Are Crossbows Legal in Washington State? Seasons, Specs, and Permits

Crossbows are legal in Washington State. You do not need a permit or license just to buy or own one, because Washington’s firearm statute covers only weapons that fire projectiles using an explosive charge, and a crossbow uses mechanical tension instead.¹ The rules tighten when you take one hunting: the season, your equipment specs, and where you pull the trigger all matter.

Not a Firearm Under State Law

RCW 9.41.010 defines a firearm as a weapon that fires projectiles by means of an explosive such as gunpowder. Crossbows fall outside that definition. In practice, that means no concealed pistol license, no background check at the point of sale, and no application of the felon-in-possession statutes that govern guns. A person with a felony conviction can legally buy, own, and hunt with a crossbow in Washington, provided they can lawfully obtain a hunting license.¹

One boundary worth naming: anyone serving a sentence in a state or county correctional institution, or under institutional custody or supervision, commits a felony by possessing any weapon, crossbows included, under RCW 9.94.040.² That restriction ends once the sentence is complete and supervision has ended.

Which Seasons Allow Crossbows

You can hunt with a crossbow during modern firearm and muzzleloader seasons without any special permit.³ A hunter holding a modern firearm tag can choose archery, muzzleloader, crossbow, or modern firearm equipment during those seasons.⁴

Archery-only seasons are different. WAC 220-414-100 makes it unlawful to hunt wildlife with a crossbow during an archery season.⁵ This trips up hunters every year. If the season is labeled “archery,” leave the crossbow home unless you hold a disability special use permit.

Equipment Specs for Big Game

WAC 220-414-100 sets minimum standards for the crossbow and the bolts. Fail any of them and the hunt is unlawful, regardless of the season:⁵

Minimum draw weight of 125 pounds, with a properly functioning trigger safety.
Bolts weighing at least 350 grains.
Sharp broadheads at least seven-eighths of an inch wide.
Broadheads must be unbarbed; barbed broadheads are prohibited for big game.

Scopes are not restricted during modern firearm seasons. A hunter with a disability special use permit is also allowed a manufacturer-equipped scope and a tripod or mount support.⁶

Disability Special Use Permit

Hunters who cannot safely operate a longbow, recurve, or compound bow because of a qualifying disability can apply to WDFW for a crossbow special use permit. The permit opens archery and muzzleloader seasons to crossbow use.⁶

Two things are required to qualify. You need a disability designation in good standing with WDFW, and an approved medical professional must certify on the application that you have an upper extremity disability or a developmental disability that permanently limits your ability to hold and safely operate a conventional bow.⁶

The permit also requires a cocking assistive device, which must be used before firing. You still need the standard hunting license and transport tag for the season you plan to hunt. Violating any condition of the permit is itself unlawful.

Where You Cannot Discharge a Crossbow

Two location rules sit inside the crossbow regulation itself. You cannot discharge a crossbow from a vehicle, and you cannot discharge one from, across, or along the maintained portion of a public highway.⁵ Those apply regardless of season or land ownership.

Local jurisdictions add their own rules. Some cities and counties prohibit discharging any projectile weapon within a set distance of occupied buildings, recreation areas, or campsites. Check the local ordinance before hunting near developed areas.

Federal land is its own layer. Under 36 CFR 2.4, an unloaded crossbow may be possessed inside a National Park Service unit only if it is packed, cased, or otherwise stored so it cannot be readily used, and only within a vehicle or temporary lodging.⁷ Discharging a crossbow in a national park is prohibited without a specific superintendent’s permit. National forests generally allow hunting consistent with state seasons, but confirm with the ranger district before you rely on that. A legal crossbow under Washington law is not automatically legal to use on every piece of land inside the state.

Penalties for Hunting Violations

Hunting with a crossbow in a closed season, without the right license, or in a closed area is prosecuted under Washington’s fish and wildlife code:

Unlawful hunting of big game in the second degree is a gross misdemeanor. The state revokes all hunting licenses and tags and suspends hunting privileges for two years. Mandatory wildlife penalty assessments range from $2,000 for deer, elk, black bear, and cougar up to $12,000 for mountain caribou, grizzly bear, and trophy mountain sheep.⁸
First-degree unlawful hunting of big game is a class C felony, triggered by taking three or more animals in the same 72-hour period or by a prior big game conviction within five years. Hunting privileges are suspended for ten years.⁸
Unlawful hunting of wild animals is a misdemeanor in the second degree and a gross misdemeanor in the first degree.

Most hunters who run into trouble were confused about which season they were in or did not realize their equipment was out of spec. Neither mistake is a defense.

Licenses You Still Need

Washington does not require a crossbow-specific license. You buy the same hunting license and tags any other hunter would for the species you plan to pursue, and you must carry the appropriate license and transport tag in the field.⁹ WDFW publishes current fee schedules before each license year on its website.

1
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 9.41.010 – Terms Defined
2
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 9.94.040 – Weapons – Possession by Prisoner
3
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. WDFW Special Use Permit Program
4
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Washington Big Game Hunting Regulations 2025
5
Washington State Legislature. WAC 220-414-100 Crossbow Requirements
6
Washington State Legislature. WAC 220-200-200 Crossbow Special Use Permit – Eligibility – Terms and Conditions
7
eCFR. 36 CFR 2.4 – Weapons, Traps and Nets
8
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 77.15.410 – Unlawful Hunting of Big Game – Penalty
9
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Big Game Hunting Licenses