Washington: Laws & Legal Considerations

Rainwater harvesting: permit-free, with a specific structural condition

Washington’s Department of Ecology has determined that state law can reasonably be interpreted not to require a water right permit for on-site rooftop rainwater collection and use, but that interpretation comes with a specific condition most other states covered on this site don’t have.

Rule	Washington
Source water	Rooftop or "guzzler" catchment
Permit required	No, for on-site storage and use of rooftop-collected rainwater under the Department of Ecology's current interpretation
Structural requirement	Must come from a fixed structure whose primary purpose is something other than collecting rainwater, a purpose-built collection structure doesn't qualify
Use requirement	Rainwater must be used on the same property where it's collected
In-home/potable use	Regulated as surface water under the Surface Water Treatment Rule; requires local building department approval

This interpretation could change locally

If the Department of Ecology finds that rainwater collection in a specific area is measurably affecting existing water rights there, local restrictions on new systems could follow. This is a live administrative policy, not a fixed statute, so it’s worth checking current status for your specific area before assuming the general rule still applies unchanged.

Where to find it: the Washington State Department of Ecology (ecology.wa.gov) publishes current guidance.

Water rights: prior appropriation, the same doctrine as Utah and Oregon

Washington has used the prior appropriation doctrine since 1917, the same “first in time, first in right” system covered on Utah’s and Oregon’s pages.

Concept	How it works in Washington
Ownership	Water is a public resource owned by the people of Washington, managed by the Department of Ecology
Priority	The earlier of an application's filing date or the date water was first put to beneficial use establishes seniority
In a shortage	Junior water right holders are cut back first, potentially losing their entire allocation before senior holders lose any

Where to find it: the Washington State Department of Ecology administers water right permits and claims statewide.

Concealed carry: shall-issue with no training requirement

Washington requires a Concealed Pistol License (CPL) to carry concealed, but unlike the state’s stricter reputation on other firearm policy (a 10-day waiting period and an assault weapons ban among them), the CPL itself requires no training course at all.

Requirement	Detail
Standard	Shall-issue: the local police chief (incorporated areas) or county sheriff (unincorporated areas) must issue a CPL to any non-disqualified applicant
Minimum age	21
Training required	None, for the CPL itself
Common disqualifiers	Firearm possession ineligibility under state law, outstanding warrants, active felony bond conditions, a CPL revoked in the past, court-ordered firearm forfeiture within the past year
Non-resident applicants	May face a 60-day wait if applying with an out-of-state driver's license or ID

A genuine contrast within Washington's own gun law framework

Washington pairs a no-training CPL with some of the stricter firearm purchase rules covered on this site (a waiting period and magazine/assault weapon restrictions), a different combination from every other state covered so far, where the concealed carry permit itself tends to track the state’s overall restrictiveness more closely.

Sources

Washington rainwater collection interpretation and conditions: Washington Department of Ecology
Washington prior appropriation water law: WSU Extension; RE Sources
Washington CPL requirements: Washington State Department of Licensing; Alien Gear Holsters