11% Excise Tax and Online Ammo Sales with 03FFL + COE

[CessnaDriver]

No, just ordered it now.

[Zenderfall]

No, just ordered it now.

[FourT6and2]

There are no CA laws that mandates an out-of-state vendor, that sell ammunition to an exempt person in CA, to ship that ammunition to a CA FFL dealer or CA DOJ licensed ammunition vendor, so that the 11% tax can be collected.

Very helpful, thank you! However... an out-of-state retailer is gonna do what they want. And a bunch of them are now refusing to ship without going through a CA FFL so they can wash their hands of any tax liability and/or hassle of collecting/remitting (even though, as you've pointed out, they actually don't bear that responsibility). I'm willing to bet if I sent these quotes/references to the law, they wouldn't care.

[FourT6and2]

I ordered from Gman Sport. Sale went though, got confirmation and tracking number, although hasn't shipped yet.

[Quiet]

Very helpful, thank you! However... an out-of-state retailer is gonna do what they want. And a bunch of them are now refusing to ship without going through a CA FFL so they can wash their hands of any tax liability and/or hassle of collecting/remitting (even though, as you've pointed out, they actually don't bear that responsibility). I'm willing to bet if I sent these quotes/references to the law, they wouldn't care.

Their business, their choice.
Find another vendor that will not voluntarily impose restrictions that are not required by any Federal or CA laws.

Also, note that the SCOTUS ruling on South Dakota v Wayfair (2018) only applies to sales tax and does not apply to any other type of State imposed tax.
^This SCOTUS ruling is why online vendors must charge a specific State's sales tax for buyers in that State.
~There is no Federal requirement for an online/out-of-state vendor to collect a specific State's excise tax for items sold to a buyer in that State.

[PatriotArt]

Well just now I bought some TargetSportsUSA with my FFL03 on file. Regular ol tax so far.

I just ordered $500 worth last night from TargetSports to beat the deadline. Only because I emailed TargetSports several times asking if they were going to be part of this. But, no response.

[mossy]

I don't have the 03FFL+ COE thing, but i do have LEO credentials on file with targetsportusa I compared some prices today to previous order invoices and I'm not seeing a difference in the applied tax at checkout.

[The Gleam]

I suggest ALL of you guys with your C&R/COE copy Quiet's post verbatim (post #11 in this thread), and start emailing it to ammo vendors that have been CA friendly to CA C&R/COE correlations in the past. En masse.

Email direct and/or through their 'contact us' forms on their web-sites.

I'm sure they don't want to lose the level of increased business from CA they have been accumulating due to a simultaneous increase in those seeking the exemption, any more than you wish to lose them as a resource.

Lots of times, bad choices based on FUD are merely due to lack of education and ignorance by elitist, neosocialist CA legislator design.

It's California's grand plan to replace knowledge with fear, uncertainty, and doubt by way of implied illegality through chaotic, confusing, hostile, and spiteful manuscripting of Anti-2nd Amendment legislation.

Show those vendors the way.


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[SAlNlDllvllAlNl]

Targetsportsusa ammo shipped and yes normal tax rate.

[CessnaDriver]

Shipping notice also. So at least for now we are good.

[Tere_Hanges]

The 11% tax only applies to retail sales within CA and it only applies to a CA FFL dealer, CA firearm manufacturer, and CA ammunition vendor. [RTC 36011]

This is what I thought all along and was telling people. But nobody believed me.

Thanks for confirming and providing a well-written reference to use.

[Zenderfall]

Shipping notice also. So at least for now we are good.

Got my shipping notice too. In the hands of UPS and on its way from Connecticut!

[FourT6and2]

I'm relieved there are still options. The shot shells I just purchased are $9/box online, free shipping. Near me in California, they're $28.99 + 9.375% sales tax + 11% excise tax + $1 for background check = $35.89. That's nearly 400% higher than buying out of state.

A flat of these shells online is $90. A flat locally is $390. Crazy...

[FourT6and2]

UPDATE:
Shop cancelled my order. Boiler plate email about inventory mistake. Website still shows in-stock. Tried calling but they have automated message about not answering phones. Will try another shop.

[DuckDawg22]

I don't have the 03FFL+ COE thing, but i do have LEO credentials on file with targetsportusa I compared some prices today to previous order invoices and I'm not seeing a difference in the applied tax at checkout.

LEO is exempt from the 11% so you would be good no matter what