Tap any paragraph to write a margin note. Your notes collect in the Desk below the text and file under cases with @. The side-by-side margin rail opens on a larger screen.

§
Marginalia
Code · Washington · Title 9 — Crimes and Punishments · Chapter 9.41

RCW 9.41.0975

1,082 words·~5 min read·/wa/title-9/chapter-9-41/9-41-0975·

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2632.SL ) ***
(1)The state, local governmental entities, any public or private agency, and the employees of any state or local governmental entity or public or private agency, acting in good faith, are immune from liability:
(a)For failure to prevent the sale or transfer of a firearm to a person whose receipt or possession of the firearm is unlawful;
(b)For preventing the sale or transfer of a firearm to a person who may lawfully receive or possess a firearm;
(c)For issuing a concealed pistol license or alien firearm license to a person ineligible for such a license;
(d)For failing to issue a concealed pistol license or alien firearm license to a person eligible for such a license;
(e)For revoking or failing to revoke an issued concealed pistol license or alien firearm license;
(f)For errors in preparing or transmitting information as part of determining a person's eligibility to receive or possess a firearm, or eligibility for a concealed pistol license or alien firearm license;
(g)For issuing a dealer's license to a person ineligible for such a license; or
(h)For failing to issue a dealer's license to a person eligible for such a license.
(2)An application may be made to a court of competent jurisdiction for a writ of mandamus:
(a)Directing an issuing agency to issue a concealed pistol license or alien firearm license wrongfully refused;
(b)Directing the Washington state patrol firearms background check program to approve an application to purchase a firearm wrongfully denied;
(c)Directing that erroneous information resulting either in the wrongful refusal to issue a concealed pistol license or alien firearm license or in the wrongful denial of a purchase application for a firearm be corrected; or
(d)Directing a law enforcement agency to approve a dealer's license wrongfully denied.
The application for the writ may be made in the county in which the application for a concealed pistol license or alien firearm license or an application to purchase a firearm was made, or in Thurston county, at the discretion of the petitioner. A court shall provide an expedited hearing for an application brought under this subsection
(2)for a writ of mandamus. A person granted a writ of mandamus under this subsection
(2)shall be awarded reasonable attorneys' fees and costs.
[ 2023 c 161 s 7 ; 2019 c 3 s 9 (Initiative Measure No. 1639, approved November 6, 2018); 2009 c 216 s 7 ; 1996 c 295 s 9 ; 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 413 .]
Notes:
Effective date — 2023 c 161: See note following RCW 9.41.090 .
Finding — Short title — Effective dates — Implementation — 2019 c 3 (Initiative Measure No. 1639): See notes following RCW 9.41.360 .
Finding — Intent — Severability — 1994 sp.s. c 7: See notes following RCW 43.70.540 .
Effective date — 1994 sp.s. c 7 ss 401-410, 413-416, 418-437, and 439-460: See note following RCW 9.41.010 .
RCW 9.41.0975
Officials and agencies — Immunity, writ of mandamus. (Effective May 1, 2027.)
*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2632.SL ) ***
(1)The state, local governmental entities, any public or private agency, and the employees of any state or local governmental entity or public or private agency, acting in good faith, are immune from liability:
(a)For failure to prevent the sale or transfer of a firearm to a person whose receipt or possession of the firearm is unlawful;
(b)For preventing the sale or transfer of a firearm to a person who may lawfully receive or possess a firearm;
(c)For issuing a permit to purchase firearms, concealed pistol license, or alien firearm license to a person ineligible for such a license;
(d)For failing to issue a permit to purchase firearms, concealed pistol license, or alien firearm license to a person eligible for such a license;
(e)For revoking or failing to revoke an issued permit to purchase firearms, concealed pistol license, or alien firearm license;
(f)For errors in preparing or transmitting information as part of determining a person's eligibility to receive or possess a firearm, or eligibility for a permit to purchase firearms, concealed pistol license, or alien firearm license;
(g)For issuing a dealer's license to a person ineligible for such a license; or
(h)For failing to issue a dealer's license to a person eligible for such a license.
(2)An application may be made to a court of competent jurisdiction for a writ of mandamus:
(a)Directing an issuing agency to issue a concealed pistol license, permit to purchase firearms, or alien firearm license wrongfully refused, or to reinstate a concealed pistol license or permit to purchase firearms wrongfully revoked;
(b)Directing the Washington state patrol firearms background check program to approve an application to purchase a firearm wrongfully denied;
(c)Directing that erroneous information resulting either in the wrongful refusal to issue a permit to purchase firearms, concealed pistol license, or alien firearm license or in the wrongful denial of an application for the purchase or transfer of a firearm be corrected; or
(d)Directing a law enforcement agency to approve a dealer's license wrongfully denied.
The application for the writ may be made in the county in which the application for a permit to purchase firearms, concealed pistol license, or alien firearm license or an application to purchase a firearm was made, or in Thurston county, at the discretion of the petitioner. A court shall provide an expedited hearing for an application brought under this subsection
(2)for a writ of mandamus. A person granted a writ of mandamus under this subsection
(2)shall be awarded reasonable attorneys' fees and costs.
[ 2025 c 370 s 12 ; 2023 c 161 s 7 ; 2019 c 3 s 9 (Initiative Measure No. 1639, approved November 6, 2018); 2009 c 216 s 7 ; 1996 c 295 s 9 ; 1994 sp.s. c 7 s 413 .]
Notes:
Effective date — 2025 c 370: See note following RCW 9.41.090 .
Effective date — 2023 c 161: See note following RCW 9.41.090 .
Finding — Short title — Effective dates — Implementation — 2019 c 3 (Initiative Measure No. 1639): See notes following RCW 9.41.360 .
Finding — Intent — Severability — 1994 sp.s. c 7: See notes following RCW 43.70.540 .
Effective date — 1994 sp.s. c 7 ss 401-410, 413-416, 418-437, and 439-460: See note following RCW 9.41.010 .
★   the supreme law of the land   ★
Don't Tread on Me
E Pluribus Unum — out of many, one

"If you don't know your rights, you don't have any."

Marginalia · a citizen's law index
A research desk, not legal advice. Always read the cited source before relying on a summary.
Questions or an issue? support@self-law.org
disclaimerMarginalia is a research index, not a law firm. Nothing on this site is legal, tax, or financial advice and no attorney–client relationship is formed by using it. Statutes, regulations, and case law change; summaries, search results, AI output, and member posts may be incomplete, out of date, or wrong. Any interpretation drawn from material on this site should be validated by a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before you act on it.