Washington Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)

Washington regulates pepper spray by name in a single statute that sets an age floor and then affirmatively bars local governments from adding restrictions on top of it. Stun guns get a different structure: no general civilian possession statute names them at all, but three place-based statutes (schools, licensed child care centers, and voting facilities) name and ban a stun gun directly, while a broader restricted-places statute (RCW 9.41.300) and a protection-order surrender statute (RCW 9.41.800) name neither device, and whether either reaches them turns on catch-all language whose scope this page states carefully rather than assumes. Using a stun gun against a peace officer carries its own enhanced assault charge, and displaying either device to intimidate is a separate offense.

Jurisdiction scope: This page covers Washington state law only, principally RCW §§ 9.91.160, 9.41.040, 9.41.250, 9.41.270, 9.41.280, 9.41.282, 9.41.284, 9.41.290, 9.41.300, 9.41.305, 9.41.800, and 9A.36.031. It does not cover Washington's concealed pistol license statutes in detail or any local ordinance on stun guns; no statute cited on this page preempts local stun-gun regulation the way RCW 9.91.160(2) does for pepper spray.

Is pepper spray legal in Washington?

Yes, for anyone 18 or older, and for a 14-to-17-year-old with a parent or guardian's permission, with no capacity or formula limit in the statute itself. RCW 9.91.160(1) states: "It is unlawful for a person under eighteen years old, unless the person is at least fourteen years old and has the permission of a parent or guardian to do so, to purchase or possess a personal protection spray device. A violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor." Subsection (3)(a) defines "personal protection spray device" as "a commercially available dispensing device designed and intended for use in self-defense and containing a nonlethal sternutator or lacrimator agent, including but not limited to: (i) Tear gas, the active ingredient of which is either chloroacetophenone (CN) or O-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile (CS); or (ii) Other agent commonly known as mace, pepper mace, or pepper gas," which covers ordinary retail pepper spray directly.

Washington goes a step further than simply permitting the device: subsection (2) bars any "town, city, county, special purpose district, quasi-municipal corporation or other unit of government" from prohibiting an adult, or a permitted 14-to-17-year-old, from purchasing or possessing a personal protection spray device, or from using one "in a manner consistent with the authorized use of force" under RCW 9A.16.020 (Washington's general use-of-force justification statute). The same subsection also bars a local government from prohibiting an adult from delivering a device to someone authorized to have it. Subsection (4) clarifies that none of this authorizes possessing or using a device or chemical agent that is otherwise prohibited by state law elsewhere, so this protection is specific to the personal-protection spray devices the statute defines, not a blanket shield for any chemical weapon. Whether the place-based statutes covered below reach pepper spray through their own "other dangerous weapon" language is a separate question from this age-floor and preemption statute.

Are stun guns legal in Washington?

For general civilian possession outside the specific places covered below, most likely yes, but no Washington statute named on this page regulates a stun gun in its general possession rules the way RCW 9.91.160 names pepper spray. RCW 9.41.250, the core "dangerous weapons" statute, criminalizes manufacturing, selling, or possessing "any instrument or weapon of the kind usually known as slungshot, sand club, or metal knuckles, or spring blade knife," and separately criminalizes furtively carrying a concealed "dagger, dirk, pistol, or other dangerous weapon" with intent to conceal it. Neither a stun gun nor pepper spray is one of the four named items in the first clause, and the residual "other dangerous weapon" language in the furtive-concealment clause is not defined to include or exclude either device, so this page cannot say with certainty that furtively concealing one is outside that offense; it can say neither device is enumerated by name. Either clause of RCW 9.41.250, if it applied, is a gross misdemeanor. Washington otherwise regulates stun guns mainly by restricting where they may be carried, covered below, and by imposing an enhanced assault charge for using one against a peace officer.

RCW 9.41.040, "Unlawful possession of firearms," reaches only a person who "owns, accesses, has in the person's custody, control, or possession, or receives any firearm" after a qualifying offense or while subject to a qualifying protection order; its operative text is limited to firearms and does not extend to either device by itself. But a separate statute can still reach a stun gun or pepper spray through a status order: RCW 9.41.800 requires a court entering an order under any of a list of protection-order and related statutes (including chapter 7.105 RCW and the domestic-violence protection-order statutes) to, on a showing that the party used, displayed, or threatened to use a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a felony, or is ineligible to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040, "[r]equire that the party immediately surrender all firearms and other dangerous weapons" and "[p]rohibit the party from accessing, having custody or control, possessing, purchasing, receiving, or attempting to purchase or receive, any firearms or other dangerous weapons." Subsection (2) imposes the same mandatory surrender and possession bar on a party subject to a qualifying domestic-violence protection order that finds a credible threat to safety or explicitly prohibits force against the protected person. Whether a stun gun or a personal protection spray device is an "other dangerous weapon" for purposes of RCW 9.41.800 is the same open residual-clause question this page states elsewhere; what this page cannot say is that no Washington statute reaches a status-prohibited person's possession of either device at all.

Restricted places

Washington bans a stun gun, defined in each of the three statutes below as "any portable device manufactured to function as a weapon and which is commonly known as a stun gun, including a projectile stun gun that projects wired probes that are attached to the device that emit an electrical charge designed to administer to a person or an animal an electric shock, charge, or impulse," in several specific settings. Each of those three statutes adds a second, broader clause covering "any device, object, or instrument which is used or intended to be used as a weapon with the intent to injure a person by an electric shock, charge, or impulse," which is the catch-all a home-made or repurposed electric device would fall into even if it is not "commonly known as a stun gun." Washington separately restricts a broader set of "weapons" in other sensitive places under RCW 9.41.300, discussed below.

• Schools. RCW 9.41.280 makes it unlawful to knowingly carry or possess, on public or private elementary or secondary school premises, on school-provided transportation, or at an official school board meeting: a firearm; "any other dangerous weapon as defined in RCW 9.41.250" (the same residual clause discussed above, not a closed list); nunchaku; throwing stars; an air gun; or a stun gun, defined and banned in its own clause. A first violation is a misdemeanor; a second or subsequent violation is a gross misdemeanor, and a firearm-specific violation triggers a three-year concealed pistol license revocation. A violation by an elementary or secondary student "constitutes grounds for expulsion from the state's public schools in accordance with RCW 28A.600.010," and the school must promptly notify law enforcement and the student's parent or guardian. The statute exempts, among others, a nonstudent at least 18 secured in a vehicle while conducting legitimate school business (subsection (3)(f)), and a stun gun "possessed and used solely for the purpose approved by a school for use in a school authorized event, lecture, or activity conducted on the school premises" (subsection (5)).
• Child care premises. RCW 9.41.282 bans the same core list of items on licensed child care center premises or its provided transportation, including a stun gun by name and "any other dangerous weapon as described in RCW 9.41.250" by the same residual cross-reference; a violation is a gross misdemeanor.
• Voting facilities. RCW 9.41.284 bans the same core list, plus a spring blade knife specifically, at a ballot counting center, voting center, student engagement hub, or county elections and voter registration office; a first violation is a misdemeanor, and a second or subsequent violation is a gross misdemeanor. A stun gun is banned there by the same named clause as at schools and child care centers; whether pepper spray is covered turns on the same "other dangerous weapon" cross-reference to RCW 9.41.250.
• Jails, courts, mental health facilities, restricted liquor areas, airports, libraries, zoos, and transit facilities. RCW 9.41.300 is Washington's broadest restricted-places weapons statute and a gross misdemeanor. It bars knowingly possessing or controlling a "weapon" in the restricted access areas of a jail or law-enforcement facility; areas used in connection with court proceedings; the restricted access areas of a public mental health facility; the portion of an establishment classified as off-limits to persons under 21; the restricted access areas of a commercial service airport; the premises of a library; the premises of a zoo or aquarium; and the premises of a transit station or facility (subsection (14) exempts a valid concealed pistol licensee from the library, zoo, and transit branches specifically). Subsection (2)(a) separately bars open carry at any permitted demonstration outright; (2)(b) is conditional, barring open carry within 250 feet of a permitted demonstration's perimeter only after a law enforcement officer has advised the person of the demonstration and directed them to leave, and it does not apply to a person on private property they own or lease. The section-wide definition at (17) is "any firearm, explosive as defined in RCW 70.74.010, or instrument or weapon listed in RCW 9.41.250." RCW 9.41.250 lists the slungshot, sand club, metal knuckles, and spring blade knife in (1)(a), and the dagger, dirk, pistol, "or other dangerous weapon" in (1)(b); whether "listed in" reaches that closing residual phrase is not answered by the text. The court-areas paragraph, (1)(b), uses its own separate, self-contained definition that does not cite RCW 9.41.250 at all: a firearm, an explosive, a slungshot, 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" it. Neither definition names a stun gun or pepper spray, so whether either device is a "weapon" in a Washington jail, courthouse, mental health facility, restricted liquor area, airport, library, zoo, or transit facility is not settled by either definition's text.
• State capitol grounds and municipal government buildings. RCW 9.41.305 separately bars open carry of a firearm "or other weapon, as defined in RCW 9.41.300(1)(b)," on the west state capitol campus, in capitol buildings, at legislative hearings, and in city, town, or county buildings used for meetings of the governing body, or at a public meeting or hearing of that body. A first violation is a misdemeanor; a second or subsequent violation is a gross misdemeanor. This statute reaches only open carry, and its weapon definition is the same narrower court-areas definition discussed above.

Separately, RCW 9A.36.031(1)(h) makes it third degree assault, a class C felony under subsection (2), to assault "a peace officer with a projectile stun gun," an enhanced classification that applies on top of, not instead of, the possession restrictions above.

Displaying or drawing pepper spray or a stun gun

Apart from where a device may be carried, Washington also regulates how it is displayed. RCW 9.41.270(1) makes it unlawful to "carry, exhibit, display, or draw any firearm, dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument, club, or any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm, in a manner, under circumstances, and at a time and place that either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons." That open, functional language ("any other weapon apparently capable of producing bodily harm") is broad enough to reach a pepper spray canister or a stun gun brandished in a threatening way, even though neither device is named. A violation is a gross misdemeanor and carries concealed pistol license loss under subsection (2). Subsection (3) exempts several situations, including "[a]ny act committed by a person while in his or her place of abode or fixed place of business" and, most relevant to self-defense with either device, "[a]ny person acting for the purpose of protecting himself or herself against the use of presently threatened unlawful force by another, or for the purpose of protecting another against the use of such unlawful force by a third person."

Federal law: what it does and does not reach

No federal statute regulates a civilian's purchase or possession of pepper spray or a stun gun. Federal law matters in three places.

Federal buildings. Under 18 U.S.C. § 930(a), whoever knowingly possesses or causes to be present "a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a Federal facility (other than a Federal court facility)" faces a fine, imprisonment of up to 1 year, or both. Subsection (e) sets up to 2 years for a federal court facility, and subsection (b) up to 5 years where the weapon is intended to be used in a crime. Section 930(g)(2) defines the term:

The term "dangerous weapon" means a weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, animate or inanimate, that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury, except that such term does not include a pocket knife with a blade of less than 2½ inches in length.

The definition names neither device. Whether a particular spray or stun gun is "readily capable of" causing serious bodily injury is a question of fact the statute does not answer. Subsection (d)(3) exempts "the lawful carrying of firearms or other dangerous weapons in a Federal facility incident to hunting or other lawful purposes," and subsection (h) requires notice of the ban to be posted at each public entrance. A "Federal facility" is "a building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties."

Air travel. The Transportation Security Administration's screening rules, which are agency policy rather than statute, bar both devices from carry-on bags. One 4 fl. oz. (118 ml) container of mace or pepper spray is permitted in checked baggage only, with a safety mechanism to prevent accidental discharge, and sprays containing more than 2 percent by mass of tear gas (CS or CN) are prohibited in checked baggage. Tasers, stun guns and other electro-shock weapons may travel in checked baggage only if transported so the device cannot discharge accidentally. Airlines may set stricter rules.

National parks. National Park Service regulations prohibit possessing, carrying or using a "weapon" in a park area except as the regulations provide (36 CFR 2.4(b)(1)). 36 CFR 1.4 defines "weapon" to include an "irritant gas device" and any "weapon the possession of which is prohibited under the laws of the State in which the park area or portion thereof is located."

Does Washington preempt local pepper spray or stun gun ordinances?

For pepper spray, yes, directly: RCW 9.91.160(2), described above, is itself a standalone preemption clause specific to personal protection spray devices, barring any local government from prohibiting their purchase, possession, authorized use, or delivery.

For stun guns, no comparable statewide preemption clause exists among the statutes cited on this page. Washington's general firearms preemption statute, RCW 9.41.290, states that "the state of Washington hereby fully occupies and preempts the entire field of firearms regulation within the boundaries of the state, including the registration, licensing, possession, purchase, sale, acquisition, transfer, discharge, and transportation of firearms, or any other element relating to firearms or parts thereof, including ammunition and reloader components." That scope is written entirely around firearms and their components; it does not mention stun guns. This page does not identify or examine any specific Washington municipal ordinance addressing stun guns, so whether a particular city currently regulates them is unverified here rather than affirmatively described.

Disclaimer: This article provides general legal information about Washington's pepper spray and stun gun laws as of September 2026. It is not legal advice. Consult a lawyer licensed in Washington for advice about a specific situation.

For a state-by-state comparison, see pepper spray and stun gun laws by state. Washington's self-defense statutes are covered separately on the Washington self-defense laws page.

Statutes cited reflect their in-force version as of 2026-09-18. Last updated: 2026-09-18.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is pepper spray legal in Washington?

Yes, for anyone 18 or older, or 14 to 17 with a parent or guardian's permission. RCW 9.91.160 sets that age floor and also bars local governments from prohibiting purchase, possession, or authorized self-defense use of a 'personal protection spray device.'

Do you need a permit for a stun gun in Washington?

No Washington statute imposes a general permit or age floor on stun guns by name. RCW 9.41.250, the state's core dangerous-weapons statute, does not list a stun gun among its four named items, though its residual 'other dangerous weapon' clause is not defined to exclude one either.

Can you carry a stun gun on Washington school property?

No. RCW 9.41.280 specifically bans a stun gun, defined to include a projectile stun gun, on public or private school premises and school transportation, alongside firearms and other listed weapons. A first violation is a misdemeanor, repeat violations are a gross misdemeanor, and a student violation is grounds for expulsion. Limited exceptions apply, including a stun gun used for a school-authorized event.

Where else does Washington restrict stun guns or pepper spray besides schools?

RCW 9.41.282 bans a stun gun by name at licensed child care centers (gross misdemeanor); RCW 9.41.284 bans one by name at voting and ballot-counting facilities (misdemeanor, then gross misdemeanor for repeat violations); and RCW 9.41.300 bars a 'weapon' from jails, court areas, mental health facilities, restricted liquor-establishment areas, restricted airport areas, libraries, zoos, and transit facilities, a gross misdemeanor, but its definitions do not name a stun gun or pepper spray and do not clearly incorporate RCW 9.41.250's residual 'other dangerous weapon' clause either, so whether either device is covered there is not resolved by the text. RCW 9.41.270 separately makes it a gross misdemeanor to display either device in a manner that manifests intent to intimidate or warrants alarm, wherever that happens, subject to a self-defense exception, and RCW 9.41.800 can require a person under certain protection orders to surrender 'all firearms and other dangerous weapons,' which raises the same open question of whether either device counts.

Does Washington preempt local ordinances on pepper spray or stun guns?

For pepper spray, yes: RCW 9.91.160 itself bars local governments from restricting a personal protection spray device's purchase, possession, or authorized use. For stun guns, Washington's firearms preemption statute, RCW 9.41.290, is scoped to firearms and does not mention stun guns, and this page does not examine any specific municipal ordinance that might otherwise regulate them.