Yes, Washington is a shall issue state, meaning the state is required to furnish a permit if you can pass a background check. Washington issues concealed carry permits to residents of the state as well as non-residents. All fees for non-residents are the same but the waiting period is extended to 60 days.
What does a Washington concealed weapon permit look like?
Who issues Washington concealed weapon permits?
The police chief or sheriff of the area where you reside, or anywhere in the state for a non-resident
Background checks are requred when applying for a Washington concealed carry permit but it does not qualify as a NICS check.
Washington concealed weapon permits shall be valid throughout the state for a period of five (5) years from the date of issuance.
What is the processing time for a Washington concealed weapon permit?
Washington concealed weapon permits are processed in approximately 30 days for those possessing a Washington driverโs license and 90 days without one.
How much does a Washington concealed weapon permit cost?
The fee for a Washington concealed weapon permit is $36.00 plus fingerprinting cost so the total cost may vary.
What are the requirements for a Washington concealed weapon permit?
- Be 21 years of age or older at time of application.
- Be a United States citizen or a permanent resident alien with permanent resident card or โgreen card.โ
- Have no pending trial, appeal, or sentencing on a charge that would prohibit you from having a license.
- Have no outstanding warrants for any charge, from any court.
- Have no court order or injunction against possessing a firearm.
- Have no mental health conditions that would prohibit you from having a license.
- Have no felony convictions, or adjudications for a felony offense, in this state or elsewhere. โFelonyโ means any felony offense under the laws of Washington, or any federal or out-of-state offense comparable to a felony offense under the laws of Washington.
- Have no convictions for any of the following crimes committed by one family member against another on or after July 1, 1993:
- Assault IV
- Coercion
- Stalking
- Reckless Endangerment
- Criminal Trespass in the first degree
- Violation of the provisions of a protection order or no-contact order restraining the person or excluding the person from the residence
What are the required documents when applying for a Washington concealed weapon permit?
- Picture identification such as a Washington State driver license or identification card. If you donโt have a Washington State driver license or identification card, you must provide proof you have lived in the state for at least the last 90 days.
- The $55.25 fee in cash, check, or money order made payable to the law enforcement agency. This fee is non-refundable.
- If youโre in the military, your military ID and orders listing your station location.
Please note:
- If you live in the unincorporated area of a county apply at your sheriffโs office.
- If you live in an incorporated city within the county, apply at either the city police department or sheriffโs office.
- If you arenโt a Washington State resident, apply at any local law enforcement agency in Washington.
How do I renew my Washington concealed weapon permit and what is the cost?
| If you renewโฆ | You mustโฆ | And payโฆ |
| By the expiration date
(You can renew up to 90 days early.) |
Renew your license | $32 |
| Up to 90 days after the expiration date | Renew your license and pay a late fee | $42 |
| More than 90 days after the expiration date | Apply for a new license | $55.25 |
Where do I renew my Washington concealed weapon permit?
You must renew your concealed pistol license in person at the law enforcement agency where you live:
- If you live in a city, apply at your local police department or the county sheriff.
- If you live in an unincorporated area of the county, apply at the county sheriff.
What do I need to bring when I renew my Washington concealed weapon permit?
- Picture identification such as a Washington driver license or identification card.
- Your current concealed pistol license.
How do I change my name or address on my Washington concealed weapon permit?
- The process to change the address on your concealed pistol license is the same as when you first applied, except you wonโt be fingerprinted:
- Go to the law enforcement agency where you currently live.
- Complete an application, marking the โReplacementโ box.
- Submit the application with the replacement fee.
What do I do if my Washington concealed weapon permit is lost or stolen?
If your license has been lost, stolen or destroyed, you may obtain a replacement concealed pistol license from your local law enforcement agency. You will need to apply in person and the fee for a replacement license is $10.
Do I need to inform law enforcement that I am carrying a concealed weapon?
You are not statutorily required to inform law enforcement you are carrying a weapon in the state of Washington, but you must present your permit if requested.
What are the laws regarding a firearm in an automobile in Washington?
Without a Washington concealed weapon permit, your firearm must be unloaded. If you leave the firearm in your vehicle the vehicle must be locked and the pistol must be out of view.
What places are off-limits when carrying a concealed weapon in Washington?
- (a) The restricted access areas of a jail, or of a law enforcement facility, or any place used for the confinement of a person (i) arrested for, charged with, or convicted of an offense, (ii) held for extradition or as a material witness, or (iii) otherwise confined pursuant to an order of a court, except an order under chapter 13.32A or 13.34 RCW. Restricted access areas do not include common areas of egress or ingress open to the general public;
- (b) Those areas in any building which are used in connection with court proceedings, including courtrooms, jury rooms, judge’s chambers, offices and areas used to conduct court business, waiting areas, and corridors adjacent to areas used in connection with court proceedings. The restricted areas do not include common areas of ingress and egress to the building that is used in connection with court proceedings, when it is possible to protect court areas without restricting ingress and egress to the building. The restricted areas shall be the minimum necessary to fulfill the objective of this subsection (1)(b).
- In addition, the local legislative authority shall provide either a stationary locked box sufficient in size for pistols and key to a weapon owner for weapon storage, or shall designate an official to receive weapons for safekeeping, during the owner’s visit to restricted areas of the building. The locked box or designated official shall be located within the same building used in connection with court proceedings. The local legislative authority shall be liable for any negligence causing damage to or loss of a weapon either placed in a locked box or left with an official during the owner’s visit to restricted areas of the building.
- The local judicial authority shall designate and clearly mark those areas where weapons are prohibited, and shall post notices at each entrance to the building of the prohibition against weapons in the restricted areas;
- (c) The restricted access areas of a public mental health facility certified by the department of social and health services for inpatient hospital care and state institutions for the care of the mentally ill, excluding those facilities solely for evaluation and treatment. Restricted access areas do not include common areas of egress and ingress open to the general public;
- EXCEPTION: this section does not apply to any administrator or employee of the facility or to any person who, upon entering the place or facility, directly and promptly proceeds to the administrator of the facility or the administrator’s designee and obtains written permission to possess the firearm while on the premises.
- (d) That portion of an establishment classified by the state liquor control board as off-limits to persons under twenty-one years of age; or
- EXCEPTIONS: proprietor of the premises or his or her employees while engaged in their employment.
- (e) The restricted access areas of a commercial service airport designated in the airport security plan approved by the federal transportation security administration, including passenger screening checkpoints at or beyond the point at which a passenger initiates the screening process. These areas do not include airport drives, general parking areas and walkways, and shops and areas of the terminal that are outside the screening checkpoints and that are normally open to unscreened passengers or visitors to the airport. Any restricted access area shall be clearly indicated by prominent signs indicating that firearms and other weapons are prohibited in the area.
- (2) Cities, towns, counties, and other municipalities may enact laws and ordinances:
- (b) Restricting the possession of firearms in any stadium or convention center, operated by a city, town, county, or other municipality, except that such restrictions shall not apply to:
- (i) Any pistol in the possession of a person licensed under RCW 9.41.070 or exempt from the licensing requirement by RCW 9.41.060; or
- (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 public as to the existence of any law restricting the possession of firearms on the premises.
In Washington, you may carry a concealed firearm in a restaurant that serves alcohol but not in the portion of the facility licensed for that purpose by the state liquor board.Does Washington has a Stand Your Ground law aka Castle Doctrine?
Technically no. The law allows use of deadly force in the lawful defense of oneself, a family member, or any other person, when there is reasonable ground to prevent action(s) of the person slain to commit a felony or to do injury or harm, and there is imminent danger of such design being accomplished; or in the actual resistance of an attempt to commit a felony upon the slayer, on those in their presence, or upon or in a dwelling, or other place of abode, in which they are.
Washington state doesnโt have a specific Castle Doctrine law, but has no duty to retreat as precedent was set when the State Supreme Court found “that there is no duty to retreat when a person is assaulted in a place where he or she has a right to be.”
Case law notes:
137 Wn.2d 533 State of Washington v. Studd; Decided 1999/04/01.
150 Wn.2d 489 State of Washington v. Reynaldo Redmond; Decided 2003/12/06.Does Washington state have localities with varying laws?
Localities can enact prohibitions with regard to judicial areas but otherwise are limited.What are the laws regarding open carry in Washington?
Open carry in Washington is not restricted by state law (other than those places listed above where concealed carry is prohibited). It is strongly recommended that you avoid any appearance of threatening someone i.e. handling your gun idling, etc as this could result in arrest and prosecution.
Helpful Forms & Links:
Washington State Department of Licensing: Firearms
Washington State of the Attorney General: Concealed Weapons
Washington State of the Attorney General: Concealed Weapons Reciprocity
Washington State of the Attorney General: Concealed Weapons FAQ
Go To Another State’s Concealed Carry Page
To view a state’s concealed carry permit information click on the state. The state’s color represents whether a state is Shall Issue, May Issue, Constitutional Carry, or Right Denied.
Shall Issue to Residents Only:
California, Colorado, Georgia, Guam, Michigan, New Mexico
Shall Issue to Residents and Non-Residents:
District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin
May Issue to Residents Only:
Delaware, Virgin Islands
May Issue to Residents and Non-Residents:
Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York
Constitutional Carry and Shall Issue to Residents Only:
Alabama, Alaska, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming
Constitutional Carry and Shall Issue to Residents and Non-Residents:
Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia
Constitutional Carry and Does Not Issue Permits:
Vermont
Right Denied:
American Samoa, N. Mariana Islands
Disclaimer
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