered and legal?  What if it actually was registered, or worse, even stolen?

If its a long gun from before 94 then its fine. If he buys it, by law, he supposed to register it under his name now. some people who put extra value into unregistered, dont do it tho. If your friend takes it to get register, and theres any issue, it will be confiscated. Issue such as previously been registered to someone other than the seller, reported stolen, purchased after 94 and just not registered, etc...

I would say its best to treat it like a normal private sale, get a bill of sale, and all that fun stuff.

Asking for a friend.  He has a PTA.  Somebody offered to sell a firearm they say is not registered.  Can he take it in to get it registered and legal?  What if it actually was registered, or worse, even stolen?

Recommend having the seller clarify registration status.  Never registered?  Unknown registration status?  Etc. 

A couple of friends went through similar when they purchased a bunch of guns through an estate sale, where at least one turned up wasn't registered under the seller (deceased husband).  I went through similar with a pistol that I inherited from my dad where the registration was "misfiled". 

Not sure if Maui PD process and folks will approach same as what I went through, as well as my buddies.  For my case, HPD misfiled the registration paperwork (during transition from paper to electronic), so gun showed up as registered to owner prior to my dad.  HPD wouldn't disclose who it was registered under (which I can understand).  So transfer or chain of ownership put into question, which my understanding is one of the main things, so would have been treated as unregistered and confiscated.  At least what I was told by multiple folks at firearms registration and a couple who went through similar.  Luckily they ended up finding the paperwork, so ended up all good. 

Another friend went through unregistered pistol that his father brought back from the war.  So when he passed, he inherited.  In that case, HPD acknowledged transfer of ownership through the will and my friend registered like normal. 

Anyways, just sharing experiences that I and buddies went through.  Not a lawyer, expert, etc. . . Proceed at our own discretion. . .