WASHINGTON STATE FIREARM PURCHASING – WHAT IS A STATE WAIT?
THE STATE WAIT ON FIRARMS CAN BE BROKEN DOWN INTO TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES DEPENDING ON THE FIREARM. EITHER A PISTOL OR A SEMI-AUTOMATIC "ASSAULT" RIFLE, ALSO KNOWN AS AN S.A.R.
A PISTOL STATE WAIT IS FOR ANY FIREARM CLASSIFIED AS A PISTOL. FOR EXAMPLE, A HANDGUN, REVOLVER OR AN AR-15 PISTOL. YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK WILL BE CONDUCTED BY YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. YOUR LOCAL PD HAS A MAXIMUM OF 10 BUSINESS DAYS FROM YOUR INITIAL DATE OF PURHCASE TO RUN YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK. IF THEY HAVE NOT COMPLETED YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK BY END OF DAY ON THE 10TH BUSINESS DAY YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PICK UP YOUR FIREARM ON THE FOLLOWING DAY. THIS IS AT THE DISCRECION OF THE DEALER THAT HANDLES YOUR PURCHASE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE 10 BUSINESS DAYS EXCLUDES WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS.
AN S.A.R. STATE WAIT IS FOR ANY FIREARM CLASSIFIED AS A SEMI-AUTOMATIC “ASSAULT” RIFLE, REGARDLESS OF CALIBER. AGAIN, YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK WILL BE CONDUCTED BY YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. HOWEVER, THERE IS A MINIMUM WAIT OF 10 BUSINESS DAYS AND CAN POTENTIALLY BE LONGER. WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TRANSFER YOUR FIREARM TO YOU UNTIL WE HAVE A RESPONSE FROM YOUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. IN ACCORDANCE WITH I-1639, YOU MUST ALSO TAKE A BASIC SAFETY/TRAINING COURSE IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THIS TYPE OF FIREARM.
IF YOUR LOCAL PD PLACES A HOLD ON YOUR BACKGROUND CHECK BECAUSE THEY NEED MORE TIME TO REVIEW, A FIREARM CANNOT BE TRANSFERRED UNTIL A PROCEED RESPONSE IS RECEIVED FROM THE PD. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS. THIS HAPPENS PERIODICALLY.
WE WANT YOU TO RECEIVE YOUR FIREARM AND EXCERSIZE YOUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS! AS SOON AS WE ARE ABLE TO TRANSFER YOUR FIREARM TO YOU, WE WILL CALL YOU. WE WILL LEAVE A VOICEMAIL IF YOU CAN’T ANSWER. WITH RECENT HIGH DEMAND IT CAN SOMETIMES TAKE US A DAY OR TWO TO PROCESS THROUGH ALL THE BACKGROUND CHECKS WE RECEIVE, BUT YOU WILL GET YOUR FIREARM.