Weapons prohibited in certain places
Seattle Mun. Code § 12A.14.170
in effect12A.14.170 - Weapons prohibited in certain places
A. It is unlawful for any person to enter the following places when he or she knowingly possesses or knowingly has under his or her control a weapon:
1. The restricted access areas of a jail, or of a law enforcement facility, or any place used for the confinement of a person (a) arrested for, charged with, or convicted of an offense; (b) held for extradition or as a material witness; or (c) otherwise confined pursuant to an order of a court, except an order under chapter 13.32A or 13.34 RCW. Restricted access areas do not include common areas of egress or ingress open to the general public;
2. Those areas in any building which are used in connection with court proceedings, including courtrooms, jury rooms, judge's chambers, offices and areas used to conduct court business, waiting areas, and corridors adjacent to areas used in connection with court proceedings. The restricted areas do not include common areas of ingress and egress to the building that is used in connection with court proceedings, when it is possible to protect court areas without restricting ingress and egress to the building. The restricted areas shall be the minimum necessary to fulfill the objective of this subsection 12A.14.170.A.2. For purposes of this subsection 12A.14.170.A.2, "weapon" means any firearm, explosive as defined in RCW 70.74.010, or any weapon of the kind usually known as slung shot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or any knife, dagger, dirk, or other similar weapon that is capable of causing death or bodily injury and is commonly used with the intent to cause death or bodily injury. In addition, the local legislative authority shall provide either a stationary locked box sufficient in size for pistols and key to a weapon owner for weapon storage, or shall designate an official to receive weapons for safekeeping, during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building. The locked box or designated official shall be located within the same building used in connection with court proceedings. The local legislative authority shall be liable for any negligence causing damage to or loss of a weapon either placed in a locked box or left with an official during the owner's visit to restricted areas of the building. The local judicial authority shall designate and clearly mark those areas where weapons are prohibited, and shall post notices at each entrance to the building of the prohibition against weapons in the restricted areas;
3. The restricted access areas of a public mental health facility certified by the department of social and health services for inpatient hospital care and state institutions for the care of the mentally ill, excluding those facilities solely for evaluation and treatment. Restricted access areas do not include common areas of egress and ingress open to the general public;
4. That portion of an establishment classified by the state liquor control board as off-limits to persons under 21 years of age;
5. The restricted access areas of a commercial service airport designated in the airport security plan approved by the federal transportation security administration, including passenger screening checkpoints at or beyond the point at which a passenger initiates the screening process. These areas do not include airport drives, general parking areas and walkways, and shops and areas of the terminal that are outside the screening checkpoints and that are normally open to unscreened passengers or visitors to the airport. Any restricted access area shall be clearly indicated by prominent signs indicating that firearms and other weapons are prohibited in the area;
6. The premises of a library established or maintained pursuant to the authority of chapter 27.12 RCW;
7. The premises of a zoo or aquarium accredited or certified by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums or the Zoological Association of America or a facility with a current signed memorandum of participation with an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan; or
8. The premises of a transit station or transit facility. For purposes of this subsection 12A.14.170.A.8, "transit station" and "transit facility" have the same meaning as defined in RCW 9.91.025. "Transit station" and "transit facility" do not include any "transit vehicle" as that term is defined in RCW 9.91.025.
B. The perimeter of the premises of any specific location covered by subsection 12A.14.170.A shall be posted at reasonable intervals to alert the public as to the existence of any law restricting the possession of firearms on the premises.
C. Subsection 12A.14.170.A does not apply to:
1. A person engaged in military activities sponsored by the federal or state governments, while engaged in official duties;
2. Law enforcement personnel, except that subsection 12A.14.170.A.2 does apply to a law enforcement officer who is present at a courthouse building as a party to an antiharassment protection order action or a domestic violence protection order action under chapter 7.105 or 10.99 RCW, or an action under Title 26 RCW where any party has alleged the existence of domestic violence as defined in RCW 7.105.010; or
3. Security personnel while engaged in official duties.
D. Subsections 12A.14.170.A.1, 12A.14.170.A.2, 12A.14.170.A.3, 12A.14.170.A.5, 12A.14.170.A.6, 12A.14.170.A.7, and 12A.14.170.A.8 do not apply to correctional personnel or community corrections officers, as long as they are employed as such, who have completed government-sponsored law enforcement firearms training, except that subsection 12A.14.170.A.2 does apply to a correctional employee or community corrections officer who is present at a courthouse building as a party to an antiharassment protection order action or a domestic violence protection order action under chapter 7.105 or 10.99 RCW, or an action under Title 26 RCW where any party has alleged the existence of domestic violence as defined in RCW 7.105.010.
E. Subsection A1 of this section does not apply to a person licensed pursuant to RCW 9.41.070 who, upon entering the place or facility, directly and promptly proceeds to the administrator of the facility or the administrator's designee and obtains written permission to possess the firearm while on the premises or checks his or her firearm. The person may reclaim the firearms upon leaving but must immediately and directly depart from the place or facility.
F. Subsection A3 of this section does not apply to any administrator or employee of the facility or to any person who, upon entering the place or facility, directly and promptly proceeds to the administrator of the facility or the administrator's designee and obtains written permission to possess the firearm while on the premises.
G. Subsection A4 of this section does not apply to the proprietor of the premises or his or her employees while engaged in their employment.
H. Government-sponsored law enforcement firearms training must be training that correctional personnel and community corrections officers receive as part of their job requirement and reference to such training does not constitute a mandate that it be provided by the correctional facility.
I. Any person violating subsection A of this section is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
J. "Weapon" as used in this section means any firearm, explosive as defined in RCW 70.74.010, or instrument or weapon listed in RCW 9.41.250.
(Ord. 127324, § 11, 2025; Ord. 126691, § 22, 2022; Ord. 124301, § 27, 2013)
Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT12ACRCO_SUBTITLE_ICRCO_CH12A.14WECO_12A.14.170WEPRCEPLFetched: 11/1/2026