Washington's new $126 gun permit fee adds costs for concealed carriers
Washington's permit-to-purchase law takes effect May 1, and the state has started explaining where the required $126 in fees actually goes, though the numbers raise more questions than they answer.
Snapshot
Washington State Patrol officials say the $126 fee breaks down into $90 for the permit itself and $36 for a federally required fingerprint background check, the latter of which the agency doesn't keep. WSP projects 200,000 applicants in the program's first full year, with the $90 portion alone generating roughly $18 million, according to Bearing Arms, citing Reason Magazine's reporting on comments from Kevin Baird, commander of the WSP Firearms Background Division.
Key points
- Fee breakdown: Reason reports the $126 fee splits into $90 for the permit and $36 for fingerprinting, with renewal every five years also costing $90.
- No exemptions: Existing concealed pistol and hunting license holders are not exempt from the new permit requirement, per Reason's reporting.
- Extra costs: Applicants must separately pay for a state-certified gun safety course covering live-fire exercises, safe storage, suicide prevention, and use of deadly force.
- Revenue projection: WSP's Kevin Baird says the $90 fee is meant to fund program operations, putting first-year revenue at roughly $18 million based on 200,000 expected applicants.
- Math questioned: Bearing Arms' Tom Knighton argues the per-applicant cost doesn't match the minimal processing time likely involved, suggesting the fee structure may generate far more revenue than needed to run the program.
Quick take
For concealed carriers, this isn't just a paperwork fee — it's a new financial gatekeeper standing between residents and their ability to legally buy a firearm, with costs that stack up before anyone even reaches the range. Knighton's analysis, while speculative by his own admission, raises a legitimate question gun owners in the state should be asking before May 1 arrives.
Read the full story: bearingarms.com