Washington state laws
- Thread starter Dre_sa
- Start date
TheBluesMan
Moderator Emeritus
Moving to Legal and Political...
...hang on tight.
...hang on tight.
Take a look at www.packing.org for good links and details.
Generally speaking, Washington state has pretty good gun laws. The biggest 'bad' law in the state is that no Class Three firearms are allowed; that means no full-auto guns even if you have a federal stamp.
State pre-emption prevents cities or counties from passing more restrictive laws than the state has.
No gun registration is required.
Background checks for handguns purchased through an FFL are waived if you have a Concealed Pistol License.
CPL is shall-issue, no training required, costs around $60 in total fees, and lasts for five years. Prohibited places are public schools, the 21-or-over areas of places that serve liquor, federal buildings, and "outdoor music festivals" (ala Woodstock, I guess).
There's no safe storage requirement, though one nearly passed this last session.
Open carry is a grey area. Carry of a pistol or other deadly weapon is prohibited at a place and time, or under circumstances, or in a manner that either manifests intent to intimidate another, or that warrants alarm for the safety of others. Fuzzy enough that if you open carry in a city, you are likely to alarm someone and be found in violation. But open carry out of town is less problematic, and there are specific exceptions to make it undeniably legal to carry in the woods except during hunting season.
There is no duty to retreat inside your own home, and the 'castle doctrine' allows homeowners to presume that intruders are armed and to respond accordingly.
pax
Generally speaking, Washington state has pretty good gun laws. The biggest 'bad' law in the state is that no Class Three firearms are allowed; that means no full-auto guns even if you have a federal stamp.
State pre-emption prevents cities or counties from passing more restrictive laws than the state has.
No gun registration is required.
Background checks for handguns purchased through an FFL are waived if you have a Concealed Pistol License.
CPL is shall-issue, no training required, costs around $60 in total fees, and lasts for five years. Prohibited places are public schools, the 21-or-over areas of places that serve liquor, federal buildings, and "outdoor music festivals" (ala Woodstock, I guess).
There's no safe storage requirement, though one nearly passed this last session.
Open carry is a grey area. Carry of a pistol or other deadly weapon is prohibited at a place and time, or under circumstances, or in a manner that either manifests intent to intimidate another, or that warrants alarm for the safety of others. Fuzzy enough that if you open carry in a city, you are likely to alarm someone and be found in violation. But open carry out of town is less problematic, and there are specific exceptions to make it undeniably legal to carry in the woods except during hunting season.
There is no duty to retreat inside your own home, and the 'castle doctrine' allows homeowners to presume that intruders are armed and to respond accordingly.
pax
mooreshawnm
New member
Used to be able to carry the old shotgun in the gun rack...chanched that one a couple of years ago. No weapon restrictions that I know of any worse than national level. Shooting restrictions are done on a county wide basis, I live in Mason County....as long as you have a safe backstop...blaze away. CWP is about 50-75$, fingerprints and 30 days later you can carry, assuming you're not a felon.
Shawn
Shawn
Once you get to WA, you can come down into Oregon and apply for an Oregon Permit also.
Just be careful which counties that you go to apply since non-resident permits (and only to those who live in states that touch Oregon) are not shall issue but the other one (where they can disapprove the paperwork for any reason).
The only bad thing about WA was mentioned above, no Class III's.
Wayne
Just be careful which counties that you go to apply since non-resident permits (and only to those who live in states that touch Oregon) are not shall issue but the other one (where they can disapprove the paperwork for any reason).
The only bad thing about WA was mentioned above, no Class III's.
Wayne
Actually, Pax, I think that our CPL does not satisfy the BATF instant check requirements. Certainly, the last several handguns that I have purchased here in the state over the past three years have all required the NICS check by phone. I believe I have also read this on our state page on packing.org.
its the five day waiting period that is waived with the CPL. the NICS still happens. other than the no class III stuff, WA is actually pretty good as far as firearms are concerned. several bills were drafted but failed in the legislature this year that would have banned .50BMG's, "assuault" weapons and few others. keep a close eye on your congresscritters and call them often. the gov't here is Dem controlled in its fullest sense so every year they try to ban some sort of gun or activity. luckily (sort of) there are a few level headed democratic legislators that vote in favor of the second amendment. what part of WA are you thinking of moving to?
Bobby
Bobby
Bobarion is correct. The CWP or CPL only satisfies the state required waiting period for handgun purchases. I still have to do a full background check on all who purchase firearms.
Washington has a very large contingency of gun supporters. Even though the goverment on the State is democratically controlled, we have managed to avoid getting into the bandemonium craze of California.
I am always glad to welcome more gun owners to our state. From a shooting standpoint, you will be fine.
Welcome
Kelsey
Washington has a very large contingency of gun supporters. Even though the goverment on the State is democratically controlled, we have managed to avoid getting into the bandemonium craze of California.
I am always glad to welcome more gun owners to our state. From a shooting standpoint, you will be fine.
Welcome
Kelsey
Redmond is best known as the headquarters of Microsoft. It is part of a larger urban/suburban conglomeration called the Eastside, so called because it is on the east side of Lake Washington from Seattle.
Redmond, and much of the Eastside, is a bustling area filled with homes, shopping malls and business/industrial parks. On a per capita basis, it is one of the wealthiest parts of Washington state. Many dot com, high tech, biotechology, software and related businesses are on the Eastside.
The downside to the Eastside is heavy traffic, a car-oriented culture and high housing costs. $ 300,000 USD will get you an older and somewhat small (less than 1500 sq. ft.) house or condo some distance from the urban core. By comparison, I was at a seminar in Dallas last week, and $ 300,000 USD can buy you a 3000 sq. ft. brick home with a pool and a half-acre lot down there.
http://www.ci.redmond.wa.us/ (cut and paste into your browser) is the Redmond city website where you can find out more.
Redmond, and much of the Eastside, is a bustling area filled with homes, shopping malls and business/industrial parks. On a per capita basis, it is one of the wealthiest parts of Washington state. Many dot com, high tech, biotechology, software and related businesses are on the Eastside.
The downside to the Eastside is heavy traffic, a car-oriented culture and high housing costs. $ 300,000 USD will get you an older and somewhat small (less than 1500 sq. ft.) house or condo some distance from the urban core. By comparison, I was at a seminar in Dallas last week, and $ 300,000 USD can buy you a 3000 sq. ft. brick home with a pool and a half-acre lot down there.
http://www.ci.redmond.wa.us/ (cut and paste into your browser) is the Redmond city website where you can find out more.
Jammer Six
New member
Actually, you guys need to discriminate between the National Forests and the National Parks.
National Forests, carry is fine, everything else being in order. No one but LEO's carry in National Parks.