REVISED CODE OF WASHINGTON ANNOTATED
TITLE 9. CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS
CHAPTER 9.41. FIREARMS AND DANGEROUS WEAPONS
Current through End of 1995 3rd Sp.Sess.
9.41.070. Concealed pistol license--Application--Fee--Renewal
(1) The chief of police of
a municipality or the sheriff of a county shall
within thirty days after the
filing of an application of any person, issue a
license to such person to
carry a pistol concealed on his or her person within
this state for five years
from date of issue, for the purposes of protection or
while engaged in business,
sport, or while traveling. However, if the
applicant does not have a
valid permanent Washington driver's license or
Washington state identification
card or has not been a resident of the state
for the previous consecutive
ninety days, the issuing authority shall have up
to sixty days after the filing
of the application to issue a license. The
issuing authority shall not
refuse to accept completed applications for
concealed pistol licenses
during regular business hours.
The applicant's constitutional
right to bear arms shall not be denied, unless:
(a) He or she is ineligible
to possess a firearm under the provisions of
RCW 9.41.040 or 9.41.045;
(b) The applicant's concealed
pistol license is in a revoked status;
(c) He or she is under twenty-one
years of age;
(d) He or she is subject
to a court order or injunction regarding firearms
pursuant to RCW 9A.46.080,
10.14.080, 10.99.040, 10.99.045,
26.09.050, 26.09.060, 26.10.040,
26.10.115, 26.26.130,
26.26.137, 26.50.060, or 26.50.070;
(e) He or she is free on
bond or personal recognizance pending trial, appeal,
or sentencing for a serious
offense;
(f) He or she has an outstanding
warrant for his or her arrest from any court
of competent jurisdiction
for a felony or misdemeanor;
(g) He or she has been ordered
to forfeit a firearm under RCW
9.41.098(1)(e) within one
year before filing an application to carry a pistol
concealed on his or her person;
or
(h)(i) He or she has been
convicted of any crime against a child or other
person listed in RCW 43.43.830(5).
(ii) Except as provided in
(h)(iii) of this subsection, any person who becomes
ineligible for a concealed
pistol license as a result of a conviction for a
crime listed in (h)(i) of
this subsection and then successfully completes all
terms of his or her sentence,
as evidenced by a certificate of discharge issued
under RCW 9.94A.220 in the
case of a sentence under chapter 9.94A RCW, and
has not again been convicted
of any crime and is not under indictment for any
crime, may, one year or longer
after such successful sentence completion,
petition a court of record
for a declaration that the person is no longer
ineligible for a concealed
pistol license under (h)(i) of this subsection.
(iii) No person convicted
of a serious offense as defined in RCW 9.41.010
may have his or her right
to possess firearms restored, unless the person has
been granted relief from disabilities
by the secretary of the treasury under
18 U.S.C. Sec. 925(c), or
RCW 9.41.040(3) or (4) applies.
(2) The issuing authority
shall check with the national crime information
center, the Washington state
patrol electronic data base, the department of
social and health services
electronic data base, and with other agencies or
resources as appropriate,
to determine whether the applicant is ineligible
under RCW 9.41.040 or 9.41.045
to possess a firearm and therefore
ineligible for a concealed
pistol license. This subsection applies whether the
applicant is applying for
a new concealed pistol license or to renew a
concealed pistol license.
(3) Any person whose firearms
rights have been restricted and who has been
granted relief from disabilities
by the secretary of the treasury under 18
U.S.C. Sec. 925(c) or who
is exempt under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 921(a)(20)(A) shall
have his or her right to acquire,
receive, transfer, ship, transport, carry,
and possess firearms in accordance
with Washington state law restored except as
otherwise prohibited by this
chapter.
(4) The license application
shall bear the full name, residential address,
telephone number at the option
of the applicant, date and place of birth, race,
gender, description, not more
than two complete sets of fingerprints, and
signature of the licensee,
and the licensee's driver's license number or state
identification card number
if used for identification in applying for the
license. A signed application
for a concealed pistol license shall constitute
a waiver of confidentiality
and written request that the department of social
and health services, mental
health institutions, and other health care
facilities release information
relevant to the applicant's eligibility for a
concealed pistol license to
an inquiring court or law enforcement agency.
The application for an original
license shall include two complete sets of
fingerprints to be forwarded
to the Washington state patrol.
The license and application
shall contain a warning substantially as follows:
CAUTION: Although state
and local laws do not differ, federal law and state
law on the possession of
firearms differ. If you are prohibited by federal
law from possessing a firearm,
you may be prosecuted in federal court. A
state license is not a defense
to a federal prosecution.
The license shall contain
a description of the major differences between state
and federal law and an explanation
of the fact that local laws and ordinances
on firearms are preempted
by state law and must be consistent with state law.
The application shall contain
questions about the applicant's eligibility
under RCW 9.41.040 to possess
a pistol, the applicant's place of birth, and
whether the applicant is a
United States citizen. The applicant shall not be
required to produce a birth
certificate or other evidence of citizenship. A
person who is not a citizen
of the United States shall meet the additional
requirements of RCW 9.41.170
and produce proof of compliance with RCW
9.41.170 upon application.
The license shall be in triplicate and in a form to
be prescribed by the department
of licensing.
The original thereof shall
be delivered to the licensee, the duplicate shall
within seven days be sent
by registered mail to the director of licensing and
the triplicate shall be preserved
for six years, by the authority issuing the
license.
The department of licensing
shall make available to law enforcement and
corrections agencies, in an
on-line format, all information received under this
subsection.
(5) The nonrefundable fee,
paid upon application, for the original five-year
license shall be thirty-six
dollars plus additional charges imposed by the
federal bureau of investigation
that are passed on to the applicant. No other
state or local branch or unit
of government may impose any additional charges
on the applicant for the issuance
of the license.
The fee shall be distributed
as follows:
(a) Fifteen dollars shall
be paid to the state general fund;
(b) Four dollars shall be
paid to the agency taking the fingerprints of the
person licensed;
(c) Fourteen dollars shall
be paid to the issuing authority for the purpose of
enforcing this chapter;
and
(d) Three dollars to the
firearms range account in the general fund.
(6) The fee for the renewal
of such license shall be thirty-two dollars. No
other branch or unit of government
may impose any additional charges on the
applicant for the renewal
of the license.
The renewal fee shall be
distributed as follows:
(a) Fifteen dollars shall
be paid to the state general fund;
(b) Fourteen dollars shall
be paid to the issuing authority for the purpose of
enforcing this chapter;
and
(c) Three dollars to the
firearms range account in the general fund.
(7) The fee for replacement
of lost or damaged licenses is ten dollars to be
paid to the issuing authority.
(8) Payment shall be by cash,
check, or money order at the option of the
applicant. Additional
methods of payment may be allowed at the option of the
issuing authority.
(9) A licensee may renew
a license if the licensee applies for renewal within
ninety days before or after
the expiration date of the license. A license so
renewed shall take effect
on the expiration date of the prior license. A
licensee renewing after the
expiration date of the license must pay a late
renewal penalty of ten dollars
in addition to the renewal fee specified in
subsection (6) of this section.
The fee shall be distributed as follows:
(a) Three dollars shall be
deposited in the state wildlife fund and used
exclusively for the printing
and distribution of a pamphlet on the legal limits
of the use of firearms, firearms
safety, and the preemptive nature of state
law. The pamphlet shall
be given to each applicant for a license; and
(b) Seven dollars shall be
paid to the issuing authority for the purpose of
enforcing this chapter.
(10) Notwithstanding the
requirements of subsections (1) through (9) of this
section, the chief of police
of the municipality or the sheriff of the county
of the applicant's residence
may issue a temporary emergency license for good
cause pending review under
subsection (1) of this section.
(11) A political subdivision
of the state shall not modify the requirements of
this section or chapter, nor
may a political subdivision ask the applicant to
voluntarily submit any information
not required by this section.
(12) A person who knowingly
makes a false statement regarding citizenship or
identity on an application
for a concealed pistol license is guilty of false
swearing under RCW 9A.72.040.
In addition to any other penalty provided for
by law, the concealed pistol
license of a person who knowingly makes a false
statement shall be revoked,
and the person shall be permanently ineligible for
a concealed pistol license.
(13) A person may apply for
a concealed pistol license:
(a) To the municipality or
to the county in which the applicant resides if the
applicant resides in a municipality;
(b) To the county in which
the applicant resides if the applicant resides in
an unincorporated area;
or
(c) Anywhere in the state
if the applicant is a nonresident.
9.41.075. Concealed pistol license--Revocation
(1) The license shall be revoked
by the license-issuing authority immediately
upon:
(a) Discovery by the issuing
authority that the person was ineligible under
RCW 9.41.070 for a concealed
pistol license when applying for the license or
license renewal;
(b) Conviction of the licensee
of an offense, or commitment of the licensee
for mental health treatment,
that makes a person ineligible under RCW
9.41.040 to possess a firearm;
(c) Conviction of the licensee
for a third violation of this chapter within
five calendar years;
or
(d) An order that the licensee
forfeit a firearm under RCW 9.41.098(1)(d).
(2)(a) Unless the person
may lawfully possess a pistol without a concealed
pistol license, an ineligible
person to whom a concealed pistol license was
issued shall, within fourteen
days of license revocation, lawfully transfer
ownership of any pistol acquired
while the person was in possession of the
license.
(b) Upon discovering a person
issued a concealed pistol license was ineligible
for the license, the issuing
authority shall contact the department of
licensing to determine whether
the person purchased a pistol while in
possession of the license.
If the person did purchase a pistol while in
possession of the concealed
pistol license, if the person may not lawfully
possess a pistol without a
concealed pistol license, the issuing authority
shall require the person to
present satisfactory evidence of having lawfully
transferred ownership of the
pistol. The issuing authority shall require the
person to produce the evidence
within fifteen days of the revocation of the
license.
(3) When a licensee is ordered
to forfeit a firearm under RCW
9.41.098(1)(d), the issuing
authority shall:
(a) On the first forfeiture,
revoke the license for one year;
(b) On the second forfeiture,
revoke the license for two years; or
(c) On the third or subsequent
forfeiture, revoke the license for five years.
Any person whose license
is revoked as a result of a forfeiture of a firearm
under RCW 9.41.098(1)(d) may
not reapply for a new license until the end of
the revocation period.
(4) The issuing authority
shall notify, in writing, the department of
licensing of the revocation
of a license. The department of licensing shall
record the revocation.
9.41.090. Dealer deliveries regulated--Hold on delivery
(1) In addition to the other
requirements of this chapter, no dealer may
deliver a pistol to the purchaser
thereof until:
(a) The purchaser produces
a valid concealed pistol license and the dealer has
recorded the purchaser's name,
license number, and issuing agency, such record
to be made in triplicate and
processed as provided in subsection (5) of this
section;
(b) The dealer is notified
in writing by the chief of police or the sheriff of
the jurisdiction in which
the purchaser resides that the purchaser is eligible
to possess a pistol under
RCW 9.41.040 and that the application to purchase
is approved by the chief of
police or sheriff; or
(c) Five business days, meaning
days on which state offices are open, have
elapsed from the time of receipt
of the application for the purchase thereof as
provided herein by the chief
of police or sheriff designated in subsection (5)
of this section, and, when
delivered, the pistol shall be securely wrapped and
shall be unloaded. However,
if the purchaser does not have a valid permanent
Washington driver's license
or state identification card or has not been a
resident of the state for
the previous consecutive ninety days, the waiting
period under this subsection
(1)(c) shall be up to sixty days.
(2)(a) Except as provided
in (b) of this subsection, in determining whether
the purchaser meets the requirements
of RCW 9.41.040, the chief of police or
sheriff, or the designee of
either, shall check with the national crime
information center, the Washington
state patrol electronic data base, the
department of social and health
services electronic data base, and with other
agencies or resources as appropriate,
to determine whether the applicant is
ineligible under RCW 9.41.040
to possess a firearm.
(b) Once the system is established,
a dealer shall use the national instant
criminal background check
system, provided for by the Brady Handgun Control
Act (H.R. 1025, 103rd Cong.,
1st Sess. (1993)), to make criminal background
checks of applicants to purchase
firearms. However, a chief of police or
sheriff, or a designee of
either, shall continue to check the department of
social and health services'
electronic data base and with other agencies or
resources as appropriate,
to determine whether applicants are ineligible under
RCW 9.41.040 to possess a
firearm.
(3) In any case under subsection
(1)(c) of this section where the applicant
has an outstanding warrant
for his or her arrest from any court of competent
jurisdiction for a felony
or misdemeanor, the dealer shall hold the delivery of
the pistol until the warrant
for arrest is served and satisfied by appropriate
court appearance. The
local jurisdiction for purposes of the sale shall
confirm the existence of outstanding
warrants within seventy-two hours after
notification of the application
to purchase a pistol is received. The local
jurisdiction shall also immediately
confirm the satisfaction of the warrant on
request of the dealer so that
the hold may be released if the warrant was for
an offense other than an offense
making a person ineligible under RCW
9.41.040 to possess a pistol.
(4) In any case where the
chief or sheriff of the local jurisdiction has
reasonable grounds based on
the following circumstances: (a) Open criminal
charges, (b) pending criminal
proceedings, (c) pending commitment proceedings,
(d) an outstanding warrant
for an offense making a person ineligible under
RCW 9.41.040 to possess a
pistol, or (e) an arrest for an offense making a
person ineligible under RCW
9.41.040 to possess a pistol, if the records of
disposition have not yet been
reported or entered sufficiently to determine
eligibility to purchase a
pistol, the local jurisdiction may hold the sale and
delivery of the pistol beyond
five days up to thirty days in order to confirm
existing records in this state
or elsewhere. After thirty days, the hold will
be lifted unless an extension
of the thirty days is approved by a local
district court or municipal
court for good cause shown. An applicant shall be
notified of each hold placed
on the sale by local law enforcement and of any
application to the court for
additional hold period to confirm records or
confirm the identity of the
applicant.
(5) At the time of applying
for the purchase of a pistol, the purchaser shall
sign in triplicate and deliver
to the dealer an application containing his or
her full name, street address,
date and place of birth, race, and gender; the
date and hour of the application;
the applicant's driver's license number or
state identification card
number; a description of the pistol including the
make, model, caliber and manufacturer's
number; and a statement that the
purchaser is eligible to possess
a pistol under RCW 9.41.040.
The application shall contain
a warning substantially as follows:
CAUTION: Although state
and local laws do not differ, federal law and state
law on the possession of
firearms differ. If you are prohibited by federal
law from possessing a firearm,
you may be prosecuted in federal court. State
permission to purchase a
firearm is not a defense to a federal prosecution.
The purchaser shall be given
a copy of the department of fish and wildlife
pamphlet on the legal limits
of the use of firearms, firearms safety, and the
fact that local laws and ordinances
on firearms are preempted by state law and
must be consistent with state
law.
The dealer shall, by the
end of the business day, sign and attach his or her
address and deliver the original
of the application and such other
documentation as required
under subsection (1) of this section to the chief of
police of the municipality
or the sheriff of the county of which the purchaser
is a resident. The dealer
shall deliver the pistol to the purchaser following
the period of time specified
in this section unless the dealer is notified in
writing by the chief of police
of the municipality or the sheriff of the
county, whichever is applicable,
denying the purchaser's application to
purchase and the grounds thereof.
The application shall not be denied unless
the purchaser is not eligible
to possess a pistol under RCW 9.41.040.
The chief of police of the
municipality or the sheriff of the county shall
retain or destroy applications
to purchase a pistol in accordance with the\
requirements of 18 U.S.C.
Sec. 922.
(6) A person who knowingly
makes a false statement regarding identity or
eligibility requirements on
the application to purchase a pistol is guilty of
false swearing under RCW 9A.72.040.
(7) This section does not
apply to sales to licensed dealers for resale or to
the sale of antique firearms.
9.41.094. Waiver of confidentiality
A signed application to purchase
a pistol shall constitute a waiver of
confidentiality and written
request that the department of social and health
services, mental health institutions,
and other health care facilities release,
to an inquiring court or law
enforcement agency, information relevant to the
applicant's eligibility to
purchase a pistol to an inquiring court or law
enforcement agency.
9.41.097. Supplying information
on persons purchasing pistols or applying
for concealed pistol
licenses
(1) The department of social
and health services, mental health institutions,
and other health care facilities
shall, upon request of a court or law
enforcement agency, supply
such relevant information as is necessary to
determine the eligibility
of a person to possess a pistol or to be issued a
concealed pistol license under
RCW 9.41.070 or to purchase a pistol under
RCW 9.41.090.
(2) Mental health information
received by: (a) The department of licensing
pursuant to RCW 9.41.047 or
9.41.170; (b) an issuing authority pursuant
to RCW 9.41.047 or 9.41.070;
(c) a chief of police or sheriff pursuant
to RCW 9.41.090 or 9.41.170;
(d) a court or law enforcement agency
pursuant to subsection (1)
of this section, shall not be disclosed except as
provided in RCW 42.17.318.
9.41.135. Verification of licenses
and registration--Notice to federal
government
(1) At least once every twelve
months, the department of licensing shall
obtain a list of dealers licensed
under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 923(a) with business
premises in the state of Washington
from the United States bureau of alcohol,
tobacco, and firearms.
The department of licensing shall verify that all
dealers on the list provided
by the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms
are licensed and registered
as required by RCW 9.41.100.
(2) At least once every twelve
months, the department of licensing shall
obtain from the department
of revenue and the department of revenue shall
transmit to the department
of licensing a list of dealers registered with the
department of revenue, and
a list of dealers whose names and addresses were
forwarded to the department
of revenue by the department of licensing under
RCW 9.41.110, who failed to
register with the department of revenue as
required by RCW 9.41.100.
(3) At least once every twelve
months, the department of licensing shall
notify the bureau of alcohol,
tobacco, and firearms of all dealers licensed
under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 923(a)
with business premises in the state of
Washington who have not complied
with the licensing or registration
requirements of RCW 9.41.100.
In notifying the bureau of alcohol, tobacco,
and firearms, the department
of licensing shall not specify whether a
particular dealer has failed
to comply with licensing requirements or has
failed to comply with registration
requirements.