Shipping guns out of state due to move

[tahoetime]

I would like some information on shipping guns out of state.

Here is the situation. My nephew was a California resident who recently moved to Texas. His furniture, firearms, and other stuff are still here. He wants to have his stuff shipped to his new home. The question is how to ship his guns. Note that his father can ship the guns for him if possible. Or, if necessary, it can wait until the next time he is in California so that he is shipping them to himself.

1) UPS: His father spent a long time on the phone with UPS and couldn't get a straight answer, other than them making it seem like it was an ordeal. Is there a way to have UPS ship it? Would it help if he is shipping them to himself?

2) Gunstore: If he asks a gunstore to do it, willl there be the expense of FFLs if he is shipping it to himself? I imagine if his father brings them to the gunstore, there would be FFL fees on each end.

3) Movers: I imagine the movers could ship them with the other stuff legally, but it seems like there is a big risk of theft if they know what they are moving.

4) Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[Quiet]

I would like some information on shipping guns out of state.

Here is the situation. My nephew was a California resident who recently moved to Texas. His furniture, firearms, and other stuff are still here. He wants to have his stuff shipped to his new home. The question is how to ship his guns. Note that his father can ship the guns for him if possible. Or, if necessary, it can wait until the next time he is in California so that he is shipping them to himself.

1) UPS: His father spent a long time on the phone with UPS and couldn't get a straight answer, other than them making it seem like it was an ordeal. Is there a way to have UPS ship it? Would it help if he is shipping them to himself?

2) Gunstore: If he asks a gunstore to do it, willl there be the expense of FFLs if he is shipping it to himself? I imagine if his father brings them to the gunstore, there would be FFL fees on each end.

3) Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Federal laws prohibits the transfer of firearms between residents of different States without the use of a FFL. [18 USC 922(a)(3),(5)]
There is no intra-familial or gift exemption to the Federal laws.
Failure to utilize a FFL equates to Federal felonies for everyone involved with the firearm transfers. [18 USC 924(a)(1)(D)]

This means no CA resident can legally ship the firearms directly to the TX resident.
If a CA resident ships the firearms, then they must be shipped to a TX FFL dealer, who then transfers the firearms to the TX resident.


1) UPS and FedEx changed their policies, effective 07-01-2022, and will only accept firearm shipments from a FFL that has an firearms dealer account with them.

2) CA FFL dealer will charge a shipping fee with the firearms being shipped to a TX FFL dealer, who will charge a transfer fee.

3) The TX resident travels to CA and physically transports their firearms to TX.

[tahoetime]

Thank you for the information.

"2) CA FFL dealer will charge a shipping fee with the firearms being shipped to a TX FFL dealer, who will charge a transfer fee."

It seems like using a FFL one way or another is the best option since he doesn't have the time to drive from CA to TX. If he ships them himself the next time he is in CA (rather than having his father ship it), can he avoid the transfer fee?

Thank you.

[Librarian]

Thank you for the information.

"2) CA FFL dealer will charge a shipping fee with the firearms being shipped to a TX FFL dealer, who will charge a transfer fee."

It seems like using a FFL one way or another is the best option since he doesn't have the time to drive from CA to TX. If he ships them himself the next time he is in CA (rather than having his father ship it), can he avoid the transfer fee?

Thank you.

He'll have to ask the TX FFL who receives the guns. Does not seem likely to me, but can't hurt to ask.

With the recent changes to UPS and FedEx, seems like hiring a CA FFL to do the shipping is the way that will work. That'll be a fee for services and the actual shipping costs.

[Quiet]

If he ships them himself the next time he is in CA (rather than having his father ship it), can he avoid the transfer fee?

He can ship them to himself.

However, he will need to find a common carrier that will accept it.

UPS and FedEx will not ship it unless he is a FFL and has a firearm dealer account set up with them.

USPS will only ship long gun for non-FFLs and can only ship handguns for FFLs.



There's also the legal issue of who currently has control over the firearms in CA.
Starting 01-01-2020, "storage of firearms" for another person is considered a type of loan.

If he stored the firearms with his parent, in a manner that his parent can not access/possess the firearms due to them being in a locked container/safe and the parent does not have the key/combo for the locked container/safe, then his parent can only legally store them for 120 days. [PC 27883]
So, within 120 days, he can return to CA and legally ship the firearms to himself (provided he find a shipping service that will do it).

If he left the firearms with his parent, while he was a CA resident, and the parent has access to the firearms, then it will be considered an intra-familial transfer between CA residents, from him to his parent.
Within 30 days of receiving the firearms, the parent must report the firearms to CA DOJ and the firearms will legally belong to the parent. [PC 27875(a)]
In order to be legal under Federal and CA laws, the firearms will then need to be transferred to him through a TX FFL dealer. Failure to utilize a TX FFL dealer will result in Federal felonies for everyone involved.

[tahoetime]

Thanks for all the useful information!

[pacrat]

Thanks for all the useful information!

A bit more you might find useful, and expedient.

He can ship them to himself.

However, he will need to find a common carrier that will accept it.

UPS and FedEx will not ship it unless he is a FFL and has a firearm dealer account set up with them.

USPS will only ship long gun for non-FFLs and can only ship handguns for FFLs.

As "Quiet" pointed out in bolded. He can ship to himself interstate. The "Carrier" issue can be solved by utilizing a third party shipper. such as https://www.shipmygun.com/go/

Or he could rent a cheap on gas car here and drive them to Tx.

[tahoetime]

Thank you!

[19K]

Is he still considered a CA resident? You can ship long guns through usps to yourself or in care of. I would argue that since all his firearms, funiture and other items are still here in California, CA would still consider him a resident. So having someone ship his own long guns to himself would be legal.

[edgerly779]

^^^ Not handguns. He should fly home with his handguns or drive with them Long guns ship to himself usps dirct. He can come here and arrange shipping.

[tahoetime]

I am not sure what kind of rifles he has, but perhaps he could fly back to TX with his handguns and the lower receivers of his rifles (assuming they are ARs or similar).

Unless something changed, there aren't any restrictions on shipping upper receivers, stocks, etc. as far as I know.

[edgerly779]

orrect. Where in texas. I make the drive from LA to el paso several times a year. I am going in couple weeks.

[tahoetime]

he is in Houston

[racinjason233]

Depending on the number of guns he could fly from CA to TX on a commercial airline with them. Quickest easiest way for sure. When we moved to Idaho. I flew with multiple rifles and pistol and then took back empty cases for the next trip. I shipped some with our house crap too but used a trusted calgunner for the delivery of my truck and trailer loaded on his semi.

[lastinline]

Why not avoid all the hassle, and have the nephew drive out, pick up his property, and take it back to Texas? It’s not that difficult, and seems like a lot less BS than all this FFL stuff. It would be worth it for him to make time for that, and he won’t have to worry about some shipping company losing his stuff, or having it stolen.