Washington DC CCW Reciprocity Map
States that Honor Washington DC's CCW Permit:
Alaska,
Idaho,
Indiana,
Kentucky,
Missouri,
South Dakota,
Utah
* Honors RESIDENTIAL Washington DC permits only.
State CCW Permits that Washington DC Honors:
Washington DC,
Frequently Asked CCW Questions:
Can you have a CCW Permit in Washintgon DC?
The Chief of Police of the District of Columbia may, upon the
application of any person having a bona fide residence or place of
business within the District of Columbia or of any person having a bona
fide residence or place of business within the United States and a
license to carry a pistol concealed upon his or her person issued by
the lawful authorities of any State or subdivision of the United
States, issue a license to such person to carry a pistol within the
District of Columbia for not more than 1 year from date of issue, if it
appears that the applicant has good reason to fear injury to his or her
person or property or has any other proper reason for carrying a pistol
and that he or she is a suitable person to be so licensed. The license
shall be in duplicate, in form to be prescribed by the Mayor of the
District of Columbia and shall bear the name, address, description,
photograph, and signature of the licensee and the reason given for
desiring a license. The original thereof shall be delivered to the
licensee, and the duplicate shall be retained by the Chief of Police of
the District of Columbia and preserved in his or her office for 6
years. (July 8, 1932, 47 Stat. 651, ch. 465, § 6; 1973 Ed., § 22-3206;
1981 Ed., § 22-3206; May 21, 1994, D.C. Law 10-119, § 15(e), 41 DCR
1639.)
What are the Gun Free Zone Laws
§ 22-4502.01. Gun free zones; enhanced penalty [Formerly § 22-3202.1]
(a) All areas within 1000 feet of an appropriately identified public or
private day care center, elementary school, vocational school,
secondary school, college, junior college, or university, or any public
swimming pool, playground, video arcade, youth center, or public
library, or in and around public housing as defined in 42 U.S.C.S. §
1437a(b), the development or administration of which is assisted by the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, or in or
around housing that is owned, operated, or financially assisted by the
District of Columbia Housing Authority, or an event sponsored by any of
the above entities shall be declared a gun free zone. For the purposes
of this subsection, the term "appropriately identified" means that
there is a sign that identifies the building or area as a gun free
zone. (b) Any person illegally carrying a gun within a gun free zone
shall be punished by a fine up to twice that otherwise authorized to be
imposed, by a term of imprisonment up to twice that otherwise
authorized to be imposed, or both. (c) The provisions of this section
shall not apply to a person legally licensed to carry a firearm in the
District of Columbia who lives or works within 1000 feet of a gun free
zone or to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps of the
United States; the National Guard or Organized Reserves when on duty;
the Post Office Department or its employees when on duty; marshals,
sheriffs, prison, or jail wardens, or their deputies; policemen or
other duly-appointed law enforcement officers; officers or employees of
the United States duly authorized to carry such weapons; banking
institutions; public carriers who are engaged in the business of
transporting mail, money, securities, or other valuables; and licensed
wholesale or retail dealers. (1981 Ed., § 22-3202.1; July 8, 1932, 47
Stat. 650, ch. 465, § 2a, as added Aug. 18, 1994, D.C. Law 10-150, §
3(b), 41 DCR 2594; ________, 2006, D.C. Law 16- (Act 16-482), § 223(b),
53 DCR 8610.)
Is there a waiting period for buying a gun
§ 22-4508. Transfers of firearms regulated [Formerly § 22-3208]. No
seller shall within the District of Columbia deliver a pistol to the
purchaser thereof until 48 hours shall have elapsed from the time of
the application for the purchase thereof, except in the case of sales
to marshals, sheriffs, prison or jail wardens or their deputies,
policemen, or other duly appointed law enforcement officers, and, when
delivered, said pistol shall be securely wrapped and shall be unloaded.
At the time of applying for the purchase of a pistol the purchaser
shall sign in duplicate and deliver to the seller a statement
containing his or her full name, address, occupation, color, place of
birth, the date and hour of application, the caliber, make, model, and
manufacturer's number of the pistol to be purchased and a statement
that the purchaser is not forbidden by § 22-4503 to possess a pistol
[now "firearm"]. The seller shall, within 6 hours after such
application, sign and attach his or her address and deliver 1 copy to
such person or persons as the Chief of Police of the District of
Columbia may designate, and shall retain the other copy for 6 years. No
machine gun, sawed-off shotgun, or blackjack shall be sold to any
person other than the persons designated in § 22-4514 as entitled to
possess the same, and then only after permission to make such sale has
been obtained from the Chief of Police of the District of Columbia.
This section shall not apply to sales at wholesale to licensed dealers.
(July 8, 1932, 47 Stat. 652, ch. 465, § 8; June 29, 1953, 67 Stat. 94,
ch. 159, § 204(e); 1973 Ed., § 22-3208; 1981 Ed., § 22-3208; May 21,
1994, D.C. Law 10-119, § 15(g), 41 DCR 1639.)
What was the gun buy back program
Gun Buy-Back Program With funding provided by the DC Council, the
Metropolitan Police Department is conducting a gun buy-back on
September 16, 2006. As part of its commitment to reducing gun violence
in DC, the MPDC has implemented a number of different strategies,
including periodic gun buy-backs. Gun buy-backs allow individuals to
turn in unwanted firearms to the police with no questions asked. They
are granted amnesty from any gun possession charges that might apply,
and—as an added incentive—receive payment for each gun.
After the weapons are collected and catalogued, the MPDC's Firearms and
Tool Mark Examination Section test-fires them and gathers ballistics
evidence about each weapon. The MPDC works with the Federal Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to trace the weapons and
track their involvement with previously unsolved crimes. The ATF also
conducts an analysis of all weapons to give police officials a better
understanding of gun possession and trafficking patterns. After they
have been test-fired and analyzed, all the weapons accumulated during
gun buy-backs in DC are melted down and destroyed at an area foundry.
Between August 1999 and December 2000, the MPDC conducted three
separate gun buy-backs. During these buy-backs, the MPDC collected
6,253 firearms and paid out a total of approximately $528,000. Past gun
buy-backs have been jointly funded by the District of Columbia and the
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Because of budgetary
constraints, gun buy-backs are no longer conducted on a regular basis.
However, individuals who want to voluntarily turn in a firearm, with no
questions asked, may do so at any time by contacting the MPDC or
visiting a district station.
More information about previous MPDC gun buy-backs is available at the
following: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Analysis Report
(August 1999)
What is the Anit-Loitering/Drug Free Zone
Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone
The Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone Act of 1996 (DC Law 11-270) provides
police officers with an additional tool to protect the public from
dangers associated with the sale, purchase or use of illegal drugs. The
law provides that, while a Drug Free Zone is in effect, it will be
unlawful for a group of two or more persons to congregate in a public
space or property in that area for the purpose of participating in the
use, purchase or sale of illegal drugs.
A Drug Free Zone may be established by the Chief of Police, provided it
meets certain criteria, particularly that there have been a
disproportionately high number of drug-related crimes in that area. The
Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone will last no more than 240 hours (10
days), and the area will be clearly identified, with signs posted along
the perimeter, as well as within the zone. [Note: Originally, Drug Free
Zones could last for no more than five days; legislation lengthening
the time period to up to 10 days was enacted in July 2006.]
While the area is designated as a Drug Free Zone, any group of two or
more persons congregating on public space for the purpose of
participating in the use, purchase, or sale of illegal drugs within the
boundaries of the zone, and who fails to disperse after being
instructed to do so by a uniformed officer of the MPDC, will be subject
to arrest. An arrest under the “Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone Act of
1996” can result in a fine of not more than $300, imprisonment for not
more than 180 days, or both.
Current and Upcoming Drug Free Zones Past Drug Free Zones Criteria for
Determining a Drug Free Zone Designating Drug Free Zone Violations of
the Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone Act Enforcing the Anti-Loitering/Drug
Free Zone Act Acceptable Group Activities Criteria for Determining a
Drug Free Zone
In determining whether to designate a Drug Free Zone, the Chief of
Police shall consider the following:
The occurrence of a disproportionately high number of arrests for the
possession or distribution of illegal drugs in the proposed Drug Free
Zone within the preceding six-month period Any number of homicides
related to the possession or distribution of illegal drugs that were
committed in the proposed Drug Free Zone Objective evidence or
verifiable information that shows that illegal drugs are being sold and
distributed on public space on public property within the proposed Drug
Free Zone Any other verifiable information from which the Chief of
Police may ascertain whether the health or safety of residents who live
in the proposed Drug Free Zone are endangered by the purchase, sale, or
use of illegal drugs or other illegal activity Designating Drug Free
Zone
Once a Drug Free Zone has been declared by the Chief of Police, the
MPDC will mark each block within the area by using barriers, tape or
police officers. The posted information will contain the following
details:
The boundaries of the Drug Free Zone A statement of the effective dates
of the Drug Free Zone designation (not to last more than 10 days) A
statement that it is unlawful for a group of two or more persons to
congregate for the purposes of participating in the use, purchase, or
sale of illegal drugs within the boundaries of the Drug Free Zone.
Additionally, the postings will state that it is illegal if a group
fails to disperse after being instructed to do so by a member of the
MPDC who reasonably believes members of the group are congregating for
the purpose of participating in the use, purchase, or sale of illegal
drugs Violations of the Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone Act
Essentially, any group of two or more persons congregating in a Drug
Free Zone for the purpose of participating in the use, purchase, or
sale of illegal drugs is violating the Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone
Act. Additional circumstances that may be used in determining that a
person or group is violating the Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone Act
would include the following:
Conducting oneself in a manner that would lead police to believe that
the person is engaging or about to engage in illegal drug activity.
Examples of such conduct may include: Observable distribution of small
packages to other persons The receipt of currency for the exchange of a
small package Operating as a lookout Warning others of the arrival of
police Concealing himself or herself or any object which reasonably may
be connected to unlawful drug-related activity Engaging in any other
conduct normally associated by law enforcement agencies with the
illegal distribution or possession of drugs Information from a reliable
source indicating that a person being observed routinely distributes
illegal drugs within the Drug Free Zone Information from a reliable
source indicating that a person being observed is currently engaging in
illegal drug-related activity within the Drug Free Zone A person is
physically identified by the officer as a member of a gang or
association which engages in illegal drug activity A person is a known
unlawful drug user, possessor or seller, as indicated by a drug
conviction within the past two years or the person displays physical
characteristics of drug use (for example, “needle tracks”) Such person
has no other apparent lawful reason for congregating in the Drug Free
Zone, such as waiting for the bus or being near one’s own residence
Enforcing the Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone Act
If a person or persons are in violation of the Anti-Loitering/Drug Free
Zone Act, they will be informed by an officer that they are in a Drug
Free Zone. They will then be informed that they should disperse and
depart within a reasonable timeframe, clearly specified in minutes,
before any arrests are made.
It is illegal for members of a group to continue to congregate on
public space in the Drug Free Zone after being instructed to disperse.
Failure to obey the officer’s instruction will result in arrest without
a second warning. This holds true if they regroup and continue to
congregate in any public space within the boundaries of the Drug Free
Zone. Any person who violates the act shall, upon conviction, be
subject to a fine of up to $300, imprisonment for up to 180 days, or
both.
Acceptable Group Activities All acceptable group activities are, and
continue to be, lawful within the Drug Free Zone. Examples of some
activities in which people may participate as a group that do not
violate the Anti-Loitering/Drug Free Zone Act include:
Distributing campaign literature Collecting names on petitions
Soliciting community support Discussing political or religious topics
Meetings for other lawful civil or personal associations
What is the status of the appeal on the hand gun ban
The D.C government will petition the Supreme Court to hear its appeal
of the federal circuit court's decision to overturn the city's
30-year-old handgun ban. Mayor Adrian Fenty's office says the city's
ban on most handguns can and should be defended. In March, a
three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals sided with six district
residents who sued to be able to keep their guns for self defense. The
decision repealed much of the city's handgun ban, but the ban stays in
place through the appeals process. D.C. Attorney General Linda Singer
plans to file a 30-day extension Monday so the request can get to the
high court by Sept. 5. (from Handgunlaw.us)