Beginning June 6, 2024, gun owners or individuals in lawful possession of a firearm must report any loss or theft of a firearm and the circumstances surrounding the loss or theft to law enforcement within 24 hours of discovering such loss or theft.1 A person who fails to report may be fined up to $1,000.2
Additionally, as part of a secure storage provision enacted by ballot measure in 2018, firearm owners are protected from prosecution for community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm if they report the unlawful entry and theft of the firearm within five days of the time they should reasonably have known that the firearm had been taken.3
As of June 6, 2024, Washington’s licensing authority will be required to issue dealer signage, with the issuance of a firearm dealer license, to be posted by a firearms dealer warning customers of the potential for a civil penalty for failure to report loss or theft, and a criminal penalty for unsafe storage practices.4
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