Official Washington Hunter Education Course

We have quite a few steps here. You can print this page to use it as a checklist.

Steps to Earn Your Hunter Education Certificate

Prove Your Knowledge

Study the Washington hunter education course material.
Pass the online Certification Exam.
Print out 2 copies of your Washington Hunter Exam Certificate.
Download and complete the Affidavit of Online Certification. It's required to attend your evaluation session.

Prove Your Skill and Attitude

During your evaluation session, you will be graded on your skills, attitude and participation.

Register in advance for a 4-hour Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife classroom/range evaluation session. Confirm your spot directly with the hunter education instructor.
Print out your Classroom and Range Skills Evaluation Form.
Go to a notary public. Have your Affidavit of Online Certification notarized.
Bring 3 documents to your evaluation session:

Your notarized Affidavit of Online Certification
A copy of your Washington Hunter Exam Certificate
Your Classroom and Range Skills Evaluation form with the student portion filled out.

Pass a 15-question hunter education quiz at the beginning of your evaluation session.
You must score 80% or higher on this quiz or you will be disqualified from the evaluation session.
Demonstrate and be graded on gun handling skills, loading and unloading different actions, use of safeties, and carrying positions.
You'll be evaluated during classroom, live fire, and field course exercises. Muzzle control is the most important factor, and you must show safe handling skills at all times.

Exemption for Military—Effective July 26, 2009, members of the United States military who bring a valid military identification card or a Form DD 214 are exempt from the skill training requirement (although they must attend the conservation and sportsmanship sections of the classroom/range evaluation session.) The law does not exempt U.S. military personnel from hunter education training—ONLY the skill component.

More About Home Study

Exam Certificates expire. You must complete all steps within 9 months of taking the online exam.
You can be permanently disqualified from home study. Students who fail the 15-question quiz, the skills evaluation or the attitude portion of the evaluation are permanently disqualified from the online hunter education program and must enroll in a traditional classroom hunter education course.
If you have any questions about the home study program, please contact huntered@dfw.wa.gov.

Classroom Option

You might prefer an instructor-led classroom course. There is no minimum age, but instructors may require a parent or guardian to attend all classes if students are under 12 years of age.

If You Already Have a Hunting License or Hunter Education Certificate

Individuals with a valid Washington hunter education training certificate need only show the document to a license vendor in order to purchase a new, hunting license. Individuals who have successfully completed hunter education training in other states need only show their out-of-state hunter education certificate at the time of license purchase. Please note that an out-of-state license is not the same as a hunter education certificate.