(The Center Square) – Washington’s new permit-to-purchase requirement for firearms is moving from the statehouse to implementation, with the Washington State Patrol now building the system that will require firearm buyers to obtain state approval before purchasing a gun.
The permit requirement does not take effect until May 1, 2027, but work is already underway on the technology and processes needed to launch the program.
The agency says it is targeting early 2027 for the permit application and firearms-training certification systems so applicants have time to obtain permits before the law becomes mandatory.
That development is drawing renewed criticism from Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond, who says the law goes too far and could ultimately face a constitutional challenge.
“I think this is insane,” Raymond said in a phone interview Wednesday with The Center Square.
Raymond said he believes the new permit requirement is unconstitutional because law-abiding Americans already have a constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
His criticism centers on what he sees as another layer of government approval for people who have already passed existing background checks.
“It’s another level of control,” Raymond said.
The permit application itself will include fingerprints, proof of the required training and an application fee. The law allows the State Patrol to charge fees intended to cover the direct and indirect costs of administering the permit program. The Legislature’s bill report outlines the permit’s five-year validity and fee structure.
The new permit-to-purchase application will cost $126 – a $90 permit fee plus a $36 fingerprint-processing fee. Local law enforcement agencies may also charge an additional fee to collect fingerprints. The permit will be valid for five years.
Renewals will cost $90 if submitted before the permit expires. A renewal filed within 90 days after expiration will cost an additional $25 late fee.
Under RCW 9.41.121, which stemmed from House Bill 1163 that was signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson on May 20, 2025, Washington residents will have to obtain a five-year permit before purchasing or transferring a firearm beginning May 1, 2027.
“Gun violence in Washington state breaks apart too many families and kills too many children,” Ferguson said after the signing. “We must put commonsense reforms into place that save lives.”
The legislation was championed by gun safety organizations such as the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.
“Washington’s new law reflects the commitment of local advocates to a public health approach to gun violence prevention,” said Kelly Roskam, director of law and policy at the Center, in a statement after the signing. “Firearm Purchaser Licensing is one of the most effective tools we have for reducing gun deaths.”
Applicants will have to submit fingerprints through their local law enforcement agency, have completed a certified firearms safety training course within the previous five years, and pay the required fees. Washington law spells out the application and fingerprint requirements.
The new permit system will operate in addition to Washington’s existing firearm background-check requirements and waiting period.
Raymond questioned why the state needs another process for people who are already legally eligible to own firearms.
“It’s hard to respond to some of these stupid laws they try to pass nowadays,” Raymond said.
He argued that criminals who are already willing to break the law are unlikely to be deterred by another permitting requirement.
“People that aren’t law-abiding are going to figure out other ways to purchase firearms,” Raymond said.
Raymond said he believes the policy places the burden primarily on law-abiding gun owners rather than addressing people who use firearms to commit crimes.
“People cause problems, not weapons themselves,” he said.
The sheriff said he has supported some firearm-safety efforts, including classes offered through his own office. But he views the permit-to-purchase requirement differently.
Raymond said his concern is not limited to the training requirement. Instead, he objects to requiring someone to obtain government permission before making a purchase that he believes is protected by the Constitution.
The law could face scrutiny over its Second Amendment implications. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen established a historical-tradition framework for evaluating firearm regulations.
For now, Washington is moving forward with implementation. There are no current legal challenges to RCW 9.41.121 in the courts.
Beginning May 1, state law will prohibit a dealer from delivering a firearm unless the purchaser has a valid permit, has been cleared through the state background-check program and has satisfied the applicable waiting-period requirements.
Raymond, who has only a few months remaining in office, said his opposition to the law will not change his department’s responsibility to enforce the law while continuing to defend constitutional rights.
He said the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office will continue doing what it can to protect the rights of residents.
“All law enforcement believe in the Constitution and hold to it,” Raymond said.