Background check wait times?

[sprink]

I recently purchased a handgun from a member here and I'm curious if there's a maximum allowable wait time for the background check to clear. Ive never bought a handgun without a carry permit so I was always able to walk out the same day with all my purchases until now. My permit expired last year and haven't had time to renew it yet so the wait time for a handgun is new to me. A local pawn shop submitted the background check info two weeks ago and it still hasn't cleared. I thought the FBI had a certain amount of time to process checks. Is it normal to have to wait two plus weeks?

Read More

 

[WALawyer]

Assuming the transaction occurred in WA and since you did not present a CPL, you must wait until the earlier of background check completion or ten business days. The dealer is allowed to transfer the firearm to you after the ten business days have elapsed if the background check is not completed, but the dealer is not obligated to do so.

A background check for a handgun purchase with a CPL in WA goes through the local law enforcement agency, usually the county sheriff but sometimes a municipal police department will also do them. You can ask the dealer which agency is doing your check and then follow up directly with the agency.

 

[sprink]

Assuming the transaction occurred in WA and since you did not present a CPL, you must wait until the earlier of background check completion or ten business days. The dealer is allowed to transfer the firearm to you after the ten business days have elapsed if the background check is not completed, but the dealer is not obligated to do so.

A background check for a handgun purchase with a CPL in WA goes through the local law enforcement agency, usually the county sheriff but sometimes a municipal police department will also do them. You can ask the dealer which agency is doing your check and then follow up directly with the agency.

That was exactly the info I was looking, thank you

 

[bikemutt]

Two weeks seems to be an excessively long time to wait for a BG check to come back from NICS, even in the height of panic I've never seen one of mine go beyond 2.5 days. Talking rifle here, that's NICS.

 

[WALawyer]

Two weeks seems to be an excessively long time to wait for a BG check to come back from NICS, even in the height of panic I've never seen one of mine go beyond 2.5 days. Talking rifle here, that's NICS.

Since his CPL expired and he bought a handgun, the check isn't through NICS, it's through a local law enforcement agency.