Tasers and stun guns are legal to own in Washington, and no permit, license, or background check is required to buy one. What the state regulates is how you carry the device in public, where you take it, and how you use it. Get those wrong and the penalties run from a misdemeanor up to a Class B felony.
Who Can Own One
Washington treats stun guns and tasers as dangerous weapons under Chapter 9.41 RCW, but it does not require a permit to possess one. The state’s felon-in-possession statute, RCW 9.41.040, bars convicted felons from possessing firearms, and it does not extend that ban to stun guns or other non-firearm weapons.1Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.41.040 Unlawful Possession of Firearms A person with a felony conviction who cannot legally touch a handgun is not automatically barred from owning a stun gun under that statute.
There is also no Washington statute setting a minimum age to buy or possess a stun gun specifically. The age rules in Chapter 9.41 focus on firearms. Most retailers enforce their own 18-and-over policies, so a minor will have practical trouble buying one, but that is a store rule rather than a state mandate.
None of this makes a stun gun a free pass. Carrying one in a way that intimidates others still violates state law regardless of age or record, and using one offensively brings assault charges that apply to everyone.
Where You Cannot Carry One
The one location Washington law bans by name is school property. RCW 9.41.280 makes it illegal to knowingly carry a stun gun onto public or private elementary or secondary school grounds, school transportation, or facilities being used exclusively for school activities, including school board meetings.2Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 9.41.280 – Possessing Dangerous Weapons on School Facilities A first offense is a misdemeanor and any repeat is a gross misdemeanor.
Federal law adds another layer. Under 18 U.S.C. ยง 930, bringing a dangerous weapon into a federal facility is a federal crime punishable by up to one year in prison. A stun gun fits the statute’s definition because it is readily capable of causing serious bodily injury. Federal courthouses carry a maximum of two years, and if prosecutors prove you brought the weapon intending to use it during a crime, the ceiling rises to five years.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities
Airport security screening will stop you from taking one past the checkpoint. State courthouses, jails, and government buildings routinely screen at the door, and their policies typically prohibit stun guns even where no Washington statute names them. If a building has a metal detector or a posted weapons ban, leave the device at home or locked in your vehicle.
Even in places where carrying is legal, how you carry matters. RCW 9.41.270 makes it a crime to carry any weapon capable of producing bodily harm in a manner that shows an intent to intimidate someone or that reasonably causes alarm for others’ safety.4Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.41.270 Weapons Apparently Capable of Producing Bodily Harm Waving one around in public, in other words, can be charged even if the location itself is unrestricted.
When You Can Legally Use One
Washington’s self-defense statute, RCW 9A.16.020, allows the use of force when you reasonably believe someone is about to use unlawful force against you, and only to the degree necessary to stop the threat.5Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 9A.16.020 – Use of Force, When Lawful Two conditions have to hold at the same time: the threat has to be immediate, and your response cannot exceed what the situation actually demands.
Deploying a stun gun against someone who is physically coming at you right now is legally defensible in a way that using one on someone who insulted you ten minutes earlier is not. The threat has to be happening in the moment. And drawing a stun gun to “win” an argument you started can flip you from victim to aggressor and erase the self-defense claim entirely.
Penalties If You Break the Rules
Charges scale with what you did and how much harm resulted.
Carrying a stun gun in a manner that intimidates or alarms others under RCW 9.41.270 is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.4Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.41.270 Weapons Apparently Capable of Producing Bodily Harm6Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 9A.20.021 – Maximum Sentences for Crimes Committed July 1, 1984 A conviction also costs you any concealed pistol license you hold.
Carrying one on school property is a misdemeanor on a first offense, with up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, and a gross misdemeanor for any subsequent offense.2Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 9.41.280 – Possessing Dangerous Weapons on School Facilities6Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 9A.20.021 – Maximum Sentences for Crimes Committed July 1, 1984
Actually hurting someone with a stun gun moves you into felony territory. Causing bodily harm through criminal negligence with a weapon is assault in the third degree, a Class C felony carrying up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.7Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 9A.36.031 – Assault in the Third Degree6Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 9A.20.021 – Maximum Sentences for Crimes Committed July 1, 1984 Intentionally assaulting someone with a deadly weapon can elevate the charge to assault in the second degree, a Class B felony with a maximum of ten years in prison and a $20,000 fine.8Washington State Legislature. Washington Code RCW 9A.36.021 – Assault in the Second Degree
Flying and Traveling Out of State
Stun guns and shocking devices cannot go in a carry-on bag. TSA allows them in checked luggage only, and the device must be packed so it cannot accidentally discharge during transport.9Transportation Security Administration. Stun Guns/Shocking Devices If the device uses a lithium battery, FAA battery rules also apply.
Your destination matters too. Hawaii, Rhode Island, and a handful of other states have stricter laws than Washington, so check the rules where you are landing before you pack one.
City and County Rules
Washington’s state preemption statute, RCW 9.41.290, blocks cities and counties from writing their own firearm rules. Stun guns are not firearms, and the preemption language does not cover them.10Washington State Legislature. RCW 9.41.290 State Preemption A Washington city or county can impose its own restrictions on stun gun possession or carrying that go beyond state law. Check your local municipal code before buying or carrying one.