Ashington gun laws operate on a “Shall Issue” policy. Open carry is legal without a permit but not common, you will need a permit if you want to carry a handgun in a vehicle (car, bus, train). Concealed carry permits are issued to residents and non-residents by the local sheriff or Police Department. There is no requirement to attend a firearms training course in Washington but you must be at least 21 years old and meet other conditions to obtain a license.
TOTAL ACTIVE CPL
LICENSES IN WASHINGTON
STATES THAT HONOR
STATE PERMITS
WASHINGTON HONORS
STATES NOT
Non-resident CCW licenses are issued in Washington state. The process is the same as for a resident of Washington but cannot be done via mail and requires that you appear in person. This means you will need to make a trip to Washington to obtain the license. The application process will take about 60 days.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
APPLICATION
Follow these steps to obtain a permit
Non-Residents
Applications cannot be made via mail so you will need to make a trip to Washington if you want to apply for a CCW license.
RENEWALS
All renewals must be made in person at your local law enforcement office. The requirements are the same as when you apply for a new license with the only difference being;
RCW 9.41.070 – Fees & Renewals
FEE’S
| Application Type | Original | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $36 + fingerprint fee | 32 |
| Late Renewal | 42 | |
| Replacement | 10 | |
| Firearms Dealer License | 125 | |
| Alien Firearms License | $50 + fingerprint fee |
DAYS TO PROCESS
NEW PERMIT
Private Sales
Any private sale of firearms in Washington is required to be completed through a licensed firearms dealer. The dealer must complete a background check on the purchaser and keep a record of the sale. There are some exceptions to the law as follows;
Dealer Sales
A licensed dealer can only sell a handgun if the purchaser has a concealed carry license or undergoes a background check. The dealer is required to not transfer the handgun to the new owner for 10 days or when the results of the background are obtained, whichever one occurs first. Should the purchaser not have a valid Washington state ID card or drivers license, or has not resided in the state for at least 90 days then the waiting period can be extended to 60 days.
Preemption
There is state preemption over all laws relating to handguns and long guns. No law is allowed to be more restrictive than the state law. Local authorities cannot ban firearms from state parks but can place certain restrictions as outlined in RCW 9.41.300 on other areas. Such areas are stadiums or convention centers operated by the local authority (does not apply if you have a CCW license) and restricting discharge in their jurisdiction, . They can also restrict areas that firearms can be sold in.
The Washington State Supreme Court has ruled that there is no duty to retreat if a person is in a place they have the right to be in and they are being assaulted. The Stand Your Ground law is is based on section RCW 9A.16.110(1) Defending Against Violent Crime and means a person has a solid defense if they use force to protect themselves.
Of course this only applies if you can justify your actions and the force used was not more than necessary, it must be considered reasonable. Furthermore, a person using force cannot have been committing a crime at the time and must be in a place that they are legally entitled to be in.
Washington state capitol building
Without a License – If you do not have a permit then it is illegal to carry a loaded firearm in any vehicle. You can still carry a firearm if it is unloaded and in a closed opaque case or secure wrapper.
With a License – you can carry a loaded firearm in a vehicle as long as you have your permit with you at all times.
The Law
RCW 9.41.050
RCW 9.41.060
Washington gun laws require you to have your CCW license on you at all times you are carrying a firearm and display the permit to an officer if requested to do so. You do not have to inform law enforcement you are carrying a firearm. The Law RCW 9.41.050 – Carrying firearms
It is legal to carry in the following areas;
“No Weapons” signs are not mentioned in Washington gun laws. There are no legal penalties for entering a private property or business that has posted these signs. They have no force of law unless they are posted in areas that are mentioned by the law as being off limits. GunsToCarry recommends that you do not enter a property displaying a “No Weapons” sign whether the law is for or against signage. If asked to leave a property and you refuse to do so then you are breaking the law and put yourself at risk of being charged.
Open carry without a permit is legal. However, you will need a CCW license to carry a loaded firearm in any vehicle. Any vehicle means cars, buses, and trains. The minimum age for open carry is 21. The Law
29-11.7-704
In Restaurants That Serve Alcohol
You are restricted to areas of the restaurant where persons under the age of 21 are allowed.
“Yes” or “No” states if you can carry in a restaurant that serves alcohol. Some restaurants may be posted with “NO GUN” signs. Check with the staff if this means just the bar area. If we have indicated a “Yes” then it should be legal to have a meal without drinking alcohol. The Law
RCW 9.41.300
Washington does not have constitutional carry.
“The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”
(Art. I, § 24)
(1) It is unlawful for any person to enter the following places when he or she knowingly possesses or knowingly has under his or her control a weapon:
(2)(a) A person shall not carry or place a loaded pistol in any vehicle unless the person has a license to carry a concealed pistol and:
(1) It is unlawful for a person to carry onto, or to possess on, public or private elementary or secondary school premises, school-provided transportation, or areas of facilities while being used exclusively by public or private schools” (3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to:
(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to:
(7) “GUN-FREE ZONE” signs shall be posted around school facilities giving warning of the prohibition of the possession of firearms on school grounds.
“It shall be unlawful for any person, except law enforcement officers, to carry, transport or convey, or to have in his possession or under his control any firearm while on the site of an outdoor music festival.”
(3) “Outdoor music festival” or “music festival” or “festival” means an assembly of persons gathered primarily for outdoor, live or recorded musical entertainment, where the predicted attendance is two thousand persons or more and where the duration of the program is five hours or longer: PROVIDED, That this definition shall not be applied to any regularly established permanent place of worship, stadium, athletic field, arena, auditorium, coliseum, or other similar permanently established places of assembly for assemblies which do not exceed by more than two hundred fifty people the maximum seating capacity of the structure where the assembly is held: PROVIDED, FURTHER, That this definition shall not apply to government sponsored fairs held on regularly established fairgrounds nor to assemblies required to be licensed under other laws or regulations of the state.
Deadly weapons — Possession on Premises by Person Not a Prisoner — Penalty.
A person, other than a person serving a sentence in a penal institution of this state, is guilty of possession of contraband on the premises of a state correctional institution in the first degree if, without authorization to do so, the person knowingly possesses or has under his or her control a deadly weapon on or in the buildings or adjacent grounds subject to the care, control, or supervision of a state correctional institution. Deadly weapon is used as defined in RCW 9A.04.110: PROVIDED, That such correctional buildings, grounds, or property are properly posted pursuant to RCW 9.94.047, and such person has knowingly entered thereon: PROVIDED FURTHER, That the provisions of this section do not apply to a person licensed pursuant to RCW 9.41.070 who, upon entering the correctional institution premises, proceeds directly along an access road to the administration building and promptly checks his or her firearm(s) with the appropriate authorities. The person may reclaim his or her firearm(s) upon leaving, but he or she must immediately and directly depart from the premises.
Possession of contraband on the premises of a state correctional institution in the first degree is a class B felony.
Firearms, Weapons Prohibited In Administrative Hearings.
WAC 10-20-010 (1) & 10-20-030
(1) Firearms or other dangerous weapons are prohibited at all facilities owned, leased, or operated by the office of administrative hearings and in rooms where the office of administrative hearings is conducting an administrative hearing. This prohibition applies to all parties or witnesses at hearings, all office of administrative hearings employees, and all other persons present. However, it does not apply to law enforcement personnel, security personnel, or military personnel, all while engaged in official duties.
(3) Possession of a valid concealed weapons permit is not a defense to the prohibition in this section.
Additional Violations — Penalty.
Concealed Pistol License — Reciprocity
(1)(a) A person licensed to carry a pistol in a state the laws of which recognize and give effect in that state to a concealed pistol license issued under the laws of the state of Washington is authorized to carry a concealed pistol in this state if:
(b) This section applies to a license holder from another state only while the license holder is not a resident of this state. A license holder from another state must carry the handgun in compliance with the laws of this state.
(2) The attorney general shall periodically publish a list of states the laws of which recognize and give effect in that state to a concealed pistol license issued under the laws of the state of Washington and which meet the requirements of subsection (1)(a)(i) and (ii) of this section.
Carrying Firearms.
(b) Every licensee shall have his or her concealed pistol license in his or her immediate possession at all times that he or she is required by this section to have a concealed pistol license and shall display the same upon demand to any police officer or to any other person when and if required by law to do so. Any violation of this subsection (1)(b) shall be a class 1 civil infraction under chapter 7.80 RCW and shall be punished accordingly pursuant to chapter 7.80 RCW and the infraction rules for courts of limited jurisdiction.
Carrying Firearms.
(1)(a) Except in the person’s place of abode or fixed place of business, a person shall not carry a pistol concealed on his or her person without a license to carry a concealed pistol.
(b) Every licensee shall have his or her concealed pistol license in his or her immediate possession at all times that he or she is required by this section to have a concealed pistol license and shall display the same upon demand to any police officer or to any other person when and if required by law to do so. Any violation of this subsection (1)(b) shall be a class 1 civil infraction under chapter 7.80 RCW and shall be punished accordingly pursuant to chapter 7.80 RCW and the infraction rules for courts of limited jurisdiction.
(2)(a) A person shall not carry or place a loaded pistol in any vehicle unless the person has a license to carry a concealed pistol and:
(b) A violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor.
(3)(a) A person at least eighteen years of age who is in possession of an unloaded pistol shall not leave the unloaded pistol in a vehicle unless the unloaded pistol is locked within the vehicle and concealed from view from outside the vehicle. (b) A violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor.
(4) Nothing in this section permits the possession of firearms illegal to possess under state or federal law.
Exceptions to Restrictions on Carrying Firearms.
The provisions of RCW 9.41.050 shall not apply to:
(4) Any person engaged in the business of manufacturing, repairing, or dealing in firearms, or the agent or representative of the person, if possessing, using, or carrying a pistol in the usual or ordinary course of the business;
(6) Regularly enrolled members of clubs organized for the purpose of target shooting, when those members are at or are going to or from their places of target practice;
(7) Regularly enrolled members of clubs organized for the purpose of modern and antique firearm collecting, when those members are at or are going to or from their collector’s gun shows and exhibits;
(8) Any person engaging in a lawful outdoor recreational activity such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or horseback riding, only if, considering all of the attendant circumstances, including but not limited to whether the person has a valid hunting or fishing license, it is reasonable to conclude that the person is participating in lawful outdoor activities or is traveling to or from a legitimate outdoor recreation area;
(9) Any person while carrying a pistol unloaded and in a closed opaque case or secure wrapper.
State Preemption.
The state of Washington hereby fully occupies and preempts the entire field of firearms regulation within the boundaries of the state, including the registration, licensing, possession, purchase, sale, acquisition, transfer, discharge, and transportation of firearms, or any other element relating to firearms or parts thereof, including ammunition and reloader components. Cities, towns, and counties or other municipalities may enact only those laws and ordinances relating to firearms that are specifically authorized by state law, as in RCW 9.41.300, and are consistent with this chapter. Such local ordinances shall have the same penalty as provided for by state law. Local laws and ordinances that are inconsistent with, more restrictive than, or exceed the requirements of state law shall not be enacted and are preempted and repealed, regardless of the nature of the code, charter, or home rule status of such city, town, county, or municipality
(4) Violations of local ordinances adopted under subsection (2) of this section must have the same penalty as provided for by state law.
(5) The perimeter of the premises of any specific location covered by subsection (1) of this section shall be posted at reasonable intervals to alert the
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(14) “Loaded” means:
State of Emergency — Powers of Governor Pursuant to Proclamation.
(1) The governor after proclaiming a state of emergency and prior to terminating such, may, in the area described by the proclamation issue an order prohibiting:
(2) The governor after proclaiming a state of emergency and prior to terminating such may, in the area described by the proclamation, issue an order or orders concerning waiver or suspension of statutory obligations or limitations in any or all of the following areas as further specified and limited by chapter 181, Laws of 2008:
(3) In imposing the restrictions provided for by RCW 43.06.010, and 43.06.200 through 43.06.270, the governor may impose them for such times, upon such conditions, with such exceptions and in such areas of this state he or she from time to time deems necessary.
(4) Any person willfully violating any provision of an order issued by the governor under this section is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
30 – 60 Days The application for a concealed carry license must be processed within 30 days of the application being received if you have a Washington drivers license. If you do not have a Washington drivers license or have not resided in the state for the last 90 days then the processing time increases to 90 days.
Concealed carry permits/licenses are issued by the police chief or sheriff in the area of your residence. A non-resident can apply anywhere in the state.
The Washington state courts have ruled that employers can create rules that prohibit the carrying of firearms by employees at work. So the decision is up to your employer.
No, you only need a permit to conceal carry handguns in Washington.
Yes, if you are at least 18 years old. But you can only carry in the following places;
The attorney General does not give opinions to private citizens. The only people that can request an opinion are;
No, you can open carry without a permit. But it is not common and may attract unwanted attention. Also you would need a permit to open or conceal carry a handgun in a vehicle. You cannot open carry loaded long guns in a vehicle, whether you have a permit or not.
There are no training courses required to obtain a concealed carry license in Washington.
Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:30pm
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
Address 516 Third ave, Rm W-150
City Seattle, WA 98104
Phone (206) 263-2626
GUNLYFE IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM.
GUNLYFE ©2022