Resident permit · ID → WA
Is an Idaho Resident Permit Valid in Washington?
The short answer is yes. Washington recognizes Idaho resident permits, which makes your Idaho Concealed Weapons License (CWL) valid authority to carry concealed there.
Why
- Washington's official reciprocity list includes Idaho.
AG list as of 2026-07-10. Permit-class limits: Idaho ENHANCED permits only; Kansas standard licenses only; Montana ENHANCED permits only (not 18-20 restricted permits); North Dakota CLASS 1 permits only; South Dakota unrestricted ENHANCED and GOLD permits only; Utah permits recognized EXCLUDING provisional (under-21) permits. RCW 9.41.073 requires the issuing state to recognize WA CPLs, not license under-21s, and require a fingerprint-based criminal and mental-health background check; holder residency in the issuing state is not a statutory condition.
The permit (Idaho)
- Permit
- Idaho Concealed Weapons License (CWL)
- Issued by
- County sheriff
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
The destination (Washington)
- Recognition policy
- Honors a named list of 10 states
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- No state limit
Carry rules in Washington
Crossing into Washington swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- No statutory duty to proactively tell an officer you are carrying; the CPL must be in your possession while carrying a concealed pistol and presented on demand.
- Washington sets no state magazine-capacity limit for handguns.
- Washington is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Washington recognizes.
- A loaded pistol in a vehicle requires a CPL and must be on the licensee's person, or the licensee must remain in the vehicle, or the pistol must be locked in the vehicle and concealed from view when the licensee leaves; without a CPL the pistol must be unloaded, and if left in the vehicle, locked and hidden from view (RCW 9.41.050).
Off-limits places in Washington
Washington bans carry in 6 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Restricted areas of jails, law enforcement facilities and courthouses/courtrooms (RCW 9.41.300)
- Licensed inpatient psychiatric facilities (RCW 9.41.300)
Idaho vs Washington: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Idaho into Washington changes 2 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → No); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 10 states).
| Rule | Idaho | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (18+) | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | None |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | 10 states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Washington resident permit in Idaho: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
Driving on from Washington
How an Idaho resident permit fares in the states bordering Washington:
- Oregon — Not recognized
Frequently asked questions
- Does Washington honor an Idaho non-resident permit?
- Recognized — carry with your permit. The answer is the same as for the resident permit on this page.
- Can a Washington resident permit holder carry in Idaho?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Idaho's law, not Washington's.
- Where does Washington publish its official reciprocity list?
- Washington publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
Official sources
- Washington Attorney General — Concealed Pistol License Reciprocity (list as of 07/10/2026) — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.070 — Concealed pistol license — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.050 — Carrying firearms — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.300 — Weapons prohibited in certain places — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.370 — Large capacity magazines — accessed 2026-08-08
- RCW 9.41.240 — Possession of pistol by person from eighteen to twenty-one — accessed 2026-09-27
- Idaho Office of the Attorney General - Concealed Weapons — accessed 2026-08-08
- Idaho Code 18-3302 (Issuance of licenses to carry concealed weapons) — accessed 2026-09-27