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Washington statute

RCW 9.41.360 — Unsafe storage of a firearm

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 9.41.360

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.

RCW 9.41.360Primary source, current through the 2026 Regular Session
(1) A person who stores or leaves a firearm in a location where the person knows, or reasonably should know, that a prohibited person may gain access to the firearm: (a) Is guilty of community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the first degree if a prohibited person obtains access and possession of the firearm and causes personal injury or death with the firearm; or (b) Is guilty of community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the second degree if a prohibited person obtains access and possession of the firearm and: (i) Causes the firearm to discharge; (ii) Carries, exhibits, or displays the firearm in a public place in a manner that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons; or (iii) Uses the firearm in the commission of a crime. (2)(a) Community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the first degree is a class C felony punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW. (b) Community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm in the second degree is a gross misdemeanor punishable according to chapter 9A.20 RCW. (3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply if: (a) The firearm was in secure gun storage, or secured with a trigger lock or similar device that is designed to prevent the unauthorized use or discharge of the firearm; (b) In the case of a person who is a prohibited person on the basis of the person's age, access to the firearm is with the lawful permission of the prohibited person's parent or guardian and supervised by an adult, or is in accordance with RCW 9.41.042; (c) The prohibited person obtains, or obtains and discharges, the firearm in a lawful act of self-defense; or (d) The prohibited person's access to the firearm was obtained as a result of an unlawful entry, provided that the unauthorized access or theft of the firearm is reported to a local law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction in which the unauthorized access or theft occurred within five days of the time the victim of the unlawful entry knew or reasonably should have known that the firearm had been taken. (4) If a death or serious injury occurs as a result of an alleged violation of subsection (1)(a) of this section, the prosecuting attorney may decline to prosecute, even though technically sufficient evidence to prosecute exists, in situations where prosecution would serve no public purpose or would defeat the purpose of the law in question. (5) For the purposes of this section, "prohibited person" means a person who is prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law. (6) Nothing in this section mandates how or where a firearm must be stored.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

Is unsafe storage of a firearm a felony or a misdemeanor in Washington?

It depends on the circumstances: unsafe storage of a firearm ranges from a Gross Misdemeanor to a Class C Felony in Washington under RCW 9.41.360.

Community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm — first degree: Class C Felony (RCW 9.41.360(2)(a)) · Community endangerment due to unsafe storage of a firearm — second degree: Gross Misdemeanor (RCW 9.41.360(2)(b))

Which Washington statute covers unsafe storage of a firearm?

Unsafe storage of a firearm is governed by RCW 9.41.360 (Unsafe storage of a firearm).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.