Washington prohibits any person from delivering a firearm to any other person whom he or she has reasonable cause to believe is ineligible to possess a firearm.¹

Washington also prohibits any person from changing, altering, removing, or obliterating the name of the maker, model, manufacturer’s number, or other mark of identification on any firearm.²

Washington law incorporates the federal requirement that licensed dealers must conduct background checks on prospective purchasers each time a dealer transfers a firearm.³ Washington also penalizes anyone who knowingly makes a false statement regarding identity or eligibility requirements on the application to purchase a handgun.⁴

Washington has no other laws aimed at firearms trafficking.

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1. Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.41.080. A violation is a class C felony, and any firearms dealer violating this prohibition is subject to mandatory permanent revocation of and permanent ineligibility for his or her dealer’s license. Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §§ 9.41.080, 9.41.110(8)(b).[↩]
2. Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.41.140. See Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.41.135 for information on the required annual verification of firearms dealer licenses and registration by the Washington Department of Licensing.[↩]
3. Wash. Rev. Code Ann. §§ 9.41.090, 9.41.113.[↩]
4. Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 9.41.090(8).[↩]