Fees and Costs for a Washington Concealed Pistol License

Washington requires a license to carry a pistol concealed. Under RCW 9.41.070, a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) is issued by the chief of police of the city or the sheriff of the county on a shall-issue basis, and it is also what allows you to carry a loaded pistol in a vehicle. Carrying a concealed pistol without a license is a misdemeanor under RCW 9.41.050(1). The fees below are set by state statute, so the base amounts are the same statewide. Some real-world costs (such as the federal fingerprint charge) are added on top and can vary by issuing agency.

Concealed Pistol License (CPL) Fees

All CPL fee amounts are fixed by RCW 9.41.070. No other state or local unit of government may add its own charge for issuing or renewing the license.

New (Original) CPL

• Statutory application fee: $36.00, plus any additional fingerprint charge imposed by the FBI that is passed on to the applicant (RCW 9.41.070(5)). An original license requires a complete set of fingerprints submitted through the Washington State Patrol for a national FBI check, so the real-world total an applicant pays is usually a few dollars higher than the $36 statutory fee. As an example, the City of Bellevue lists a combined total of about $48 once the FBI fingerprint charge is included.
• The fee is nonrefundable and is paid at the time of application.
• The license is valid for five years from the date of issue.
• The issuing authority must act within 30 days of the application. That window extends to up to 60 days if the applicant does not have a valid permanent Washington driver's license or state ID card, or has not been a Washington resident for the previous 90 consecutive days (RCW 9.41.070(1)).

CPL Renewal

• Renewal fee: $32.00 (RCW 9.41.070(6)).
• Late renewal: a licensee who renews after the expiration date must pay a $10.00 late penalty in addition to the $32.00 renewal fee, for a total of $42.00 (RCW 9.41.070(9)(a)).
• Renewal window: you may renew beginning 90 days before the expiration date and up to 90 days after it. A license renewed in that window takes effect on the prior license's expiration date (RCW 9.41.070(9)(a)).
• If you let the license lapse more than 90 days past expiration, you can no longer renew and must apply as a new applicant at the original-license fee.
• A national FBI fingerprint check is required for an original license. For renewals the issuing authority conducts the check through state and federal databases, so fingerprinting is generally not repeated.
• Members of the armed forces, national guard, and reserves who cannot renew on time because of an out-of-state assignment or deployment may renew within 90 days after returning to Washington and are not charged the late penalty (RCW 9.41.070(14)).

Replacement CPL

• Fee: $10.00 for a lost or damaged license, paid to the issuing authority (RCW 9.41.070(7)).

Payment Methods

Payment may be made by cash, check, or money order. An issuing authority may, at its option, allow additional payment methods such as credit or debit cards (RCW 9.41.070(8)).

How the Original Fee Is Distributed

RCW 9.41.070(5) splits the $36.00 original fee as follows:

The $32.00 renewal fee is distributed in a similar way, minus the fingerprint share (RCW 9.41.070(6)).

Eligibility Affecting the Application

These requirements come from RCW 9.41.070 and do not change the fee, but failing them means the application is denied:

• At least 21 years of age.
• Not ineligible to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040 or 9.41.045, and not prohibited under federal law.
• Not subject to a disqualifying court order, outstanding felony or misdemeanor warrant, or pending felony status listed in RCW 9.41.070(1).

A nonresident may apply for a Washington CPL at any issuing authority in the state (RCW 9.41.070(13)(c)). Applicants who are not United States citizens are not automatically barred; they must meet the additional documentation requirements of RCW 9.41.173.

Costs Tied to Buying a Firearm

Several Washington requirements add cost or delay to a firearm purchase even though they are not part of the CPL fee.

Background Check and Dealer Transfer Fee

All firearm sales and transfers, including most private transfers, must go through a licensed dealer for a background check under RCW 9.41.113. For a transfer the dealer is facilitating, RCW 9.41.113(e) allows the dealer to charge a fee that reflects the fair market value of the administrative costs of the transfer. The statute does not set a fixed amount or cap, and in practice these fees commonly run about $25-$50.

Ten-Business-Day Waiting Period

Under RCW 9.41.092, a licensed dealer may not deliver a firearm until the background check is complete and ten business days have elapsed from the date the dealer requested the check. This requirement was enacted by House Bill 1143 (2023 c 161) and took effect January 1, 2024. It is a delay rather than a fee, but it is a real cost in time.

Firearms Safety Training Requirement

Since January 1, 2024, a person buying or receiving a firearm must show proof of completing a recognized firearms safety training program within the last five years, or qualify for an exemption (RCW 9.41.1132). Course pricing is set by private training providers, not by statute.

Permit to Purchase (Effective May 1, 2027)

House Bill 1163 was enacted in 2025 (2025 c 370) and creates a permit-to-purchase system. Most of the act, including the permit requirement, takes effect May 1, 2027. Under RCW 9.41.121:

• A permit to purchase firearms will be required before a dealer may deliver a firearm (RCW 9.41.090, effective May 1, 2027).
• The permit will be valid for five years and renewable.
• An applicant must show a certificate of completion of a certified firearms safety training program within the last five years (RCW 9.41.121, RCW 9.41.1132).
• The Washington State Patrol firearms background check program will set a permit application fee sufficient to cover the program's direct and indirect costs, plus a fingerprint processing fee under RCW 43.43.742 (RCW 9.41.121(11)). The statute does not fix a dollar amount; check the Washington State Patrol for the current schedule once the program is operating.

State Background Check Fee (Replaced the Assault Rifle Transfer Fee)

Initiative 1639 (2018) authorized a fee of up to $25.00 on each sale or transfer of a semiautomatic assault rifle (former RCW 9.41.090(7)). That fee was repealed effective January 1, 2024, when House Bill 1143 (2023 c 161) deleted the subsection. Its replacement is broader. Under RCW 43.43.580(4)(a), the dealer must charge every firearm purchaser or transferee a fee for the state background check, no matter what type of firearm is being transferred. The Washington State Patrol sets the fee at the amount needed to operate the state firearm background check system, and it may not exceed $18.00. The fee does not apply to background checks connected with pawned firearms (RCW 43.43.580(4)(b)). This charge is separate from the dealer's own administrative fee under RCW 9.41.113.

Local Firearms and Ammunition Taxes

Seattle Firearms and Ammunition Tax

Seattle imposes a tax on retail firearm and ammunition sales within the city, upheld by the Washington Supreme Court in Watson v. City of Seattle (2017):

The tax applies only to licensed retail sellers inside Seattle city limits. The court held the measure is a valid exercise of the city's taxing authority under RCW 35.22.280 and is not barred by the firearms preemption statute (RCW 9.41.290), because that statute preempts local regulation of firearms, not local taxation. Other Washington cities could enact similar taxes under their own taxing authority.

Federal NFA Items and Washington Restrictions

A federal making or transfer tax applies to National Firearms Act items. Under Pub. L. 119-21, the federal NFA tax is $200 for a machinegun or destructive device and $0 for other NFA items (such as suppressors and short-barreled rifles), effective for calendar quarters beginning more than 90 days after July 4, 2025, with the first qualifying quarter starting January 1, 2026. Older ATF pages may still show $200 across the board.

Washington law restricts several NFA-type items separately from the federal tax. RCW 9.41.190 makes it unlawful to possess a machine gun, bump-fire stock, or short-barreled shotgun. A short-barreled rifle is allowed only if the owner is in compliance with applicable federal law (RCW 9.41.190(2)), meaning federal NFA registration is still required even where state law permits the item.

LEOSA Credential Fees (Retired Officers)

Qualified retired law enforcement officers carry under the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, 18 U.S.C. 926C (active officers under 18 U.S.C. 926B). This is a federal authorization, not a Washington exemption. Retired officers who qualify through the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (WSCJTC) pay program fees set by the Commission. As published by WSCJTC:

• WSCJTC issues no refunds.
• A ballistic vest is required to qualify at the WSCJTC range, and the applicant must supply their own.
• These amounts are administrative program fees, not statutory figures; confirm the current schedule with WSCJTC.

Protection Order Costs

A protection order under chapter 7.105 RCW can require a person to surrender all firearms, dangerous weapons, and any concealed pistol license (RCW 7.105.310, which directs the court to act under RCW 9.41.800). Filing costs depend on the order type:

• No fee for service of process may be charged to a petitioner seeking relief under chapter 7.105 RCW (RCW 7.105.105(9)(a)).
• A filing fee may be charged for an antiharassment protection order, except that no filing fee may be charged when the petition involves stalking, a hate crime, a single act of violence or threat of violence, nonconsensual sexual conduct or a sex offense, or conduct that would constitute domestic violence, or when the court finds the petitioner cannot afford the cost (RCW 7.105.105(9)(b)).
• In practice this means petitions tied to domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault are generally filed without a filing fee.

Possessing or accessing firearms while an order to surrender weapons is in effect can lead to arrest and criminal or civil penalties (RCW 9.41.810; chapter 9.41 RCW violations are misdemeanors except where a provision sets a higher grade).

Key Statutes

Important Notes

• Base CPL fees are statewide because RCW 9.41.070 sets them and forbids local add-ons. The main variable is the federal FBI fingerprint charge passed through on an original license.
• A CPL is required to carry a pistol concealed and to carry a loaded pistol in a vehicle. There is no permit fee for lawful open carry of a pistol by a person who may possess one.
• Washington offers conditional reciprocity under RCW 9.41.073. A person who is 21 or older and holds a valid concealed pistol license or permit from another state may carry a concealed pistol in Washington without a Washington CPL if the issuing state recognizes and gives effect to Washington licenses, requires a fingerprint-based background check for criminal and mental-health history, and does not issue licenses to people under 21. The recognition applies only while the holder is not a Washington resident (RCW 9.41.073(1)(b)); a Washington resident cannot carry on an out-of-state permit and needs a Washington CPL. Carry the out-of-state license together with a government-issued photo ID, and carry in compliance with Washington law. The Washington Attorney General publishes the official, current list of qualifying states at atg.wa.gov. As of the mid-2025 update the list was roughly ten states, including Idaho (enhanced permit only), Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana (enhanced permit only), North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Utah. The list changes, so confirm the current AG list before relying on it. A nonresident from a state that does not qualify may still apply for a Washington nonresident CPL at any issuing authority (RCW 9.41.070).
• The permit-to-purchase fee and the WSCJTC LEOSA fees are not fixed in the statutes cited above, and the state background check fee is a cap ($18 under RCW 43.43.580) rather than a set amount. Verify current dollar amounts with the issuing agency before relying on them.
• Fees and effective dates change through legislation. RCW 9.41.070 itself carries a noted 2026 change; check the current version of any statute cited here for the latest amounts.