Getting FFL

[zelonlone]

Hi everyone.
I am thinking to get a homebase FFL type 1 in Sacramento.
Do you guys think it is possible?
And what should I do first?

Thank you

[Nardo1895]

You need to check with your business licensing authority. In my county its the County Sheriff, but I live in an unincorporated area. Generally it seems that many (most?) cities in California do not allow home based FFLs.

Assuming its allowed in your jurisdiction you need to start with AFT to obtain the FFL. Unless you have past legal issues they will probably approve it but they will require you to obtain a business license that says "For the retail sale of firearms", or something similar. They will also make sure you really intend to run a business and not just do this as a hobby or a way to enhance your own collection. If you fail to get that local business licensee ATF will revoke your FFL. Assuming you do get the FFL and business license, the state permits are next. You can probably do some of this sequentially, but each application costs you money. I did it one step at a time so I wasn't out a lot should I be denied along the way.

[Librarian]

See also the sticky, http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=384995

[Achelous]

Originally Posted by zelonlone

Hi everyone. I am thinking to get a homebase FFL type 1 in Sacramento. Do you guys think it is possible? And what should I do first? Thank you

You are getting good input. Having gone through this not all that long ago, it seems to boil down to getting a local business license that allows the home firearms business. As noted, barring any past legal issues, the FFL01 from ATF is not the hurdle. I decided to get the local license first, which for me was no cost. My city allows it, so it was not difficult. Once I had the local license, I was able to tell the ATF agent in my interview that I had it. That was helpful, and the FFL01 itself was not difficult. As also noted, in the referenced Calguns sticky, there are many other requirements that need to be met to satisfy the state. The state is pretty rigid in what they want to see, including, as noted, that the local license must say explicitly "Valid for the retail sale of firearms." If you take it in logical steps you can minimize the costs.

One last comment. Read the requirements that all dealers must satisfy stipulated as a result of SB1384. I think many home based FFLs will find them difficult to satisfy, or be unwilling to satisfy them. There is a couple of threads on SB1384. Good luck,

[Librarian]

1387 - video surveillance: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...12&postcount=7

As of today, 2023, goes into effect 2024.

[Nardo1895]

Originally Posted by Achelous

I decided to get the local license first, which for me was no cost. My city allows it, so it was not difficult. ,

Each jurisdiction may be different. In my case the County would not accept my application for a retail firearms license until I had the FFL. Much better if you can get the local license first. Its the hardest one to get. Once you have that its mostly just time and money.

[Spdrmn15]

Originally Posted by Nardo1895

Each jurisdiction may be different. In my case the County would not accept my application for a retail firearms license until I had the FFL. Much better if you can get the local license first. Its the hardest one to get. Once you have that its mostly just time and money.

What county are you in? I've recently started doing research on getting an FFL. I'm in unincorporated Sacramento county.

[Nardo1895]

Originally Posted by Spdrmn15

What county are you in? I've recently started doing research on getting an FFL. I'm in unincorporated Sacramento county.

About half way between you and LA

[Spdrmn15]

Originally Posted by Nardo1895

About half way between you and LA

Dang. I was hoping to find someone actually in unincorporated Sacramento county that could give some info from first hand experience.

[Nardo1895]

I started by looking up the "by right" uses of my property zoning. I came to the conclusion that a FFL didn't fit "by right" so I started with the County Planning Department to see what I had to do. Once I had some assurance they would allow my proposed use I contacted the County Clerk's Office to find out how to get a business license. They steered me to the County Sheriff who controls and issues all firearms licenses in the county. Once I applied for the business license with the Sheriff, they routed my application to the Planning Department who signed off on it as they had told me they would.

Sac County probably has a similar process. I'd start with Planning and the County Clerk. Assuming your zoning is some form of rural residential I doubt an FFL will be "by right", but that doesn't mean you cant get a variance. If your zoning is Ag you might be covered "by right".

Good luck!