How to get FFL

[Darklyte27]

Darn FUD spreaders, thanks to those who actually have FFL's give correct info.

My question is, lets say I want to be able to receive firearms when I buy them, do I the FFL holder have to wait 10 days or how does that work?

Also since its a service, are you required to provide that service to everyone?

I also heard that you must have a business address? I heard that older FFLs are allowed to have the service at home, but new ones must have a actual public business address?

[dustoff31]

Darn FUD spreaders, thanks to those who actually have FFL's give correct info.

My question is, lets say I want to be able to receive firearms when I buy them, do I the FFL holder have to wait 10 days or how does that work?

Also since its a service, are you required to provide that service to everyone?

I also heard that you must have a business address? I heard that older FFLs are allowed to have the service at home, but new ones must have a actual public business address?

An FFL holder doesn't have to wait the 10 days. Order what you want and they ship it to you.

You will have to establish regular business hours when you are open to the public, and list them on the application. I don't think they will let you get away with "by appointment" anymore, except for Gunsmiths.

Whether you can work out of your house or need a storefront is up to the city/county zoning where you live.

[CAL.BAR]

An FFL holder doesn't have to wait the 10 days. Order what you want and they ship it to you.

You will have to establish regular business hours when you are open to the public, and list them on the application. I don't think they will let you get away with "by appointment" anymore, except for Gunsmiths.

Whether you can work out of your house or need a storefront is up to the city/county zoning where you live.

Last I talked to the ATF (very helpful people btw) they said I would need a storefront in a business zoned area. (i.e. no more kitchen table dealers) They I have yet to hear exactly how many transactions one must make each year to KEEP the lic. Too few and they will assume you're only using the FFL to expand a personal collection. So they can (and will) yank the license if you don't do enough deals.

[freakshow10mm]

Home versus storefront depends on zoning. I am a home based FFL. There is no zoning laws in my village or county. I can run any business from my home that I want to. There are no laws or zoning against it. The state of Michigan does not regulate the firearms industry.

There is no minimum requirement to stay in business. As a general rule, as long as transfers to people other than yourself are more than to yourself, it isn't looked at. I've had my firearm manufacturer FFL since June 23 and I've logged over 700 guns in and out of my books since then. Only three of them were personal (HK P7PSP, Tikka T3 lite SS 6.5x55, Anvil Arms lower with my logo). I had to run a 4473 on myself (FFL is in business name, not my name).

[CAL.BAR]

Home versus storefront depends on zoning. I am a home based FFL. There is no zoning laws in my village or county. I can run any business from my home that I want to. There are no laws or zoning against it. The state of Michigan does not regulate the firearms industry.

There is no minimum requirement to stay in business. As a general rule, as long as transfers to people other than yourself are more than to yourself, it isn't looked at. I've had my firearm manufacturer FFL since June 23 and I've logged over 700 guns in and out of my books since then. Only three of them were personal (HK P7PSP, Tikka T3 lite SS 6.5x55, Anvil Arms lower with my logo). I had to run a 4473 on myself (FFL is in business name, not my name).

Your post proves my point. There ARE minimums. You ARE expected to make deals and act as a dealer. You CANNOT simply use the FFL to collect for yourself. Which really is stupid, since if you go through all the background checks and hoops to get (and pay for) and FFL, you SHOULD be able to use it just for yourself. There is no such requirement with ANY other license. (Law, Medicine etc.)

[evollep3]

Well i contacted local Business licenses looks like there is no problem there not my only road block is my Local ATF to call me back

[SJgunguy24]

Why do people spread this myth?

I sell guns as a hobby. It cost less than $500 to start my business and took about 3 months from the FFL app. submission until I was on the CA list of certified dealers. Expect a visit from ATF during the process. All you need is the FFL application, a tax-exemption certificate from the state, a certificate of eligibility from DOJ, and a local business license for firearms sales, typically from your local chief LEO. The local license can be the tough part. Inquire about that first before you do the other stuff.

Any questions? Just ask.

I wasn't trying to spread a myth. When I called BATFE for a C&R app I was sent a 01 app. On the app it said the fee was 3K for a 3 year license. There were minimum transaction requirements and enviromental questions.

That packet costs 2.49$ to mail, it was something like 15 pages and 3 fingerprint forms. You can have that. I'm not trying to spread FUD, so i'm sorry if I mislead anyone.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I wasn't trying to spread a myth. When I called BATFE for a C&R app I was sent a 01 app. On the app it said the fee was 3K for a 3 year license. There were minimum transaction requirements and enviromental questions.

That packet costs 2.49$ to mail, it was something like 15 pages and 3 fingerprint forms. You can have that. I'm not trying to spread FUD, so i'm sorry if I mislead anyone.

They must have sent you the wrong application by mistake. Type 09, Type 10 and Type 11 FFL's all cost $3000 for 3 years. But they all involve dealing in, importing or manufacturing Destructive Devices. If the application mentioned environmental concerns then it was most likely for a Type 10 FFL, Manufacturer of Destructive Devices.

Come to think of it, I think all of the FFL types except for Type 03 use the same application. So they probably just sent you the one for all other types of FFL's and you happened to read the section for Type 09, 10 and 11 which says $3000 for 3 years.

[freakshow10mm]

Your post proves my point. There ARE minimums. You ARE expected to make deals and act as a dealer. You CANNOT simply use the FFL to collect for yourself. Which really is stupid, since if you go through all the background checks and hoops to get (and pay for) and FFL, you SHOULD be able to use it just for yourself. There is no such requirement with ANY other license. (Law, Medicine etc.)

No, there aren't any minimums. Look it up. There is not one single minimum or standard stated in any law.

The FFL is a business license, not a collection license, that's an 03 for C&R only.

[Darklyte27]

so if you didnt want a FFL to make money, just transfer your own guns and maybe a few buddies, you could just charge a insane amount like 200 or even 500$ to transfer a gun and no one would really bother you huh?

the bad part is i guess you are required to have "business hours"
does it have to be a min? of hours you have to be open?

[OCArmory]

My recommendation would be to go to like Phoenix state university (online) and get one of those niffty gunsmithing diplomas to hang on your wall. Last I heard gunsmiths could do by appointment only hours. You just have to make sure that you don't cross into the manufacturing realm.
Mike

[freakshow10mm]

Some offices will allow "by appointment only" hours for smiths but most will not. They want set business hours. They don't care what they are or how many there are, they just need hours. I know an FFL that lists his hours from noon to 2pm on Saturdays only.

For a gunsmith, I recommend a manufacturer's FFL. Trouble is you have to register with the State Department under ITAR and pay a yearly $2250 fee. Yes, even if you don't import or export.

Trouble is the interpretations of "manufacturing". If you buy a Remington 700 and put a scope on it and offer it as a "gunsmith's special" package, you are manufacturing a firearm and need to be licensed as such and pay the ITAR fee.

[L2C]

Should I buy one of those kits online to start the FFL process?

[freakshow10mm]

No. It's a waste of money.

Go to the ATF site. Go to the Distribution Center link. Select Form 7 Application for FFL. Put your address down and they will mail you everything you need to fill out in three days. Free. Fill out the forms in triplicate, get mugs and prints, send in your fee, and wait. Take care of any state or local stuff along the way. The locals can help you with that as I'm in MI and the state nor village regulate the firearms industry in any way.

Those online kits are the same thing you get free from the ATF and a Google search for distributors. Save your money.

[L2C]

Thank You.