WA. CPL Numbers Decline;
Gun Owners Flee, Others Refuse to Renew

The number of active concealed pistol licenses in Washington state has taken a sharp turn downward over the past four months, according to data provided to TGM by the state Department of Licensing, and part of the reason may be gun owners are fleeing the state due to increasingly restrictive gun laws.

On Dec. 1, 2025, Washington reported 706,046 active CPLs. On April 1, that number had plummeted to 696,015. The alarming decline has been explained by many gun owners, saying they've either left Washington for more Second Amendment-friendly environs in Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma and elsewhere, while others have decided to carry without a CPL because they refuse to pay the state to exercise their right to bear arms, which is specifically protected by both the state and federal constitutions.

One man commented, "I don't renew until 2028, I don't plan on being a resident of this state in 2028. Most of the Republicans are too liberal for me in this state."

Another stated, "No point in following the law when the politicians can't."

A third said, "I won't pay to rent freedoms that I already have. …