Washington statute
RCW 9.41.327 — Unfinished frames or receivers—Exceptions—Penalties
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 9.41: Firearms And Dangerous Weapons, Revised Code of Washington.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of RCW 9.41.327
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official text of the Revised Code of Washington from the Code Reviser's published files; it is not the official statutes of the State of Washington.
(1) After March 10, 2023, no person may knowingly or recklessly possess, transport, or receive an unfinished frame or receiver, unless: (a) The party possessing, transporting, or receiving the unfinished frame or receiver is a law enforcement agency or a federal firearms importer, federal firearms manufacturer, or federal firearms dealer; or (b) the unfinished frame or receiver has been imprinted with a serial number issued by a federal firearms importer, federal firearms manufacturer, or federal firearms dealer.
(2) No person may sell, offer to sell, transfer, or purchase an unfinished frame or receiver, unless: (a) The party purchasing the unfinished frame or receiver is a federal firearms importer, federal firearms manufacturer, or federal firearms dealer; or (b) the unfinished frame or receiver has been imprinted with a serial number issued by a federal firearms importer, federal firearms manufacturer, or federal firearms dealer.
(3) No person may sell, transfer, distribute, or offer to sell digital firearm manufacturing code for an unfinished frame or receiver to a person who is not a federal firearms manufacturer, or who is not a federal firearms dealer licensed for the sole purpose of repairing existing firearms.
(4) No person may possess digital firearm manufacturing code for an unfinished frame or receiver with an intent to distribute the code unless the person receiving the code is:
(a) A federal firearms manufacturer; or
(b) A federal firearms dealer licensed for the sole purpose of repairing existing firearms.
(5) No person may possess digital firearm manufacturing code for an unfinished frame or receiver with an intent to manufacture an unfinished frame or receiver using a three-dimensional printer or computer numerical control milling machine unless the person is:
(a) A federal firearms manufacturer; or
(b) A federal firearms dealer licensed for the sole purpose of repairing existing firearms.
(6) No person may knowingly or recklessly manufacture a frame or receiver or an unfinished frame or receiver by use of a three-dimensional printer, computer numerical control milling machine, or by other means, unless the party manufacturing the frame or receiver or unfinished frame or receiver is a federal firearms manufacturer, or is a federal firearms dealer licensed for the sole purpose of repairing existing firearms.
(7) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to any unfinished frame or receiver that has been imprinted by a federal firearms dealer or other federal licensee authorized to provide marking services as provided for in RCW 9.41.328.
(8)(a) Any person who violates this section commits a civil infraction and shall be assessed a monetary penalty of $500.
(b) If a person previously has been found to have violated this section, then the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW for each subsequent violation of this section.
(c) If a person previously has been found to have violated this section two or more times, then the person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW for each subsequent violation of this section.
(d) If a person violates this section by possessing, transporting, receiving, selling, offering to sell, transferring, purchasing, or manufacturing three or more frames or receivers or unfinished frames or receivers at a time, then the person is guilty of a gross misdemeanor punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW for each violation of this section.
(e) A person commits a separate violation of this section for each and every frame or receiver, or unfinished frame or receiver, to which this section applies.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is unfinished frames or receivers a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?
It depends on the circumstances: unfinished frames or receivers ranges from a Misdemeanor to a Gross Misdemeanor in Washington under RCW 9.41.327.
Second violation (one prior violation): Misdemeanor (RCW 9.41.327(8)(b)) · Third or subsequent violation (two or more priors): Gross Misdemeanor (RCW 9.41.327(8)(c)) · Violation involving three or more frames/receivers: Gross Misdemeanor (RCW 9.41.327(8)(d))
Which Washington statute covers unfinished frames or receivers?
Unfinished frames or receivers is governed by RCW 9.41.327 (Unfinished frames or receivers—Exceptions—Penalties).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.