Buying a Gun in Washington

A person under 21 may not purchase a pistol or a semiautomatic assault rifle, and no one may sell or transfer a semiautomatic assault rifle to a person under 21. People 18 to 20 may possess a pistol only at home, their fixed place of business or real property they control (unless an exception applies), and may possess a semiautomatic assault rifle only in those places or, unloaded and locked, while moving, traveling between those places, or selling it. Possession by people under 18 is limited to the situations listed in RCW 9.41.042 (such as hunting, ranges and supervised activities). These rules apply to all sales, private and dealer.

Yes, universal. All firearm sales or transfers, including at gun shows, online and between unlicensed persons, require a background check; where neither party is a dealer, the transfer must be completed through a licensed dealer as if from its inventory (the dealer may charge a fee). Exceptions include bona fide gifts or loans between listed immediate family members, antiques, and temporary transfers to prevent imminent death, great bodily harm or suicide. Buyers must also show proof of completing a recognized firearms safety training program within the last five years (with exemptions for officers and active military). Permit to purchase: under RCW 9.41.121, effective May 1, 2027, buyers will need a permit to purchase firearms from the Washington State Patrol, which requires fingerprints and certified safety training (including live fire) within the last five years; the State Patrol must decide within 30 days (60 for some applicants).

Ten business days for all firearms: a licensed dealer may not deliver any firearm until the background check results show the buyer is not prohibited and ten business days have elapsed from the date the dealer requested the check. Because private sales go through a dealer, this applies to them too.

Banned. No one may manufacture or assemble an untraceable firearm (one made after July 1, 2019 with no licensee-applied serial number), including by 3-D printer or CNC mill; since March 10, 2023 no one may knowingly or recklessly possess, transport or receive an untraceable firearm or an unserialized unfinished frame or receiver, and no one may sell, transfer or buy them. Distributing digital firearm manufacturing code to non-licensees is also banned. Exceptions include licensees, law enforcement, antiques, firearms made before 1968, permanently inoperable guns, and guns serialized by a federal licensee. Penalty for untraceable-firearm violations: $500 civil infraction for a first violation, then a misdemeanor, then a gross misdemeanor; three or more at a time is a gross misdemeanor.