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Hey guys, just recently moved to WA. Went to a big box retailer (will remain unnamed as I like them for now) and was turned away from buying a gun as they said I "had to be a resident of WA for 90 days" before I could buy. I've never heard of such idiocy even in the most ridiculous states. Can anyone clarify what this person was talking about? I've read the RCW and couldn't find anything about this. I think the only problem I'll run into is that I dont have a WA ID and I'm not from a contiguous state.
 
I sure haven't heard of that. I'd assume you would just need a valid ID. I know I had to pay out of state rates for a fishing license even though I owned a house in WA for the same reason...so who knows....
 
Pistol or rifle??

Pistol I can see the issue, rifle you should be able to buy but if your information is vastly different then your ID I wouldn't sell to you either.

No offense meant.

Edit: Just saw you posted your local as CA - no ones going to want to sell to someone with a CA ID without a lot of proof you live in WA now. Sucks cuz the dmv is closed or I would say go get a new ID
 
I would just chalk it up to.....any or every store can have a "store policy."

I've heard of some pretty stupid "store policy" at Wal Mart when trying to buy tires. Yeah....WHATEVER. So then, don't depend on what some clerk may say.....b/c LAW is different from "STORE POLICY". But to some, it's all the same thing. Bottom Line: if the store doesn't want to sell....so be it. It's NOT like the clerk is picking on you because you're of a certain racial extraction or religion.

Mind you that I'm NOT saying that there isn't some law out there that requires a 90-day residency or what is acceptable proof.

Aloha, Mark
 
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I would just chalk it up to.....any or every store can have a "store policy."

I've heard of some pretty stupid "store policy" at Wal Mart when trying to buy tires. Yeah....WHATEVER. So then, don't depend on what some clerk may say.....b/c LAW is different from "STORE POLICY". But to some, it's all the same thing. Bottom Line: if the store doesn't want to sell....so be it. It's NOT like the clerk is picking on you because you're of a certain racial extraction or religion.

Mind you that I'm NOT saying that there isn't some law out there that requires a 90-day residency or what is acceptable proof.

Aloha, Mark

I had one place start out with, "Well, the way we do it..." and I said just stop, take your games and shove them I'll go to a real gun store and buy this shotgun , turned around and left.
 
It wouldn't be the first time I've heard about 90 days to establish residency. That's what I had to wait to apply for a pistol permit in NY after I left the Army and I was a resident but had spent four years away and still had to wait.
 
I couldn't find anything in the RCW but it might be buried in there someplace. Or in the Wash. Admin. Code, maybe. Too much fine print for me to sift though reliably. But on another site, I found this:

" For transfers of handguns to an individual without a valid Washington driver's license or state identification card or who has not been a resident of the state for the previous consecutive 90 days, Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) dealers may not deliver the handgun until the transferee passes a background check or 60 days have elapsed since the date of the request, whichever occurs first. "

It seems to me that the WA state paperwork we used to fill out for handgun transactions actually asked how long you'd been a resident. In months and years. I don't remember seeing that last time I filled one out. Those forms change from time to time.

Maybe an FFL dealer from Wash. can clarify this.
 
Not uncommon. Was told the same thing after moving to Oregon. It's the store's ffl to lose so they need to make sure they are selling to residents. Coming from California, pretty sure the law there says you cannot go out of state to buy any gun. Once we obtained an OR driver's license there was no issue at all. The 90 day thing just was never an issue.
 
I ran into that issue also. I thought it was shorter than that.
Anyway, it's not so much about the residency as it is the id.

I went and got a Wa Drivers license and applied for my CPL And got them both quickly and then purchased with no problem,

That was all less than 60 days after moving from CA.
 
Don't blame the store, it is federal law, not the 90-day part, but the ID part. You must have government-issued photo ID with current address;

https://www.atf.gov/file/83651/download

Important part here;

The Brady Act incorporates the definition of an "identification document" provided by 18 U.S.C. 1028(d)(2), which is set forth in relevant part as follows:
[A] document made or issued by or under the authority of the United States Government, a State, political subdivision of a State, a foreign government, political subdivision of a foreign government, an international governmental or an international
quasi-governmental organization which, when completed with information concerning
a particular individual, is of a type intended or commonly accepted for the purpose of identification of individuals.
ATF regulations further require that the identification document must contain the name, residence address, date of birth, and photograph of the holder. 27 CFR 178.11.
 
This part has always perplexed me a bit. You can update your residence information with the state DOL, and then your physical card doesn't match, but your address is on record with the state.

I have bought pistols / firearms before where my address on my ID didn't match my address on record, I just had to help the employee look it up on their computer on the DOL website and see the updated information.

I did the same thing when I updated my CPL and my drivers license didn't match, just directed them to the DOL site and saw the updated information. It seems that the accuracy of the physical card is irrelevant as long as their records are up to date.

All that being said, your address being on record is irrelevant information anyway, (except from an arbitrary process for paper pushers) whether you are a criminal or you aren't, if I am not a criminal based on their background check, then my address is irrelevant. If I am a criminal, then again my address is irrelevant because I am a criminal.
 
People usually search for a gun related RCW when it is a RCW about residency.

RCW 77.08.075
"Resident" defined.

For the purposes of this title or rules adopted under this title, "resident" means:
(1) A natural person who has maintained a permanent place of abode within the state for at least ninety days immediately preceding an application for a license, has established by formal evidence an intent to continue residing within the state, is not licensed to hunt or fish as a resident in another state or country, and is not receiving resident benefits of another state or country.
(a) For purposes of this section, "permanent place of abode" means a residence in this state that a person maintains for personal use.
(b) A natural person can demonstrate that the person has maintained a permanent place of abode in Washington by showing that the person:
(i) Uses a Washington state address for federal income tax or state tax purposes;
(ii) Designates this state as the person's residence for obtaining eligibility to hold a public office or for judicial actions;
(iii) Is a registered voter in the state of Washington; or
(iv) Is a custodial parent with a child attending prekindergarten, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, or high school in this state.
(c) A natural person can demonstrate the intent to continue residing within the state by showing that he or she:
(i) Has a valid Washington state driver's license; or
(ii) Has a valid Washington state identification card, if the person is not eligible for a Washington state driver's license; and
(iii) Has registered the person's vehicle or vehicles in Washington state;
(2) The spouse of a member of the United States armed forces if the member qualifies as a resident under subsection (1), (3), or (4) of this section, or a natural person age eighteen or younger who does not qualify as a resident under subsection (1) of this section, but who has a parent or legal guardian who qualifies as a resident under subsection (1), (3), or (4) of this section;
(3) A member of the United States armed forces temporarily stationed in Washington state on predeployment orders. A copy of the person's military orders is required to meet this condition;
(4) An active duty, nonretired member of the United States armed forces who is permanently stationed in Washington or who designates Washington on his or her military "state of legal residence certificate" or enlistment or reenlistment documents. A copy of the person's "state of legal residence certificate" or enlistment or reenlistment documents is required to meet the conditions of this subsection.
 
Hey guys, just recently moved to WA. Went to a big box retailer (will remain unnamed as I like them for now) and was turned away from buying a gun as they said I "had to be a resident of WA for 90 days" before I could buy. I've never heard of such idiocy even in the most ridiculous states. Can anyone clarify what this person was talking about? I've read the RCW and couldn't find anything about this. I think the only problem I'll run into is that I dont have a WA ID and I'm not from a contiguous state.
WA State has had a residency requirement for firearms purchases for a while, as do many states. I cautioned another member here who is moving from WA to Idaho that he should buy his firearms here before he moves, as he will likely run into the same thing in Idaho that you did here.
 
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