CARRYING A CONCEALED GUN
CARRYING A CONCEALED GUN UNDERWASHINGTON LAW
RCW 9.41.050 is the Washington statute that sets forth the law on carrying a concealed gun. Per this law, you are guilty of a crime if you have a gun concealed on your person without possessing a valid Concealed Pistol License (CPL). This means you must have a CPL on your immediate possession whenever you are carrying a concealed gun.
Note that you do not need a CPL to carry a concealed gun at your home or fixed place of business.
CPLs are issued to Washington residents and non-residents that are at least 21 years old. There is no current requirement to attend a firearms training course to obtain a CPL.
PENALTIES FOR CONCEALED GUN CHARGES
Carrying a concealed gun without a license is a misdemeanor offense (as opposed to a felony). The crime is punishable by:
- Imprisonment for up to 90 days in jail, and/or,
- A fine of up to $1,000.
DEFENSES TO CONCEALED GUN CHARGES
You have the right to challenge a concealed carry charge with a legal defense. A valid defense is to show that you did in fact have a valid CPL when you were carrying a concealed pistol.
You can also contest a charge by showing that an emergency necessitated you to commit the offense. For example, maybe you had to carry a concealed gun without a permit because you were protecting yourself from an aggressor or someone trying to harm you.