Turned Away From Buying

[Tony617]

I waited until I moved from my apartment in Washington state to my home before I turned in my CA issued DL for a WA state one. I went into the DMV and got the rules for Washington state and just took the written test. I was not into guns so much and only had one revolver that I didn't even have ammunition. When I would go to gun range and buy the ammo, shoot it all up and went home. That was over 20 years ago now.

 

[The Heretic]

You can walk into most DOL/DMVs and get your license there as soon as you can prove to them you have a residence there. A rental/lease agreement, utility bills, stuff like that is usually adequate. They generally do not have a minimum # of days you need to be there.

They often DO have a maximum number of days that you can go before you get a DL and get your plates/tags.

They often DO have a minimum number of days that you are a resident for in state resident college applications and hunting licenses. But generally not for ID - and it is the ID you need for the firearm purchase. The ATF doesn't care and most states don't care about the number of days you have been a resident to buy a firearm.

I think this thread is now in this state:

 

[sobo]

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.

This (bold/underline, above) is why they refused to sell to you. Since you are not yet a resident of WA, you cannot buy a "semiautomatic assault rifle" (as defined by the clusterbubblegums in Olympia) in this state until you become a resident. Residency can be accomplished by getting yourself a WADL. So, follow the advice of the others that have posted above, go get your WADL, then just walk in and start your BGC and wait.

Purchasing of rifles and shotguns by non-residents:
RCW 9.41.124

If it's a handgun that you were looking to purchase, I haven't yet found the RCW that would prevent you from doing that. But rest assured, if the clusterbubblegums in Olympia made the above rule for long guns, then you can bet your bottom dollar that they made an even more egregious restriction for acquiring a pistol...

 

[The Heretic]

This could be why they refused to sell to you. Since you are not yet a resident of WA, you cannot buy a "semiautomatic assault rifle" as defined by the clusterbubblegums in Olympia. Follow the advice of the others that have posted above to go get your WADL and then just walk in and start your BGC and wait.

Purchasing of rifles and shotguns by non-residents:
RCW 9.41.124

If it's a handgun that you were looking to purchase, I haven't yet found the RCW that would prevent you from doing that. But rest assured, if the clusterbubblegums in Olympia made the above rule for long guns, then you can bet your bottom dollar that they made an even more egregious restriction for acquiring a pistol...

Per the ATF, a handgun must be purchased in your state of residence.

 

[sobo]

Per the ATF, a handgun must be purchased in your state of residence.

Then that would mean, necessarily, that @Speleogist must purchase his handgun in CA, where he still holds residency.
Alternatively, and as others have already mentioned, he gets his WADL and then purchases his handgun here.

And it would also 'splain why I can't find a residency requirement for purchasing a handgun in WA, since that requirement was taken care of by the ATF rules.

 

[trevi]

I still have a PENN DL. I live in WA now and since bought 3 bolt action rifles, which can be sold to non-residents, as well as manually operated shotguns. I have aquired all the handguns I wanted from PENN. I will soon get that WA DL so I can pay in-state hunting fees.

Good luck.

 

[sobo]

I still have a PENN DL. I live in WA now and since bought 3 bolt action rifles, which can be sold to non-residents, as well as manually operated shotguns. I have aquired all the handguns I wanted from PENN.

And, in compliance with RCW 9.41.124, the long guns you purchased here (bold/underline above) are allowed to be purchased by non-residents, as you discovered.

Methinks that @Speleogist was attempting to buy either a handgun or a "semiautomatic 'assault' rifle", and that was why he was turned away.

 

[Hawaiian]

When I moved here and went to Keith's, my Hawaii DL wouldn't cut it. They told me to go get an OR DL and come back.

 

[trevi]

And, in compliance with RCW 9.41.124, the long guns you purchased here (bold/underline above) are allowed to be purchased by non-residents, as you discovered.

Methinks that @Speleogist was attempting to buy either a handgun or a "semiautomatic 'assault' rifle".

I am aware of what he wanted to buy, but sometimes it is worth buying something else to hold over, say, as home defence shotgun. Maybe he has no other tool for defence.

I also applied for my carry permit my first week in, it did not take the full 90 days they said, more like 35.

 

[sobo]

I am aware of what he wanted to buy

I missed where he said specifically what it was that he wanted to buy. All I saw was that he tried to buy "a gun"...

 

[Sporting Systems]

They didn't make it up...


RCW 9.41.092
Licensed dealer deliveries—Background checks.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter and except for semiautomatic assault rifles under subsection (2) of this section, a licensed dealer may not deliver any firearm to a purchaser or transferee until the earlier of:
(a) The results of all required background checks are known and the purchaser or transferee (i) is not prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm under federal or state law and (ii) does not have a voluntary waiver of firearm rights currently in effect; or
(b) Ten business days have elapsed from the date the licensed dealer requested the background check. However, for sales and transfers of pistols if the purchaser or transferee does not have a valid permanent Washington driver's license or state identification card or has not been a resident of the state for the previous consecutive ninety days, then the time period in this subsection shall be extended from ten business days to sixty days.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a licensed dealer may not deliver a semiautomatic assault rifle to a purchaser or transferee until ten business days have elapsed from the date of the purchase application or, in the case of a transfer, ten business days have elapsed from the date a background check is initiated.

 

[sobo]

That was the section I was looking for.

Thanks, @Sporting Systems !

 

[Sporting Systems]

When I moved here and went to Keith's, my Hawaii DL wouldn't cut it. They told me to go get an OR DL and come back.

Possession out of an out of state license, means the selling dealer is required to follow the laws of your state of residence. Thats very difficult to comply with many states requirements, being an out of state dealer. Same as 1639, federal law requires selling dealers in Oregon to comply with WA law to delivery that firearm...some are, some aren't.

 

[XoXSciFiGuy]

Many years ago I took a trip to Nevada. Mid 80's, and it was for...of all the crazy things...to take a job as a cook at the now-defunct Alpine Hotel in Eureka, Nevada. Look it up on a map sometime. Talk about The Middle of Nowhere, or look up that term in the dictionary and you will find a picture of Eureka there.

Tried to buy a rifle at the gun shop there. No background check, no residency requirement...but you had to have a Nevada ID or they couldn't sell you one. They didn't do background checks. You just showed your ID and your money, filled out the form, and it was a done deal in minutes. But not without either a Nevada DL or a state ID card. So this state ID thing has been around for a while.

 

[Speleogist]

Thanks for the replies. I've seen that they can extend the background check to 60 days I was just surprised that they outright told me I couldnt buy anything. I didnt even tell them what I wanted to buy yet, just asked what I needed in order to buy since i just moved here and all of the license centers are still closed. Seems like I'll just have to wait until those license centers open or I'm sure I'll be waiting 60 days.

 

[Mecanik]

I can't imagine moving here, We all want to move out......

 

[PaulB47]

I don't blame stores one bit for being paranoid about such things. It's hard to keep a small business running and profitable, especially in a hostile regulatory environment.