Hi, I was wondering if anyone knew the legal aspects of constructing a small private target range on your own property if you are on agricultural land. Some sort of catch or backstop is a given, but what about permitting and noise issues? Does the range need to be enclosed? If your just using a backstop what is the minimum height? All this is assuming it is legal to shoot on your own property. Just curious if anyone knows the laws on this.

Great question, I would love to know the legalities of this.

Good way to make friends.

This is a recurring question here, so a quick search will give you 2 or 3 threads.  The short version is, there are no laws on the subject.  Shooting on your own land isn't illegal.  There are no requirements for backstops, ventilation, nada. 

There are, though, 3 laws you can run afoul of, at least potentially:
1.  reckless endangering.  If a bullet exits your property, you just became a criminal.
2.  Noise.  There are noise ordinances in place.  They are a combination of volume and time.  So, if you are shooting a really loud gun, stop every 20 minutes and take a break.
3.  terroristic threatening.  This is kinda a catch-all.  However, if someone who is outside your property sees you handling a gun, they can call in a complaint to the police, and that is a nebulous-enough charge that it may stick.

I shoot regularly inside my house, but because I want to be safe and don't want to build a proper backdrop, I stick to powderless .22 rounds, usually Super-Colibri.

This is a recurring question here, so a quick search will give you 2 or 3 threads.  The short version is, there are no laws on the subject.  Shooting on your own land isn't illegal.  There are no requirements for backstops, ventilation, nada. 

There are, though, 3 laws you can run afoul of, at least potentially:
1.  reckless endangering.  If a bullet exits your property, you just became a criminal.
2.  Noise.  There are noise ordinances in place.  They are a combination of volume and time.  So, if you are shooting a really loud gun, stop every 20 minutes and take a break.
3.  terroristic threatening.  This is kinda a catch-all.  However, if someone who is outside your property sees you handling a gun, they can call in a complaint to the police, and that is a nebulous-enough charge that it may stick.

I shoot regularly inside my house, but because I want to be safe and don't want to build a proper backdrop, I stick to powderless .22 rounds, usually Super-Colibri.

+1

If I had access to any rural land you sure as hell can bet on me shooting there. Unfortunately I live in the middle of town and.. well there's not much real estate to stretch my legs.

I don't want to steal this thread but does this also apply for setting up a shooting range on private ag land as a for-profit business?

I wish I had a property where I could bury a 40 foot container under the property and have an under ground indoor shooting range.

Damn, I would be a happy man.

I have actually thought about pursuing this at my new place in Oklahoma and then realized that nobody cares if I shoot. My wife shot at a snake two weeks ago and nobody noticed. Guy across the road tells me if you shoot a neighbors dog, make sure he dies in your yard, otherwise you may have to pay for it.

May build me a small range to to test reloads on the chrono.

This is a recurring question here, so a quick search will give you 2 or 3 threads.  The short version is, there are no laws on the subject.  Shooting on your own land isn't illegal.  There are no requirements for backstops, ventilation, nada. 

There are, though, 3 laws you can run afoul of, at least potentially:
1.  reckless endangering.  If a bullet exits your property, you just became a criminal.
2.  Noise.  There are noise ordinances in place.  They are a combination of volume and time.  So, if you are shooting a really loud gun, stop every 20 minutes and take a break.
3.  terroristic threatening.  This is kinda a catch-all.  However, if someone who is outside your property sees you handling a gun, they can call in a complaint to the police, and that is a nebulous-enough charge that it may stick.

I shoot regularly inside my house, but because I want to be safe and don't want to build a proper backdrop, I stick to powderless .22 rounds, usually Super-Colibri.

Thanks for the response, I was trying to find the laws online earlier, but as you said there seems to be no laws regarding this issue. So if you have a back area that is not visible to the road or neighbors, you couldn't be caught with terroristic threatening correct? If police are called based on neighbors hearing gunshots alone, there wouldn't be anything they could peg you for as long as you aren't violating noise levels right? Any idea what the acceptable decibel level is?

This is probably beyond what you want to hear, but here's my shot at your question:

If you really want to make it legal, you need to look up the zoning codes for your island. Each island will have different zoning districts such as: Ag, rural, residential, multi-family, business, etc... Then there are categories of uses for each zoning district such as "permitted uses", "accessory uses", "special uses", etc... The permitted uses are
things you can just do without any permits. In ag it would probably be along the lines of growing crops, raising livestock- basically uses that everyone expects on ag land.
Then there are the accessory uses. This may be a slaughterhouse, processing mill, fruit/vegetable packing plant- uses that are a little above and beyond what your typical ag owner would do, but still related to ag. Lastly, you have "special uses". This would be uses that are likely to occur on ag land, but don't really have anything to do with ag. Think paintball fields, camping grounds, bed and breakfast homes, and of course, firing ranges. With "special uses", you'll most likely need a special use permit.

The problem with a special use permit is you'll probably need to go all the way up to the Planning Commission, or maybe even the City or County Council for approval. So it's not going to be easy or cheap. In addition, you will have to notify your neighbors that you're planning on putting up a shooting range, so they will have a chance to testify for or against your project. Keep in mind if you do get approval, it also will have an expiration date, so at some point you'll have to renew it and go through a similar, albeit slightly quicker process all over again.

If you happen to go through all of that and get approval, the huge plus is you then you have a legitimate and legal range. It makes it that much harder for complaints if your range is legal and permitted. But as I said, this can be an expensive and timely process. The unfortunate thing about Hawaii laws is they don't account for the backyard shooter. The assumption is any firing range will be a Kokohead or Ukumehame type. Call your local Planning or Zoning Department for specific information because each County will have slightly different laws.

...or you skip all that, put up a backstop, heavily invest in some subsonic .22 ammo and have at it. Depending on the size of your lot, your neighbors might not even hear it. 

This is probably beyond what you want to hear, but here's my shot at your question:

If you really want to make it legal, you need to look up the zoning codes for your island. Each island will have different zoning districts such as: Ag, rural, residential, multi-family, business, etc... Then there are categories of uses for each zoning district such as "permitted uses", "accessory uses", "special uses", etc... The permitted uses are
things you can just do without any permits. In ag it would probably be along the lines of growing crops, raising livestock- basically uses that everyone expects on ag land.
Then there are the accessory uses. This may be a slaughterhouse, processing mill, fruit/vegetable packing plant- uses that are a little above and beyond what your typical ag owner would do, but still related to ag. Lastly, you have "special uses". This would be uses that are likely to occur on ag land, but don't really have anything to do with ag. Think paintball fields, camping grounds, bed and breakfast homes, and of course, firing ranges. With "special uses", you'll most likely need a special use permit.

The problem with a special use permit is you'll probably need to go all the way up to the Planning Commission, or maybe even the City or County Council for approval. So it's not going to be easy or cheap. In addition, you will have to notify your neighbors that you're planning on putting up a shooting range, so they will have a chance to testify for or against your project. Keep in mind if you do get approval, it also will have an expiration date, so at some point you'll have to renew it and go through a similar, albeit slightly quicker process all over again.

If you happen to go through all of that and get approval, the huge plus is you then you have a legitimate and legal range. It makes it that much harder for complaints if your range is legal and permitted. But as I said, this can be an expensive and timely process. The unfortunate thing about Hawaii laws is they don't account for the backyard shooter. The assumption is any firing range will be a Kokohead or Ukumehame type. Call your local Planning or Zoning Department for specific information because each County will have slightly different laws.

...or you skip all that, put up a backstop, heavily invest in some subsonic .22 ammo and have at it. Depending on the size of your lot, your neighbors might not even hear it.

Thanks for the response, that was more along the lines of what I thought I might have to do, but I was hoping for something a little less complicated. I could shoot subsonic .22's all day long without any type of sound proofing and my neighbors wouldnt even notice, but I was hoping to shoot some 9mm, which I'm sure my neighbors would notice.... Thanks again for the response, I'll have to look into further with the state.

Jeez, you guys! I am going to move back to the Big Island when I retire in another 8 or 9 years. I have 3 acres zoned AG3 in a large subdivision and I have been thinking for the last couple of years of where to place a backstop. I was thinking airguns, pellet guns, etc. But now you got me thinking completely enclosed 25 yard pistol range. Concrete slab, fully grouted block wall building with no windows, one door, AC and a backstop at one end.

I may not have enough money for food but at least I will be able to practice!!!