Washington
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Washington
This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to Washington. It supports research on the state’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the territorial period through statehood to the present.
- Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
- Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, logging, maritime, and aerospace records, and oral histories tied to Washington people and places.
- Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the state.
Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.
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Item type:Item, Charter and Ordinances of the City of Olympia: Also General Laws of Washington Territory, Relative to the Government of Incorporated Cities and Towns 80 (1886)(1886)Section 2 prohibited drawing, exhibiting, or attempting to use a deadly weapon against another person within Olympia; violations carried a $25–$50 fine. Section 3 prohibited carrying a deadly weapon concealed on one’s person within Olympia; violations carried a $5–$10 fine. Section 4 prohibited discharging any gun, pistol, or firearm within a specified area of Olympia; violations were punishable by a $5–$20 fine, 5–10 days’ imprisonment, or both.Item type:Item, An Ordinance Relating to Offenses and Disorderly Conduct, Olympia City Council, Ordinance No. 152, § 5 (Washington, 1882).(1882)No. 152, § 5: That any person or persons who shall fire or explode any fire crackers boom5 torpedoes, or any other explosives within the City of Olympia without first obtaining Permission from the City Council shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than five nor more than twenty-five dollars of or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten days, or by both such fine and imprisonment Provided that this section shall not apply to using fire works on5 the public squares, The [???]6 and Marshville Bridges and all boats or crafts upon the waters of the sound within the corporate limits of the City..."Item type:Item, 1883 Wash. Sess. Laws 139-40(1883)An Act to Incorporate the City of Whatcom, Ch. 2, § 8: The city of Whatcom shall have the power to prevent injury or annoyance from anything dangerous, offensive, or unhealthy . . . to regulate and prohibit the carrying of deadly weapons in a concealed manner; to regulate and prohibit the use of guns, pistols and firearms, fire-crackers, bombs and detonating works of all descriptions[.]Item type:Item, 1888 Wash. Terr. Sess. Laws 100(1888)Act of Jan. 31, 1888, § 1: Every person who shall in a reckless, careless or negligent manner discharge, in the vicinity of an inhabitated dwelling house, or in the streets of an incorporated city, or unincorporated town, any firearm, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding thirty days, or both such fine and imprisonment.Item type:Item, An Ordinance Relating to Offenses and Disorderly Conduct, § 4, Olympia City Council (1882)(1882)Ordinance No. 152, § 4: Any person, who shall within the following... [seems to contain a detailed description of local landmarks outlining a specific area]4...fire off or discharge any gun pistol or fire arm of any kind, shall be liable to a fine of not less than five or more than twenty dollars or by imprisonment for not less than five nor more than ten days or by both-such fine or imprisonment.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 8, §§ 1 & 5, Washtucna Town Council (1903)(1903)All persons (Except police officers and other persons whose duty it is to execute process or warrants or make arrests) who shall carry upon their persons any concealed weapons consisting of a revolver, pistol or other firearms (except by written permit from the Town Marshal) or any knife (other than an ordinary pocket knife) or any dirk or dagger, sling-shot or metal knuckles, or any instrument by the use of which injury can be inflicted upon the person or property of any other person All persons (except peace officers as aforesaid) who shall draw, exhibit or attempt to use any deadly weapon upon, to or against another person, in said Town, with intent to do bodily injury to such person; All persons (except peace officers as aforesaid and persons practicing at target shooting in a shooting gallery duly licensed) who shall, within the Town limits, fire off and discharge any gun, pistol or firearm of any kind or bomb...Item type:Item, Ordinance No. A-17, § 2, Wilbur Town Council (1894)(1894)If any person shall within the corporate limits of the Town of Wilbur, fire or discharge any gun, rifle, fowling piece, pistol or any other firearm, they shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding twenty five dollars ($25.00) together with the cost of prosecution.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. A 236, §§ 1 (Pts. 1, 7, 12, 21, & 31), 9, 10, 26, 37, & 39, Yakima City Council (1917)(1917)Any person in said city, except police officers and other persons who are authorized by law or have obtained proper authority so to do from the Chief of Police of said city, who shall carry or wear in any manner concealed upon his or her person, any dirk, dagger, stilletto, bowie-knife, sword-cane, gun, pistol, revolver sling-shot, metal knuckles, or any other dangerous weapon or instrument which may be used to inflict injury upon the person of another. Any person in said city, except police officers and other persons whose duty it is to make arrestes, who shall draw, exhibit or attempt to use, any deadly weapon with intent to do bodily injury to another, or with the intention of intimidating such other person.-Any person in said city, except police officers engaged in the lawful discharge of their duty, and persons practicing at target shooting in a duly licensed shooting gallery, who shall fire off or discharge any gun, pistol or fire arm of any kind within the city limits...or who shall sell or give, or permit to be sold or given away to any person under the age of twenty one-years any intoxicating liquor, cigar, cigarette, cigarette paper or wrapping, or tobacco in any form; or who shall sell, or give, or permit to be sold or given to any person under the age of eighteen years, any revolver, or pistolItem type:Item, Ordinance No. 3, § 1, Washougal Town Council (1908)(1909)All persons (except police officers and other persons whose duty it is to execute process or warrants or make arrests] who shall carry upon his or her person any concealed weapon consisting of a revolver, pistol or other firearms or any knife (other than an ordinary pocket knife) or any dirk or dagger, sling shot or metal knuckles, or any instrument by use of which injury could be inflicted upon the person or property of any other person in said town. And, all persons (except police officers as aforesaid and persons practicing at shooting in a shooting gallery duly licensed) who shall, within the town limits, fire off or discharge any gun, pistol or firearm of any kind, or any bomb, shall be deemed and are disorderly persons and guilty of a misdemeanorItem type:Item, Ordinance No. 377, §§ 2-4, Wenatchee City Council (1911)(1911)It shall be unlawful for any person to carry upon his person any concealed weapon, consisting of either a revolver, pistol or other firearm or any knife (other than an ordinary pock§et knife) or any dirk or dagger, sling shot or metal knuckle or any instrument by the use of which injury could be inflicted upon the person or property of another person, provided, that this section shall not ap§ply to police officers and other persons whose duty it is to execute process or warrants or to make arrests.It shall be unlawful for any person to draw any species of firearm or any dirk, dagger, knife or other dangerous or deadly weapon in the presence of another with intent to intimidate, an§noy or injure another person. FIRING ARMS OR EXPLOSIVES. It shall be unlawful for any person to fire or discharge any cannon, gun, pistol, revolver, or any firearm of any description, or fire, or explode, or set off any squib, cire cracker, torpedo or other thing containing powder or other explosive material, except on days of public celebration or jubilee, and then only in the manner provided by the Ordinances of the City of Wenatchee.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 79, §§ 2, 3, & 15, Yakima City Council (1910)(1910)It shall be unlawful for any person to fire or discharge any pistol, gun, rifle, cannon, or any description of firearms within the corporate limits of said city. It shall be unlawful for any person not being a police officer or not having a permit from the mayor, to carry concealed about his person, any pistol, sling shot, brass or iron knuckle, or other dangerous or deadly weapon.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 3, § 1, Ridgefield Town Council (1909)(1909)All persons (except police officers and other persons whose duty it is to execute process or warrants or make arrests) who shall carry upon his or her person any concealed weapon consisting of a revolver, pistol or other firearms or knife (other than an ordinary pocket knife) or dirk, sling shot, or metal knuckles, or any instrument by use of which injury could be inflicted upon the person or property of any other person in said town; And, all persons (except police officers as aforesaid and persons practicing in a shooting gallery duly licensed) who shall, within the town limits fire off or discharge any gun, pistol or fire arm of any kind, except by permit from the mayor or any bomb, shall be deemed and are disorderly persons, and guilty of a misdemeanor.Item type:Item, Ordinances of the City of Tacoma, Washington 334 (Albert R. Heilig ed., 1892)(1892)Classified carrying, brandishing, or otherwise using or attempting to use certain deadly weapons, intentionally displaying or using a deadly weapon against another person, and discharging firearms or bombs within city limits as misdemeanors. Police could arrest violators without warrants, and convictions carried fines up to $100.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 2, §§ 2-3 & 7, Soap Lake Town Council (1919)(1919)That it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any firearm or other dangerous weapon, at any place within the incorporated limits of the Town of Soap Lake.It shall be unlawful for any person to carry any firearm or other dangerous weapon, or to exhibit, flourish or to use the same in any manner having a tendency to put any other person in terror or fear; upon any of the public highways or other public places within the incorporated limits of the Town of Soap Lake...Item type:Item, Tacoma Revised Charter and Ordinances 800-03 (1905)(1905)Ordinance No. 2284, § 1: All persons (except police officers and other persons whose duty it is to execute process or warrants or make arrests) who shall carry upon their persons any concealed weapons, consisting of a revolver, pistol or other firearms (except by written permit from the Chief of Police) or any knife (other than an ordinary pocket knife) or any dirk or dagger, sling shot or metal knuckles or any instrument by the use of which injury can be inflicted upon the person or property of any other persons. All persons (except peace officers as aforesaid) who shall draw, exhibit or attempt to use any deadly weapon upon, to or against another person within said City with intent to do bodily injury to such person.All persons (except peace officers as aforesaid and persons practicing at target shooting in a shooting gallery, duly licensed) who shall within the City limits fire off or discharge any gun or pistol or firearm of any kind, or bombItem type:Item, Ordinance No. 4, §§ 5 & 10, Leavenworth Town Council (1906)(1906)It shall be unlawful for any person or persons within the corporate limits of said Town, to discharge or cause to be discharged any Pistol, Gun, or other firearm or firearms, loaded with leaden or other misle at any time, under any circumstances, within the corporate limits of said town, excepting officers of the law in the discharge of their duties, or in necessary and urgent defense of person or property. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons within the corporate limits of said town, to carry on or about the person any concealed pistol, revolver, dirk, bowie-knife, billy, slung-shot, metal knuckles, or other dangerous or deadly weapon or weapons of any kind, excepting only officers of the law in the discharge of their duties; and any person or persons so offending shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to the penalty hereinafter provided.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 79, § 1, Adams County News, Jun. 14, 1899, at 2(1899)Declared that all persons who carry concealed weapons, Brandish such weapons, carry weapons with intent to do bodily injury, and those who discharge firearms within the city limits are disorderly personsItem type:Item, Ordinances No. 14, § 4, & No. 16, §§ 1-2, Prosser Town Council (1899)(1899)If any two or more persons, who shall, by mutual consent or agreement, fight together in any public place in said town, shall be deemed guilty of an affray, and, on conviction thereof, shall be fined in any sum not exceeding one hundred dollars. Also prohibited the discharge of firearms in the corporate limits of the town of ProsserItem type:Item, Ordinance No. 7, §§ 1, 6, 11, & 20, Selah Town Council (1919)(1919)Any person in said Town except police officers and other persons authorized by law or have obtained proper authority so to do from the proper officer of said Town, who shall carry or wear in any manner concealed upon his or her person any dirk, dagger, stilletto, bowie-knife, sword, cane, gun, pistol, revolver, sling shot, metal knuckles or any other dangerous weapon or instrument which may be used to inflict injury upon the person of another.Any person in said Town except police officers and other persons whose duty it is to make arrests who shall draw, exhibit or attempt to use any deadly weapon with intent to do bodily injury to another, or with the intention of intimidating such other person. Any person in said Town except police officers engaged in the lawful discharge of their duty, and persons practicing at target shooting in a duly licensed shooting gallery, who shall fire off or discharge any gun, pistol or fire arm of any kind within the Town LimitsItem type:Item, Ordinance No. 408, §§ 10, 11, 28, & 29, Anacortes City Council (1909)(1909)Every person, except a peace officer, who shall within the city of Anacortes, have concealed upon his person or who shall furtively carry, or conceal any dagger, dirk, knife, pistol, or other dangerous weapon shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Every person who shall within the city of Anacortes, manufacture, sell or dispose of or have in his possession any instrument or weapon of the kind known as slung shot, sand club or metal knuckles, excepting a peace officer, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor... Any person who shall within the city of Anacortes sell or give or permit to be sold or given to any person under the age of eighteen years any revolver, pistol, or toy pistol, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person who shall within the city of Anacortes discharge any firearms, gun, cannon, pistol, air gun, bomb, or other dangerous explosive without having first obtained the written permission of the mayor thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 11-An Ordinance Concerning Offenses and Disorderly Conduct, § 27, Ilwaco Town Council (1891)(1891)Any person or persons who shall fire off or discharge any ordinance gun, pistol. rifle or other fire-arms within the Town of Ilwaco shall upon conviction thereof before the Police Court pay a fine of not less than One nor More than One Hundred Dollars. Provided that the Mayor with the consent of the majority of the Committee on Health and Police may permit upon National holidays and other days and other days of public celebration the same which permit shall designate the time and locality of firing.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 260, § 5, Colfax City Council (1902)(1902)It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the city of Colfax to discharge any fire arms, bomb or cannon fire cracker ,or to shoot any sling shot, or to flourish or exhibit any dangerous weapon in any manner that will cause terror to the people passing, or exhibit in a rude, angry, or threatening manner in a crowd of two or more persons, any pistol, bowie knife, or other dangerous weapon.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 11-An Ordinance Concerning Offenses and Disorderly Conduct, § 34, Ilwaco Town Council (1891)(1891)If any person or persons shall use or caused to be used or encouraged the use of any bean-shooter. air-gun, cross-bow or other contrivance or invention used in shooting or throwing beans, stones pebbles, bullets, shot or other substance or thing in or upon any street, park, lane, alley or other public place in the Town shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof before the Police Court shall be fined not less than Two nor more than Forty $Dollars...Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 4, §§ 3-5, Granite Falls Town Council (1904)(1904)Any person who shall in the usual walks of life, within the limits of the town of Granite Falls, carry any deadly weapon concealed about his person shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not more than twenty nor less than two dollars and costs of prosecution which costs shall be a part of the fine.Any person except a peace officer in the discharge of his duties who shall draw, exhibit or attempt to use any deadly weapon within the corporate limits of the town of Granite Falls upon, to, or against another person shall upon conviction thereof, be fined in any sum not more than fifty nor less than ten dollars, and the costs of prosecution, which costs shall be a part of the fine, or imprisonment in jail not more than twenty five, nor less than five days or by both fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the Court. Any person, except a peace officer in the discharge of his duties, who shall within the corporate limits of the Town of Granite Falls fire or discharge any gun, pistol or any other fire-arms, or who shall fire or explode any firecrackers, bombs, torpedeos, or any other explosive without first obtaining permission from the town council shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum not exceeding Twenty dollars and the costs of prosecution which costs shall be a part of the fine.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 7, § 1, Bucoda Town Council (1910)(1910)All persons (except police officers and other persons whose duty it is to execute process or warrants, or make arrests) who shall carry upon his person any concealed weapon, consisting of either a revolver or other firearm or any knife, (other than ordinary pocket knife) or any dirk or dagger, sling shot or metal knuckles, or any instrument by the use of which injury could be inflicted upon the person or property of any other person. All persons (except police officers as aforesaid) who shall draw, exhibit or attempt to use any deadly weapon upon, to or against another person in said town (excepting in necessary defence of person or property) with intent to bodily injure to such person. All persons (except police officers aforesaid and persons practicing at target shooting in a shooting gallery, duly licensed) who shall upon any of the public streets of this town, fire off or discharge any gun, pistol or firearm of any kind, or any bombItem type:Item, Ordinance No. 5, § 1, Kahlotus Town Council (1907) (Kahlotus, Washington).(1907)All persons (except Police Officers and other persons whose duty it is to execute or process warrants or make arrests) who shall carry upon their persons any concealed weapon, consisting of revolver, pistol or other fire-arm (except by a written permit from the Town Marshall) or any knife (other than an ordinary pocket knife), metal knuckles or any dirk or dagger or sling shot or any instrument by the use of which injury can be afflicted upon any person or property of any other person.All persons (except Peace Officers as aforesaid) who shall draw, exhibit or attempt to use any deadly weapon upon, to or against another person in said town with intent to do bodily injury to any such person. All persons (except Peace Officers as aforesaid and persons practicing at target shooting in shooting gallery duly licensed) who shall within the town limits fire off and discharge any gun, pistol or firearm of any kind, or bomb."Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 10, § 5, Lamont Town Council (1910)(1910)It shall be unlawful for any person within the corporate limits of the Town of Lamont to discharge any fire arms, bomb or cannon fire cracker, or to shoot any sling shot, or to flourish or exhibit any dangerous weapon in any manner that will cause terror to the people passing, or exhibit in a rude, angry or threatening manner in a crowd of two or more persons, any pistol, bowie knife, or other dangerous weapon.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 8, Div. 1, §§ 4-5 & Div. 3, § 1, Arlington Town Council (1903)(1902)Whoever shall, within the town of Arlington, carry or wear under his or her clothes, or conceal about the person, any dangerous or deadly weapon, shall be fined in any sum not exceeding one hundred dollars, or be imprisoned not exceeding thirty days, or be both fined and imprisoned.Whoever shall, within the town, draw any species of fire arms, or any dirk, dagger, knife or other dangerous or deadly weapon on the person of another, shall be subject to a fine of not less than five dollars, and not exceeding one hundred dollars, or be imprisoned not exceeding thirty days, or be both fined and imprisoned. Whoever shall fire or discharge any cannon, gun, pistol, revolver or any fire arm of any description, or shall fire or explode, or set off any squib, fire cracker, torpedo or other thing containing powder or other explosive material, without permission from the town marshall or town council so to do, within the corporate limits. Provided that such permission, when given, shall definitely limit the time of such firing and may at any time be revoked; but nothing in this section shall prevent the ordinary and usual fire works demonstration on national holidays, subject, however, to such regulations, control and order as the marshal may deem proper to make for the protection of property from fire."Item type:Item, 1909 Wash. Sess. Laws 965, 977-78(1909)Ch. 249, Subchapter 7-Crimes against Public Health and Safety, § 283: Every proprietor, lessee or occupant of any place of amusement, or any plat of ground or building, who shall allow it to be* used for the exhibition of skill in throwing any sharp instrument or in shooting any bow gun, pistol or firearm of any description, at or toward any human being, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.Item type:Item, Del Cary Smith, Ordinances of the City of Port Townsend 27 (1890)(1890)Div. 3, § 15: Whoever shall fire or discharge any cannon, gun, pistol revolver or any firearm of any description, or shall fire, or explode or set off any squib, firecracker, torpedo or other thing containing powder or other explosive material, without permission from the Mayor or common council so to do, within the city limits, shall, on conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than five nor more than twenty dollarsItem type:Item, An Ordinance Relating to Offenses and Disorderly Conduct and Repealing Ordinances no. 152, 178, & 471, Olympia City Council, Ordinance no. 523, §§ 4-5 (Washington, 1891).(1891)That any person who shall within the following limits, to-wit: Beginning at the intersection of Fifteenth and Eastside streets; thence north on line of said Eastside street to a point known as the Priest Place; thence west to a point five hundred yards west of the west shore of Budd's Inlet; thence south to the line of said Fifteenth street, and thence east to place of beginning, fire off or discharge any gun, pistol or fire arm of any kind, shall upon conviction thereof before a police justice of said city be fined in any sum not less than five nor more than twenty five dollars, and in default of the payment thereof, shall be committed to the city jail until such fine and costs are paid, not to exceed ten days.