In Washington State, three in every four firearm deaths are suicides. Access to firearms triples the risk of suicide. Empathetic conversation about firearm safety and mental health is associated with more people using safe gun storage, reducing the risk of preventable injury and death. Washington State provides three critical interventions to support an individual in crisis: Firearm Safe Storage, Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), and Voluntary Waiver of Firearm Rights (Voluntary Do-Not-Sell).
On this page, we will focus on Voluntary Waiver of Firearm Rights: Voluntary Do-Not-Sell law lets people voluntarily and confidentially restrict immediate access to firearm purchases.
Click here to return to Three Interventions Toolkit homepage.
Voluntary Waiver of Firearm Rights (Voluntary Do-Not-Sell) is a firearm safety and suicide prevention strategy to keep you and your family safe. In Washington state, an individual who is concerned about suicidal thoughts may voluntarily ask to be put on a Do-Not-Sell list used during the background check process. This request is fully reversible, and may happen in consultation with your medical provider. The goal is to reduce suicide risk by voluntarily and confidentially restricting immediate access to firearm purchase.
Individual files Voluntary Waiver of Firearm Rights at a county clerk’s office (requires photo ID).
Information is submitted to national database to restrict firearm purchases.
Individual can remove their name after a week at the same county clerk’s office where they originally filed. At that time, all documentation is destroyed.
Stops impulsive firearm purchases at a time when you or a loved one feels actively suicidal. It can be easily reversed by the individual when no longer needed.
Three Firearm Interventions Toolkit – (PDF)
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In the burden of violence, You can make a Difference – (Click to view)
Online toolkit aims to intervene in firearm injury, death – (Click to view)
Voluntary Waiver of Firearm Rights – (PNG) | (JPG)
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Firearm Safety & Suicide Prevention Strategies – (PDF)
Voluntary Waiver of Firearm Rights
English – (PDF)
Renuncia voluntaria a los derechos de armas de fuego
Spanish / Español – (PDF)
Resources – (PDF)
For Physicians, Social Workers, Medical Professionals, Law Enforcement & others:
Firearm Injury & Suicide Prevention Strategies
English – (PDF)
Estrategias de prevención de suicidios y lesiones por arma de fuego
Spanish / Español – (PDF)
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Voluntary Waiver of Firearm Rights (Voluntary Do-Not-Sell Law) – (Click to view)
This web site is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. No physician-patient relationship is created by this web site or its use. Neither HIPRC, the University of Washington, nor its employees, nor any contributor to this web site, makes any representations, express or implied, with respect to the information provided herein or to its use.