(1) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any pistol without being licensed as provided in this section.

(2) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any firearm other than a pistol without being licensed as provided in this section.

(3) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any ammunition without being licensed as provided in this section.

(4) The duly constituted licensing authorities of any city, town, or political subdivision of this state shall grant licenses in forms prescribed by the director of licensing effective for not more than one year from the date of issue permitting the licensee to sell firearms within this state subject to the following conditions, for breach of any of which the license shall be forfeited and the licensee subject to punishment as provided in RCW 9.41.010 through 9.41.810. A licensing authority shall forward a copy of each license granted to the department of licensing. The department of licensing shall notify the department of revenue of the name and address of each dealer licensed under this section.

(5)(a) A licensing authority shall, within thirty days after the filing of an application of any person for a dealer’s license, determine whether to grant the license. 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 licensing authority shall have up to sixty days to determine whether to issue a license. No person shall qualify for a license under this section without first receiving a federal firearms license and undergoing fingerprinting and a background check. In addition, no person ineligible to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040 or ineligible for a concealed pistol license under RCW 9.41.070 shall qualify for a dealer’s license.

(b) A dealer shall require every employee who may sell a firearm in the course of his or her employment to undergo fingerprinting and a background check. An employee must be eligible to possess a firearm, and must not have been convicted of a crime that would make the person ineligible for a concealed pistol license, before being permitted to sell a firearm. Every employee shall comply with requirements concerning purchase applications and restrictions on delivery of pistols or semiautomatic assault rifles that are applicable to dealers.

(6)(a) Except as otherwise provided in (b) of this subsection, the business shall be carried on only in the building designated in the license. For the purpose of this section, advertising firearms for sale shall not be considered the carrying on of business.

(b) A dealer may conduct business temporarily at a location other than the building designated in the license, if the temporary location is within Washington state and is the location of a gun show sponsored by a national, state, or local organization, or an affiliate of any such organization, devoted to the collection, competitive use, or other sporting use of firearms in the community. Nothing in this subsection (6)(b) authorizes a dealer to conduct business in or from a motorized or towed vehicle.

In conducting business temporarily at a location other than the building designated in the license, the dealer shall comply with all other requirements imposed on dealers by RCW 9.41.090, 9.41.100, and this section. The license of a dealer who fails to comply with the requirements of RCW 9.41.080 and 9.41.090 and subsection (8) of this section while conducting business at a temporary location shall be revoked, and the dealer shall be permanently ineligible for a dealer’s license.

(7) The license or a copy thereof, certified by the issuing authority, shall be displayed on the premises in the area where firearms are sold, or at the temporary location, where it can easily be read.

(8)(a) No pistol or semiautomatic assault rifle may be sold: (i) In violation of any provisions of RCW 9.41.010 through 9.41.810; nor (ii) may a pistol or semiautomatic assault rifle be sold under any circumstances unless the purchaser is personally known to the dealer or shall present clear evidence of his or her identity.

(b) A dealer who sells or delivers any firearm in violation of RCW 9.41.080 is guilty of a class C felony. In addition to any other penalty provided for by law, the dealer is subject to mandatory permanent revocation of his or her dealer’s license and permanent ineligibility for a dealer’s license.

(c) The license fee for pistols shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. The license fee for firearms other than pistols shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. The license fee for ammunition shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. Any dealer who obtains any license under subsection (1), (2), or (3) of this section may also obtain the remaining licenses without payment of any fee. The fees received under this section shall be deposited in the state general fund.

(9)(a) A true record in triplicate shall be made of every pistol or semiautomatic assault rifle sold, in a book kept for the purpose, the form of which may be prescribed by the director of licensing and shall be personally signed by the purchaser and by the person effecting the sale, each in the presence of the other, and shall contain the date of sale, the caliber, make, model and manufacturer’s number of the weapon, the name, address, occupation, and place of birth of the purchaser, and a statement signed by the purchaser that he or she is not ineligible under state or federal law to possess a firearm.

(b) One copy shall within six hours be sent by certified mail to the chief of police of the municipality or the sheriff of the county of which the purchaser is a resident, or the state pursuant to RCW 9.41.090; the duplicate the dealer shall within seven days send to the director of licensing; the triplicate the dealer shall retain for six years.

(10) Subsections (2) through (9) of this section shall not apply to sales at wholesale.

(11) The dealer’s licenses authorized to be issued by this section are general licenses covering all sales by the licensee within the effective period of the licenses. The department shall provide a single application form for dealer’s licenses and a single license form which shall indicate the type or types of licenses granted.

(12) Except as provided in RCW 9.41.090, every city, town, and political subdivision of this state is prohibited from requiring the purchaser to secure a permit to purchase or from requiring the dealer to secure an individual permit for each sale.

Finding—Short title—Effective dates—Implementation—2019 c 3 (Initiative Measure No. 1639): See notes following RCW 9.41.360.

Effective date—2009 c 479: See note following RCW 2.56.030.

Finding—Intent—Severability—1994 sp.s. c 7: See notes following RCW 43.70.540.

Effective date—1994 sp.s. c 7 §§ 401-410, 413-416, 418-437, and 439-460: See note following RCW 9.41.010.

(1) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any pistol without being licensed as provided in this section.

(2) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any firearm other than a pistol without being licensed as provided in this section.

(3) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any ammunition without being licensed as provided in this section.

(4) The duly constituted licensing authorities of any city, town, or political subdivision of this state shall grant licenses in forms prescribed by the director of licensing effective for not more than one year from the date of issue permitting the licensee to sell firearms within this state subject to the following conditions, for breach of any of which the license shall be forfeited and the licensee subject to punishment as provided in this chapter. A licensing authority shall forward a copy of each license granted to the department of licensing. The department of licensing shall notify the department of revenue of the name and address of each dealer licensed under this section.

(5)(a) A licensing authority shall, within thirty days after the filing of an application of any person for a dealer’s license, determine whether to grant the license. 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 licensing authority shall have up to sixty days to determine whether to issue a license. No person shall qualify for a license under this section without first receiving a federal firearms license and undergoing fingerprinting and a background check. In addition, no person ineligible to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040 or ineligible for a concealed pistol license under RCW 9.41.070 shall qualify for a dealer’s license.

(b) A dealer shall require every employee who may sell a firearm in the course of his or her employment to undergo fingerprinting and a background check. An employee must be eligible to possess a firearm, and must not have been convicted of a crime that would make the person ineligible for a concealed pistol license, before being permitted to sell a firearm. Every employee shall comply with requirements concerning purchase applications and restrictions on delivery of firearms that are applicable to dealers.

(6)(a) Except as otherwise provided in (b) of this subsection, the business shall be carried on only in the building designated in the license. For the purpose of this section, advertising firearms for sale shall not be considered the carrying on of business.

(b) A dealer may conduct business temporarily at a location other than the building designated in the license, if the temporary location is within Washington state and is the location of a gun show sponsored by a national, state, or local organization, or an affiliate of any such organization, devoted to the collection, competitive use, or other sporting use of firearms in the community. Nothing in this subsection (6)(b) authorizes a dealer to conduct business in or from a motorized or towed vehicle.

In conducting business temporarily at a location other than the building designated in the license, the dealer shall comply with all other requirements imposed on dealers by RCW 9.41.090, 9.41.100, and this section. The license of a dealer who fails to comply with the requirements of RCW 9.41.080 and 9.41.090 and subsection (8) of this section while conducting business at a temporary location shall be revoked, and the dealer shall be permanently ineligible for a dealer’s license.

(7) The license or a copy thereof, certified by the issuing authority, shall be displayed on the premises in the area where firearms are sold, or at the temporary location, where it can easily be read.

(8)(a) No firearm may be sold: (i) In violation of any provisions of this chapter; nor (ii) under any circumstances unless the purchaser is personally known to the dealer or shall present clear evidence of his or her identity.

(b) A dealer who sells or delivers any firearm in violation of RCW 9.41.080 is guilty of a class C felony. In addition to any other penalty provided for by law, the dealer is subject to mandatory permanent revocation of his or her dealer’s license and permanent ineligibility for a dealer’s license.

(c) The license fee for pistols shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. The license fee for firearms other than pistols shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. The license fee for ammunition shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. Any dealer who obtains any license under subsection (1), (2), or (3) of this section may also obtain the remaining licenses without payment of any fee. The fees received under this section shall be deposited in the state general fund.

(9)(a) A true record shall be made of every pistol or semiautomatic assault rifle sold, in a book kept for the purpose, the form of which may be prescribed by the director of licensing and shall be personally signed by the purchaser and by the person effecting the sale, each in the presence of the other, and shall contain the date of sale, the caliber, make, model and manufacturer’s number of the weapon, the name, address, occupation, and place of birth of the purchaser, and a statement signed by the purchaser that he or she is not ineligible under state or federal law to possess a firearm. The dealer shall retain the transfer record for six years.

(b) The dealer shall transmit the information from the firearm transfer application through secure automated firearms e-check (SAFE) to the Washington state patrol firearms background check program. The Washington state patrol firearms background check program shall transmit the application information for pistol and semiautomatic assault rifle transfer applications to the director of licensing daily. The original application shall be retained by the dealer for six years.

(10) Subsections (2) through (9) of this section shall not apply to sales at wholesale.

(11) The dealer’s licenses authorized to be issued by this section are general licenses covering all sales by the licensee within the effective period of the licenses. The department shall provide a single application form for dealer’s licenses and a single license form which shall indicate the type or types of licenses granted.

(12) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, every city, town, and political subdivision of this state is prohibited from requiring the purchaser to secure a permit to purchase or from requiring the dealer to secure an individual permit for each sale.

Effective date—2023 c 161: See note following RCW 9.41.090.

Finding—Short title—Effective dates—Implementation—2019 c 3 (Initiative Measure No. 1639): See notes following RCW 9.41.360.

Effective date—2009 c 479: See note following RCW 2.56.030.

Finding—Intent—Severability—1994 sp.s. c 7: See notes following RCW 43.70.540.

Effective date—1994 sp.s. c 7 §§ 401-410, 413-416, 418-437, and 439-460: See note following RCW 9.41.010.