Washington Concealed Pistol License (CPL): How to Apply, Cost and Renewal (2026)

Quick answer: Washington requires a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) to carry a pistol concealed on your person outside your home or fixed place of business, and to keep a loaded pistol in a vehicle. You apply to your local police department or county sheriff, not the Department of Licensing. You must be 21 or older. Under RCW 9.41.070 the agency must issue the license within 30 days (60 days for applicants without a Washington license or ID, or new residents), the state fee for an original license is $36 plus FBI charges, and the license lasts five years. From May 1, 2027, applicants will also need a certified concealed carry safety training certificate. Facts below are from the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL), the Revised Code of Washington and the King County Sheriff’s Office, checked November 4, 2026.

When you need a CPL in Washington

DOL states that you are required to have a CPL if you “Carry a pistol concealed on your person” or “Have a loaded pistol in your vehicle.” Under RCW 9.41.050, “Except in the person’s place of abode or fixed place of business, a person shall not carry a pistol concealed on his or her person without a license to carry a concealed pistol.” A loaded pistol may be kept in a vehicle only by a CPL holder, and only if the pistol is on the licensee’s person, the licensee stays in the vehicle while it is there, or the licensee is away and the pistol is locked inside and concealed from view. Breaking the vehicle rule is a misdemeanor.

Who issues the CPL and where to apply

DOL says, “The Department of Licensing does not issue or renew any firearms licenses.” Apply here:

• In an unincorporated area of a county: the sheriff’s office of the county where you live.
• In an incorporated city or town: your city or town police department, or your county sheriff’s office.
• Outside Washington: any local law enforcement agency (police department or sheriff’s office) in Washington.

Check your agency’s website for its application form, its fees and accepted payment methods, and whether appointments are booked online or by phone.

Who qualifies

RCW 9.41.070 says the applicant’s “constitutional right to bear arms shall not be denied” unless the applicant:

• is ineligible to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040 or 9.41.045, or is prohibited under federal law;
• has a concealed pistol license in a revoked status;
• is under twenty-one years of age;
• is subject to a court order or injunction regarding firearms;
• is free on bond or personal recognizance pending trial, appeal or sentencing for a felony;
• has an outstanding warrant for a felony or misdemeanor; or
• was ordered to forfeit a firearm within one year before applying.

The issuing agency runs a check through the national instant criminal background check system and state databases for new licenses and renewals.

What to bring

• A completed, unsigned application form.
• The licensing fee, in cash or by check or money order payable to the law enforcement agency.
• A driver’s license or state ID showing your current address. DOL: “Passports or military IDs are not accepted in lieu of state-issued ID.”
• If you are a permanent resident, your valid Permanent Resident Card.
• If it applies, your original certificate of rehabilitation or firearm restoration order.

The agency takes your fingerprints and runs the background check.

Fees and processing time

• State fees (RCW 9.41.070): original five-year license, thirty-six dollars plus FBI charges; renewal, thirty-two dollars; replacement, ten dollars; late renewal, an extra ten dollars.
• What a county charges in total: as an example, the King County Sheriff’s Office lists, effective 1/1/25, Original CPL $51.00, Renewal $32.00, Late Renewal $42.00 and Replacement $10.00, plus 2.35% (minimum $2.00) when paying by card.
• Time: the agency must issue the license “within thirty days after the filing of an application.” It has “up to sixty days” if you do not have a valid permanent Washington driver’s license or state ID card, or have not been a Washington resident for the previous consecutive ninety days.

Training: none today, required from May 1, 2027

The version of RCW 9.41.070 in effect until May 1, 2027 lists no training course. The version effective May 1, 2027 adds a requirement: applicants must produce “a certificate of completion from a certified concealed carry firearms safety training program within the last five years,” or proof of an exemption. That training must include live-fire shooting exercises on a firing range, “including a minimum of 50 rounds of ammunition firing training at a firing range under the supervision of an instructor.” If you plan to apply after that date, check your agency’s page for the current rule.

How long the CPL lasts and how to renew

• A CPL is valid “for five years from date of issue.”
• Under RCW 9.41.070, you can renew within ninety days before or after the expiration date. Renewing after expiration adds the ten-dollar late penalty.
• DOL says renewal notices are sent 60 days before the expiration date, that “Renewals cannot be done over the phone,” and that if your CPL is more than 90 days past expiration, “you must apply for an original CPL.”
• If you were out of state on military orders during the renewal period, DOL says you have 90 days after returning to Washington to renew.

Carrying with a CPL

Carry the license. RCW 9.41.050 requires every licensee to have the CPL “in his or her immediate possession” whenever a license is required, and to display it on demand to any police officer. A violation is a class 1 civil infraction.

Places where weapons are prohibited. RCW 9.41.300 makes it unlawful to enter these places while knowingly possessing a weapon:

• restricted access areas of a jail or law enforcement facility;
• areas of a building used for court proceedings (the building must offer a locked box or an official to hold the weapon);
• restricted access areas of public mental health facilities;
• the part of an establishment classified by the state liquor and cannabis board as off-limits to persons under 21;
• restricted access areas of a commercial service airport, including passenger screening checkpoints;
• library premises established under chapter 27.12 RCW;
• accredited zoos and aquariums;
• transit stations and transit facilities (not transit vehicles).

Open carry is also barred at a permitted demonstration, and within 250 feet of one after an officer tells you to leave.

Other states’ licenses in Washington

Under RCW 9.41.073, Washington honors another state’s license only if that state recognizes a Washington CPL, does not issue licenses to people under twenty-one, and requires fingerprint-based background checks. It applies only while the holder is not a Washington resident, and the handgun must be carried in compliance with Washington law. The Attorney General publishes the list of qualifying states. For how other states treat a Washington CPL, see our concealed carry reciprocity guide.

Carrying comfortably once your CPL arrives

The Cloudster Pillow holster wedge mounts to the back of any IWB or AIWB holster with hook-and-loop, angles the grip into your body for better concealment and comfort, and has shredded cooling gel memory foam fill you can add or remove to set its thickness. Our Kore 1.5″ ratchet gun belts keep the holster steady. For how other states handle permits and renewals, see our carry permit requirements guide.

Washington Concealed Pistol License: Questions People Ask

How much is a concealed pistol license in Washington?

The state fee for an original five-year license is $36 plus FBI charges, and renewal is $32. Agencies list their own totals; King County’s Original CPL is $51.00.

How long does a Washington CPL take?

Up to 30 days after you apply, or up to 60 days if you don’t have a permanent Washington license or ID, or haven’t lived in Washington for the past 90 days.

Can non-residents get a Washington CPL?

Yes. DOL says people who live outside Washington can apply at any local police department or sheriff’s office in the state.

Does Washington require training for a CPL?

Not until May 1, 2027. From that date, applicants need a certificate from a certified concealed carry safety training program, with at least 50 rounds of supervised live fire, taken within the last five years.

Do I need a CPL to keep a loaded pistol in my car?

Yes. Under RCW 9.41.050, only a CPL holder may have a loaded pistol in a vehicle, and only on the person, while staying in the vehicle, or locked inside and out of view.

Sources, all read November 4, 2026: Washington State Department of Licensing, Firearms page; Revised Code of Washington 9.41.050, 9.41.070 (both versions: effective until May 1, 2027, and effective May 1, 2027), 9.41.073 and 9.41.300 (app.leg.wa.gov); King County Sheriff’s Office, Concealed Pistol License page. Laws change, so confirm with your local law enforcement agency before you apply. This is general information, not legal advice.