Do I have to bring in the complete AR-15 to register or can I break it down and just bring the complete lower to register?

Thank you in advance.
Chuck

All you need is the lower - that's the part that has the serial # on it.

As said, all you need is the lower.  It can even be just the bare stripped lower.  Federal law defines it as the firearm since it has the serial number.

You'd have to bring in the complete rifle to be registered as a rifle,
Otherwise, HPD will register it as a "receiver only"and your reciept will say the same.

I think you need the complete rifle to have it registered as a complete rifle.  They have to measure the barrel to make sure its legal.  Ya I know you can switch uppers.

If you really want to you could bring in your entire rifle, but you don't need to lol.

Do I have to bring in the complete AR-15 to register or can I break it down and just bring the complete lower to register?

Thank you in advance.
Chuck

If I bought it as a complete rifle, I would register it as a complete rifle.

If I bought it as a lower only (stripped or not), I would register it as a lower.

Since you have a short time between purchase and the registration deadline (5 days from time of purchase), you may not have time to complete the rifle prior to registering it.  I'd immediately register the lower and avoid any unforeseen delays.

Just my 2 cents.

Not to hijack the thread, but why bother registering it as a rifle as opposed to just a lower receiver?

Because if a ban was to take place on certain characteristic features on a rifle and those that are already registered were grandfather. That receiver you never registered as a rifle will be branded a post sample rifle.

You can have a lower receiver, but decide you wanna wait to find/build an upper for it.  You can buy more than one for future builds.  Unfortunately Hawaii law says you still gotta register even if your not doing anything with it, since once again it is the firearm according to federal law.

Not to hijack the thread, but why bother registering it as a rifle as opposed to just a lower receiver?

Keeps things simple. 

If this is a private sale, and if it was registered as a full rifle before, it would be less difficult if the description matches on the new and old registrations.

If you are buying it new, all the receipts and federal forms from the LGS will show the firearm as a full rifle.

The fewer unnecessary inconsistencies and discrepancies you create, the less likely you'll run into questions or problems.

Unless there is a real benefit to only recording the firearm as "lower only," why complicate the process?

I agree with Darmok. Register it how you bought it. especially from an LGS.
Private sale, can ask previous owner how it was registered.
I've never registered a complete AR-style rifle just because I've never bought one.

I never thought of what Suka said though.

Because if a ban was to take place on certain characteristic features on a rifle and those that are already registered were grandfather. That receiver you never registered as a rifle will be branded a post sample rifle.

However, registration doesn't make any note of what features the rifle has, so how would registering it as a rifle make it automatically grandfathered for erroneously called "evil" features ?
Save receipts on upper purchases for grandfather-proof purchases ?

Since you have a short time between purchase and the registration deadline (5 days from time of purchase), you may not have time to complete the rifle prior to registering it. 

Does one really have a short time? Has anyone been asked (when they acquired) or had to show a dated receipt? I offered up a dated receipt once, and it was just shoved back with "Don't need it, keep it."

HPD enforces jaywalking far more than they do "the 5 day law". Seriously, has anyone been asked when they acquired the weapon being registered? I have been asked "Where did you get the firearm?" But never have I been asked "when", and I haven't ever hear anyone else asked too, in all the few times I have sat there waiting for something.

In fact, at this point, there likely can be made a case for doing away with the whole 5 day thing if it can be shown that it was never enforced, ever. Why have a regulation if the ones supposed to enforce it don't/won't?

Maybe the suppressor ban can get bundled in and removed too. 

.

Does one really have a short time? Has anyone been asked (when they acquired) or had to show a dated receipt? I offered up a dated receipt once, and it was just shoved back with "Don't need it, keep it."

HPD enforces jaywalking far more than they do "the 5 day law". Seriously, has anyone been asked when they acquired the weapon being registered? I have been asked "Where did you get the firearm?" But never have I been asked "when", and I haven't ever hear anyone else asked too, in all the few times I have sat there waiting for something.

In fact, at this point, there likely can be made a case for doing away with the whole 5 day thing if it can be shown that it was never enforced, ever. Why have a regulation if the ones supposed to enforce it don't/won't?

Maybe the suppressor ban can get bundled in and removed too. 

The time limits are not arbitrary rules.  You must register all firearms within 5 days of purchase.  You must also register all out-of-state firearms brought into the state within 3 days.

Sure, you can take the firearm into HPD to register after that time elapses.  Chances are, a few days won't cause problems.

What are the risks? 

(1)  If you don't register a handgun inside the original 10-day permit window, they can require you do the entire handgun permit to acquire again, including another 2-week wait.

(2)  If you are in a traffic stop, accident, home burglary or any other situation that warrants police involvement, and the weapon is discovered, you can be charged with possession of an unregistered firearm.

§134-17  Penalties.  (a)  If any person gives false information or offers false evidence of the person's identity in complying with any of the requirements of this part, that person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, provided, however that if any person intentionally gives false information or offers false evidence concerning their psychiatric or criminal history in complying with any of the requirements of this part, that person shall be guilty of a class C felony.

     (b)  Any person who violates section 134-3(a) shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor.

     (c)  Any person who violates section 134-2, 134-4, 134-10, 134-15, or 134-16(a) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.  Any person who violates section 134-3(b)  shall be guilty of a petty misdemeanor and the firearm shall be confiscated as contraband and disposed of, if the firearm is not registered within five days of the person receiving notice of the violation. [L 1988, c 275, pt of §2; am L 1994, c 204, §9]

§134-2  Permits to acquire.  (a)  No person shall acquire the ownership of a firearm, whether usable or unusable, serviceable or unserviceable, modern or antique, registered under prior law or by a prior owner or unregistered, either by purchase, gift, inheritance, bequest, or in any other manner, whether procured in the State or imported by mail, express, freight, or otherwise, until the person has first procured from the chief of police of the county of the person's place of business or, if there is no place of business, the person's residence or, if there is neither place of business nor residence, the person's place of sojourn, a permit to acquire the ownership of a firearm as prescribed in this section.

134-3(b)  Every person who acquires a firearm pursuant to section 134-2 shall register the firearm in the manner prescribed by this section within five days of acquisition.


Youse pays yer money, and youse takes yer chances!   

What they should do is make weekends not count towards the 5 day period, or open on the weekends instead.