When you buy a gun online, it doesn’t ship to your house. It ships to a licensed firearms dealer near you, called an FFL, and you pick it up there after a background check. That hand-off is an FFL transfer. Here is how it works, what it costs and what to bring.
What is an FFL?
FFL stands for Federal Firearms License. A business with an FFL is licensed by the ATF to sell and transfer firearms. Gun stores, pawn shops, many gunsmiths and some home-based dealers hold one. Federal law requires a firearm sold across state lines to go through a licensed dealer, which is why online gun orders ship to an FFL instead of your door.
How an FFL transfer works, step by step
- Pick a dealer near you and call ahead. Confirm they accept transfers from online retailers and ask their fee.
- Order the firearm online and choose that dealer at checkout. We verify the dealer’s license before the order ships.
- The firearm ships to the dealer, who logs it into their records.
- The dealer calls you when it arrives. You go in with your ID, fill out ATF Form 4473 and the dealer runs your background check.
- Once you are approved and have met any state requirements, you pay the transfer fee and take your firearm home.
Our How It Works page covers the same process from checkout to pickup.
How much does an FFL transfer cost?
Each dealer sets their own fee, so prices vary by shop and area. Many charge a flat fee per firearm, often somewhere in the range of $25 to $75, and some charge more for NFA items or less for customers who buy from them regularly. Some states also add their own background check fees. Always ask the dealer before you order so there are no surprises at pickup.
What to bring to pickup
- A valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, that shows your current address. If it doesn’t, bring a government-issued document that does, such as a vehicle registration.
- Any permit or license your state requires to buy or own the firearm.
- Payment for the transfer fee and any state fees.
Form 4473 and the background check
ATF Form 4473 asks for your identity and a series of yes-or-no eligibility questions. Answer every question truthfully; lying on the form is a federal crime. The dealer then contacts the FBI’s NICS system or your state’s agency. The result is usually one of three things:
- Proceed: the transfer can be completed.
- Delayed: the check needs more time. Under federal law, if no answer comes back within three business days the dealer may complete the transfer at their discretion, but some states and many dealers wait for a final answer.
- Denied: the transfer cannot be completed. You can appeal a denial.
Buyers under 21 purchasing a rifle or shotgun may go through an enhanced check that can take longer.
Waiting periods and state rules
Some states add a waiting period before you can take a firearm home, require a permit to purchase, or restrict certain models and magazine capacities. Our checkout checks each firearm against your dealer’s location and blocks items that can’t ship there. See Shipping & State Restrictions for more.
Handguns, long guns and NFA items
Handguns must be transferred by a dealer in the state where you live. Rifles and shotguns ship to your local dealer the same way. You must be 21 or older for a handgun and 18 or older for a rifle or shotgun under federal law; some states set higher ages.
NFA items such as suppressors and short-barreled rifles ship only to an FFL/SOT dealer, who holds it until your ATF tax stamp is approved and/or you complete a 4473, all based on your state laws.
Ready to shop?
Browse 9mm handguns, 5.56 and .223 rifles, 12 gauge shotguns or the full firearms catalog. Every gun ships to the FFL dealer you choose.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Federal, state and local laws change and vary by location; check the current laws where you live before you buy, ship or carry.
