Washington State Transportation Laws for Concealed Carry

Overview

Washington regulates how firearms, including pistols, are carried and transported in vehicles and in public places. The core rules are in Chapter 9.41 RCW (Firearms and Dangerous Weapons). A separate fish and wildlife statute, RCW 77.15.460, governs loaded rifles and shotguns in vehicles. Washington is not a permitless concealed carry state: a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) issued under RCW 9.41.070 is required to carry a pistol concealed and to carry a loaded pistol in a vehicle. Open carry of a pistol is generally lawful without a license for a person who may legally possess it, subject to the location limits below.

Key Definitions

Under RCW 9.41.010:

• "Firearm" means a weapon or device from which a projectile may be fired by an explosive such as gunpowder. It does not include a flare gun or other pyrotechnic distress signaling device or a powder-actuated construction tool.
• "Pistol" means any firearm with a barrel less than 16 inches in length, or that is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand.
• "Loaded" is defined broadly in RCW 9.41.010(30). A firearm is "loaded" if a cartridge is in the chamber, if cartridges are in a clip locked in place in the firearm, if a cartridge is in the cylinder of a revolver, if a cartridge is in a tube or magazine that is inserted in the action, or, for a muzzle loader, if there is a ball in the barrel and the firearm is capped or primed. This means a pistol that has a loaded magazine inserted is "loaded" under Washington law even if the chamber is empty. To count as unloaded, a pistol must have no round in the chamber and no loaded magazine inserted in it.
• The license Washington issues is a "concealed pistol license" (CPL). It applies only to pistols, not to rifles, shotguns, or other weapons.

Transporting Firearms in Vehicles

With a Concealed Pistol License

A person may not carry or place a loaded pistol in a vehicle unless that person has a CPL and one of the following is true (RCW 9.41.050(2)(a)):

• The pistol is on the licensee's person;
• The licensee is within the vehicle at all times the pistol is there; or
• The licensee is away from the vehicle and the pistol is locked within the vehicle and concealed from view from outside the vehicle.

A CPL holder may carry the pistol loaded and concealed on the person or in the vehicle throughout the state, subject to the prohibited places below. A licensee must keep the CPL in immediate possession at all times a license is required and must display it on demand to any police officer (RCW 9.41.050(1)(b)).

Without a Concealed Pistol License

It is unlawful to carry a pistol concealed on the person without a CPL, except in the person's place of abode or fixed place of business (RCW 9.41.050(1)(a)). Two vehicle rules apply to people without a CPL:

• Loaded pistol: Carrying or placing a loaded pistol in a vehicle without a CPL is unlawful. Remember that a pistol with a loaded magazine inserted counts as loaded even when the chamber is empty. A violation is a misdemeanor (RCW 9.41.050(2)).
• Unloaded pistol: A person at least 18 years of age in possession of an unloaded pistol may not leave the unloaded pistol in a vehicle unless it is locked within the vehicle and concealed from view from outside the vehicle. A violation is a misdemeanor (RCW 9.41.050(3)).

A person without a CPL may lawfully transport a pistol under the exceptions in RCW 9.41.060, which include:

• Carrying a pistol unloaded and in a closed opaque case or secure wrapper (RCW 9.41.060(9)). This is the common way to transport a pistol without a license. To qualify as unloaded, the pistol must have no round in the chamber and no loaded magazine inserted in it.
• Engaging in a lawful outdoor recreational activity such as hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or horseback riding, or traveling to or from a legitimate outdoor recreation area, when the surrounding circumstances make it reasonable to conclude the person is doing so (RCW 9.41.060(8)).

RCW 9.41.060 also exempts on-duty law enforcement and military members, licensed dealers in the ordinary course of business, members of target-shooting and collector clubs going to or from their activities, and certain retired officers.

Long Guns (Rifles and Shotguns)

No license is required to possess or transport a rifle or shotgun. The main vehicle limit is RCW 77.15.460:

• It is unlawful to carry, transport, convey, possess, or control a loaded rifle or shotgun in a motor vehicle or upon an off-road vehicle, except as allowed by department rule. A violation is a misdemeanor.
• A rifle or shotgun is not considered loaded if the detachable clip or magazine is not inserted in or attached to it (RCW 77.15.460(5)). Note that this rifle-and-shotgun rule is narrower than the general "loaded" definition in RCW 9.41.010(30), which treats a pistol with a magazine inserted in the action as loaded even when no round is chambered.
• Exceptions include on-duty law enforcement officers and persons holding a disability hunting designation under RCW 77.32.237.

Machine Guns, Short-Barreled Shotguns, and Similar Weapons

RCW 9.41.190 makes it unlawful to own, transport, or possess any machine gun, bump-fire stock, undetectable firearm, short-barreled shotgun, or short-barreled rifle, with limited exceptions. A violation is a class C felony. Two points matter for transport:

• Short-barreled rifles are an exception: they are lawful to own, transport, and possess if the person is in compliance with applicable federal law (RCW 9.41.190(2)), which for a National Firearms Act item means proper federal registration and tax stamp.
• Machine guns and short-barreled shotguns remain unlawful under state law except for narrow exemptions; possession of a machine gun or short-barreled shotgun acquired before July 1, 1994 and held in compliance with federal law is an affirmative defense (RCW 9.41.190(4)).

Federal NFA transfer tax was changed by Pub. L. 119-21. The making and transfer tax is $200 for a machinegun or destructive device and $0 for other NFA items, effective for calendar quarters beginning more than 90 days after July 4, 2025, with the first qualifying quarter starting January 1, 2026. The change in federal tax does not change Washington's separate state ban on machine guns and short-barreled shotguns.

Assault Weapons and Large Capacity Magazines

• Assault weapons (RCW 9.41.390): Effective April 25, 2023 (2023 c 162, HB 1240), it is unlawful to manufacture, import, distribute, sell, or offer for sale an assault weapon as defined by statute. The legislature stated its intent was to limit prospective sales while allowing existing legal owners to retain the assault weapons they already own, so continued possession and transport of a lawfully owned assault weapon is not banned by this section. A violation is a gross misdemeanor. Bringing an assault weapon into Washington from another state can constitute prohibited "import."
• Large capacity magazines (RCW 9.41.370): It is unlawful to manufacture, import, distribute, sell, or offer for sale a large capacity magazine (over 10 rounds). The statute does not prohibit simple possession, so transport of a previously acquired magazine is not banned by its terms. A violation is a gross misdemeanor. This ban was challenged in Gator's Custom Guns v. Ferguson; the magazine restriction remains in effect, so do not bring magazines into Washington for sale or transfer.

Untraceable Firearms and Unfinished Frames or Receivers

• Untraceable firearms (RCW 9.41.326): After March 10, 2023, no person may knowingly or recklessly possess, transport, or receive an untraceable (unserialized) firearm unless the person is a law enforcement agency or a federally licensed importer, manufacturer, or dealer. Exceptions cover permanently inoperable firearms, antique firearms, firearms manufactured before 1968, and firearms that have been serialized by a federal licensee under RCW 9.41.328. Do not transport a home-built unserialized firearm in Washington.
• Unfinished frames or receivers (RCW 9.41.327): The same possession, transport, and receipt ban applies to unfinished frames or receivers unless they have been imprinted with a serial number issued by a federal licensee. For both statutes, a first violation is a civil infraction with a $500 penalty, repeat violations are misdemeanors or gross misdemeanors, and a violation involving three or more items at a time is a gross misdemeanor.

Minors and Firearm Transportation

A person under 18 is generally barred from possessing a firearm, but RCW 9.41.042 lists exceptions. A minor may possess a firearm when:

• Attending a hunter safety or firearms safety course;
• Practicing or target shooting at an authorized range or any area where discharge is not prohibited;
• Engaging in or practicing for an organized competition or performance that uses firearms;
• Hunting or trapping under a valid license;
• On real property controlled by a parent, relative, or legal guardian, with permission; or
• At the minor's residence with the permission of a parent or guardian for a lawful purpose under RCW 9A.16.020(3).

The travel exception is narrower than the possession exceptions. A minor may travel with an unloaded firearm only to or from the activities in RCW 9.41.042(1) through (5): safety courses, range practice, organized competitions or performances, licensed hunting or trapping, and supervised or certified use in areas where discharge is permitted (RCW 9.41.042(6)). Travel to or from the real property and residence exceptions is not covered, so a minor may not transport a firearm to a relative's property or to the minor's home in reliance on those exceptions.

Prohibited Places and Transport Routes

Even with a CPL, a firearm may not be taken into the places listed in RCW 9.41.300(1), which affects where you can stop while transporting a firearm:

• Restricted access areas of a jail, law enforcement facility, or other place of confinement;
• Areas of a building used in connection with court proceedings;
• Restricted access areas of a public mental health facility for inpatient care;
• The portion of an establishment classified by the state liquor and cannabis board as off-limits to persons under 21 (the bar area of a tavern);
• Restricted access areas of a commercial service airport designated in the TSA-approved security plan, including passenger screening checkpoints at or beyond the point screening begins;
• Public libraries;
• Zoos and aquariums; and
• Transit stations and transit facilities (this does not include transit vehicles such as buses and light rail cars, which are excluded from the definition).

Important CPL exemptions:

• A CPL holder is exempt from the prohibitions on libraries, zoos and aquariums, and transit stations and facilities (RCW 9.41.300(14)).
• A CPL holder may enter a jail's restricted area only if, on entry, the person promptly obtains written permission from the facility administrator or checks the firearm (RCW 9.41.300(9)).
• A CPL holder is not exempt from the court, mental health, liquor-board off-limits, and airport restrictions above.

Penalty: violating RCW 9.41.300(1) is a gross misdemeanor (RCW 9.41.300(16)). The statute does not escalate this to a felony for repeat offenses. Premises covered by subsection (1) must be posted at reasonable intervals.

Permitted Demonstrations

It is unlawful to knowingly open carry a firearm at a permitted demonstration, or within 250 feet after an officer directs you to leave, including carrying it in a vehicle at the demonstration (RCW 9.41.300(2)). This subsection does not apply to lawful concealed carry by a valid CPL holder (RCW 9.41.300(2)(e)).

Schools

School premises are governed by RCW 9.41.280, not RCW 9.41.300. It is unlawful to knowingly carry onto or possess a firearm on public or private elementary or secondary school premises, on school-provided transportation, or in facility areas being used exclusively by a school. A first violation is a misdemeanor and a second or subsequent violation is a gross misdemeanor; a conviction under subsection (1)(a) results in revocation of any CPL for three years (RCW 9.41.280(2)). A person in possession of a pistol who holds a CPL issued under RCW 9.41.070, or who is exempt from the licensing requirement under RCW 9.41.060, may possess the pistol while picking up or dropping off a student, and while attending official school board meetings held off school district-owned or leased property (RCW 9.41.280(3)(e)). A separate vehicle exception allows a nonstudent at least 18 years old who is conducting legitimate business at the school to keep a firearm secured within an attended vehicle, or concealed from view within a locked unattended vehicle (RCW 9.41.280(3)(f) and (g)).

Under federal law, the Gun-Free School Zones Act (18 U.S.C. 922(q)) restricts firearms within 1,000 feet of a school, but exempts a person licensed by the state to carry. A Washington CPL holder is within that exemption, though the separate state prohibition on school property still applies.

Child Care Centers

Licensed child care centers have their own statute, RCW 9.41.282, with rules parallel to the school rules. It is unlawful to carry onto or possess a firearm on licensed child care center premises, on child care center-provided transportation, or in facility areas being used exclusively by a child care center. A violation is a gross misdemeanor, and a conviction involving a firearm results in revocation of any CPL for three years (RCW 9.41.282(2)). A CPL holder, or a person exempt from licensing under RCW 9.41.060, may possess a pistol while picking up or dropping off a child at the center, and a person at least 18 years old conducting legitimate business at the center may keep a firearm secured within an attended vehicle or concealed from view within a locked unattended vehicle (RCW 9.41.282(3)). Family day care provider homes are not covered by this prohibition.

Voting Facilities and Outdoor Music Festivals

RCW 9.41.284 prohibits knowingly carrying or possessing firearms in ballot counting centers, voting centers, student engagement hubs, and county elections and voter registration offices. A CPL holder may carry a concealed pistol in a voting center, student engagement hub, or elections and voter registration office, but no firearm, whether concealed or openly carried, may be possessed in a ballot counting center (RCW 9.41.284(4)). Separately, RCW 70.108.150 makes it unlawful for anyone except law enforcement officers to carry, transport, or possess any firearm while on the site of an outdoor music festival, and it contains no CPL exception.

Public Transportation

Washington State Ferries

Washington State Ferries are operated as part of the state highway system. A CPL holder may carry consistent with state law, and a person without a CPL should keep a pistol unloaded and in a closed opaque case or secure wrapper (RCW 9.41.060(9)). Federally controlled security zones at terminals may impose additional limits.

Buses, Light Rail, and Transit Facilities

RCW 9.41.300(1)(h) restricts firearms at transit stations and transit facilities, but the statute expressly excludes transit vehicles from that definition, so buses and rail cars are not covered by this prohibition. A CPL holder is in any event exempt from the transit station and facility restriction (RCW 9.41.300(14)). Individual transit agencies may post their own rules, so check posted signage.

Amtrak and Passenger Rail

Amtrak sets its own firearms policy under federal authority. Firearms must be unloaded, in a locked hard-sided container, and declared in advance; Amtrak does not allow firearms in carry-on baggage. This applies to Amtrak Cascades service in Washington.

Aircraft and Airport Secured Areas

Carrying a concealed dangerous weapon that would be accessible in flight, or placing a loaded firearm on an aircraft in air transportation, is a federal crime under 49 U.S.C. 46505. Firearms flown commercially must be unloaded, in a locked hard-sided case, and declared to the airline as checked baggage. Washington also makes the TSA-screened restricted areas of a commercial service airport off-limits under RCW 9.41.300(1)(e).

Vehicle Storage and Parking Lots

Washington has no statute that requires employers to let employees store firearms in personal vehicles on company property:

• Private employers may generally prohibit firearms on their property, including parking lots.
• There is no state law granting a "guns in locked cars" right against an employer.
• Violating an employer's firearms policy is not by itself a crime, but it can be grounds for discipline or termination.

Law Enforcement Interactions

Washington has no statutory "duty to inform" that requires a CPL holder to volunteer that they are armed during a traffic stop. However, a licensee must carry the CPL and display it on demand to a police officer (RCW 9.41.050(1)(b)), and CPL status may be visible to officers when a driver's license is queried. Answer truthfully if asked.

Interstate Transportation

Federal Safe Passage (FOPA)

Under 18 U.S.C. 926A, a person may transport a firearm through any state, including Washington, if:

1. The person may lawfully possess and carry the firearm at both the origin and destination;
2. The firearm is unloaded;
3. The firearm and any ammunition are not readily accessible from the passenger compartment; and
4. In a vehicle without a separate compartment, the firearm and ammunition are in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.

FOPA is generally treated by courts as a defense rather than absolute immunity, so a traveler may still face arrest and have to raise it. It does not override state assault weapon or large capacity magazine bans, and lengthy stops can take a trip outside its protection.

Reciprocity

Washington has a conditional out-of-state reciprocity statute, RCW 9.41.073. A person who holds a valid concealed pistol license or permit from another state may carry a concealed pistol in Washington without a Washington CPL, but only if all of these conditions are met: the issuing state recognizes and gives effect to Washington concealed pistol licenses; the issuing state does not issue concealed pistol licenses or permits to persons under 21; and the issuing state requires mandatory fingerprint-based background checks of criminal and mental health history for all applicants. The person must be 21 or older, must not be a Washington resident, and must carry the out-of-state license along with government-issued photo identification while carrying in Washington.

The Washington Attorney General is required to publish, and keep current, the official list of states whose licenses qualify. As of the mid-2025 update that list included roughly ten states, such as Idaho (enhanced permit only), Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana (enhanced permit only), North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Utah. The list changes as other states amend their laws, so always confirm the current list at atg.wa.gov before relying on a home-state permit. If your state is not on the list, your out-of-state permit is not recognized in Washington.

Practical points for visitors:

• A nonresident may openly carry a pistol where otherwise lawful, since open carry does not require a license for a person who may possess a firearm.
• A nonresident from a non-qualifying state should transport a pistol unloaded and in a closed opaque case or secure wrapper (RCW 9.41.060(9)).
• A nonresident may apply for a Washington nonresident CPL under RCW 9.41.070, which is available regardless of whether the person's home state qualifies for reciprocity.

Neighboring Jurisdictions

• Oregon does not honor a Washington CPL and requires an Oregon license to carry concealed.
• Idaho's enhanced permit is recognized by Washington under the current Attorney General list, but Idaho's own carry laws differ from Washington's, so confirm current Idaho law before carrying there.
• British Columbia, Canada, has very restrictive firearms laws, and bringing a firearm into Canada requires advance authorization through the Canadian Firearms Program.

Extreme Risk Protection Orders

Under chapter 7.105 RCW, a Washington court may issue an extreme risk protection order requiring a person to surrender firearms and any concealed pistol license. A person subject to such an order is prohibited from possessing or transporting firearms for the duration of the order, and violating the order is a criminal offense.

Key Statute References

Preemption and Other Notes

• State preemption (RCW 9.41.290): Washington fully occupies the field of firearms regulation, including transportation, and local governments may enact only firearms laws specifically authorized by state law, such as those permitted in RCW 9.41.300. Local ordinances that are more restrictive than state law are preempted.
• The CPL applies only to pistols and does not authorize concealed carry of rifles, shotguns, or other weapons.
• Tribal lands within Washington may have their own firearms rules, and state law may not apply on tribal land.
• This summary is informational and not legal advice. Verify current statutes at app.leg.wa.gov before relying on this information, since several restrictions are recent and subject to litigation.