Washington State gun transfers

[GaryS]

I have a young friend who moved to Washington State about a year ago. She's 19 or 20 and is going to school out there.

Anyway, she told her grandmother, who is a non gun person, that she wants to buy a handgun and get her concealed carry permit.

I know nothing about Washington State laws, but I don't think anyone under 21 can buy a gun from a FFL under federal law.

I do seem to remember that some sort of state law was recently passed requiring personal transfers to go through a FFL. Which would mean that she can't buy a gun that way.

Is there a minimum age for a state CCW permit?

I ask because my young friend is going to be in town over the Christmas holiday and I'm pretty sure that her grandmother will bring it up. She mentioned it to me last week and everything she told me contradicts what I know about buying a gun through a FFL. I corrected some of that, but she's pretty stubborn and clings to her bad information on this subject.

Thanks.

 

[OKFC05]

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/washington.pdf


WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: How to get your license Concealed Pistol license in Washington state
WA age for CPL is 21
A Key point on obtaining the pistol is what state is her legal residence?
If MA, then she must obtain the pistol in MA and then she can get a non-res carry permit In person in WA at 21.
If her legal res is WA, then she must obtain the pistol in WA. Giving a pistol directly to a WA resident is a 5 yr Federal Felony if you are a MA res
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/g...s-transfers-firearms-private-sellers/download

 

[ISCS Yoda]

The age for obtaining a CCW is dependent on state law. Period.

The transfer of a handgun between individuals who are not gun dealers, with or without an FFL, is also dependent upon state law. Period.

The actual ownership of a handgun is based on Federal law first - state law second. The rules are simple:

(I) FFLs cannot sell a handgun to anyone under 21. The age is 18 for long arms.

(II) Non-dealers cannot transfer a handgun (or handgun ammunition) to any one known to be under age 18. Long arms are not limited in that way.

Now you know.

 

[hkcavalier]

No private sales of firearms in WA as of late 2014. Even before, only gifting by immediate family to those under 21 was considered safe. The legality of that is pretty fuzzy now. Without family out here in WA, it's a moot point.

Not going to be able to get a CPL until she is 21. Did she change her state of residence or is she a MA resident attending school out of state? Big difference as mentioned above. If she's a resident of WA, she can get her CPL/purchase a handgun anytime after her 21st birthday.

If she is concerned about self defense, the 20g shotgun and inexpensive pistol caliber carbines are probably her best bets. Won't help much on a dark walk back to the dorm or sorority house of course.

 

[GaryS]

Thank you all for the replies. It's not too far off from what I thought, but I didn't think of the residency angle.

I don't know the answer to that, but given her age, it's really a moot point. You have to be 21 to get a MA License to Carry a handgun.

I think she's living off campus in an apartment, so she should be able to have a long gun for home defense.

Oh, her grandmother was shocked to find out that K Marts in Washington sell guns! I didn't have the heart to tell her that I bought my first gun (Ruger 10/22) and ammunition in a K Mart.

 

[Mainsail]

No private sales of firearms in WA as of late 2014.

For clarification, private sales are certainly allowed, before and after 2014. Now, however, the sale must go through a FFL for a background check. It's stupid, and not being enforced, but we're all doing it.

She can carry openly without a CPL (WA issues a license, not a permit) but I doubt she'd appreciate that tip.

She can buy a long gun if she's worried about home protection, and can even carry it about town without a CPL if she wants- just not practical.

 

[427mach1]

She can carry openly without a CPL (WA issues a license, not a permit) but I doubt she'd appreciate that tip.

She can't open carry until she turns 21, OP states she is 19 or 20.

How is it carrying on the wet side of the state with the liberal environment, Mainsail? I lived in Seattle, moved to Spokane when I was 9. I would suspect open carry is much more common in eastern WA than western.

 

[oneounceload]

Not going to be able to get a CPL until she is 21. Did she change her state of residence or is she a MA resident attending school out of state? Big difference as mentioned above. If she's a resident of WA, she can get her CPL/purchase a handgun anytime after her 21st birthday.

IIRC, as far as Federal law is concerned, she is a resident of wherever she is living at the moment. State laws have different rules. Once she becomes 21, she might want to look into getting a Utah non-resident permit; that will be good for several states. I know of a few folks who have multiple carry permits from different states so they can carry a gun in almost every state, at least many more than their "resident" state permit allows.

 

[cowboy4evr]

I think it needs to be mentioned that getting a " non resident ' permit is often not accepted in some states . I came from Az , have an Az permit and yes , Texas does accept my non resident permit but like I just mentioned , some states do not . I have checked other states before traveling and was surprised . So be careful if you have a non resident permit . Just because it says they accept the permit from the state that you have , if you have a ' non resident ' permit it can be a real game changer .

 

[GaryS]

Thanks. For the FFL to do the background check would she need to fill out a 4473? Or does WA have its own background check system?

For clarification, private sales are certainly allowed, before and after 2014. Now, however, the sale must go through a FFL for a background check. It's stupid, and not being enforced, but we're all doing it.

She can carry openly without a CPL (WA issues a license, not a permit) but I doubt she'd appreciate that tip.

She can buy a long gun if she's worried about home protection, and can even carry it about town without a CPL if she wants- just not practical.

 

[steelslaver]

Still need to fill out the 4473 form. If she retains her MA citizenship she can get a non resident WA permit upon becoming 21. WA, has same process for securing non resident as resident.To purchase a handgun she must be in the state she claims for residency.

 

[Absalom]

...... If she retains her MA citizenship she can get a non resident WA permit upon becoming 21. WA, has same process for securing non resident as resident.To purchase a handgun she must be in the state she claims for residency.

State residency is nothing like citizenship. If she moved to Washington a year ago to attend school as the OP said, she is a Washington resident, unless she lived across the border in Canada or Oregon and commuted to school every day.

 

[OKFC05]

State residency is nothing like citizenship. If she moved to Washington a year ago to attend school as the OP said, she is a Washington resident, unless she lived across the border in Canada or Oregon and commuted to school every day.

As a practical matter, try getting an FFL in WA to sell you a handgun if you still have a MA driver's license. When I attended UW, I had to apply to establish WA residency in order to get WA resident tuition at UW. Students were not automatically considered residents of WA. We have similar law in OK, and we specifically require an OK ID for out of state students to establish residency.

 

[oneounceload]

Thanks. For the FFL to do the background check would she need to fill out a 4473? Or does WA have its own background check system?

She still fills out the 4473; whether WA uses the NICS or their own is something else

 

[oneounceload]

As a practical matter, try getting an FFL in WA to sell you a handgun if you still have a MA driver's license. When I attended UW, I had to apply to establish WA residency in order to get WA resident tuition at UW. Students were not automatically considered residents of WA. We have similar law in OK, and we specifically require an OK ID for out of state students to establish residency.

Correct; she is, however, considered a resident of WA only as far as the Feds are concerned.

 

[BC38]

...How is it carrying on the wet side of the state with the liberal environment, Mainsail? I lived in Seattle, moved to Spokane when I was 9. I would suspect open carry is much more common in eastern WA than western.

I lived on the liberal wet side for 29 years and never once saw anyone open carry.

I've lived here in Spokane for 4-1/2 years and have seen it a couple of times (and done it a couple of times myself).

Totally different world here compared to the People's Republic of Puget Sound.

 

[Doug M.]

If she still has Mass DL and the like, she is legally a MA resident. The process for getting a CPL is the same, it's just that the issuing agency has longer to get through the process. I presume that is due to the additional difficulty of checking fingerprints out of state, but I'm not sure. If still has a MA DL, she is not able to lawfully buy a handgun in WA.

Is she attending a state or private school? PM me if you want for PERSEC reasons.

 

[Absalom]

As a practical matter, try getting an FFL in WA to sell you a handgun if you still have a MA driver's license. When I attended UW, I had to apply to establish WA residency in order to get WA resident tuition at UW. Students were not automatically considered residents of WA. We have similar law in OK, and we specifically require an OK ID for out of state students to establish residency.

Well, yes. But you‘re mixing BEING a Washington resident (which she is after a year, or less if she meets other requirements laid out in state law) with the need of PROVING that she is one (which you obviously don‘t do with an out-of-state DL).

 

[Mainsail]

How is it carrying on the wet side of the state with the liberal environment, Mainsail? I lived in Seattle, moved to Spokane when I was 9. I would suspect open carry is much more common in eastern WA than western.

Open carry, even in downtown Seattle, is little to no drama. The most likely drama would come from a business owner with little appreciation for it. The police know it's lawful.

 

[buzzkillbob]

But you‘re mixing BEING a Washington resident (which she is after a year, or less if she meets other requirements laid out in state law)

I lived there for 18 months and was never a resident.