FFL-01 Gunsmith requirements?

[BigART71]

Hello,

My city doesn't allow FFL-01 Dealers in a residential area. This sucks!

However, it does allow for Gunsmiths. I sell sporting goods already in a home based business. Some of my wholesalers have pricing tiers with me being at the worst tier of that. They have better pricing for FFL's which makes me feel the need to look into this further.

I've read through quite a bit in the past about being a dealer in CA, but have found next to nothing about being a gunsmith. I know there is a waiver for gunsmiths to agree to CA that you're not going to sell and that's about where my knowledge stops. Can anyone give me some details and steps to take please?

Thank you.

[kemasa]

Yes, there is an exemption for CA for gunsmiths such that you can not submit a DROS. It is an exemption for the CFD.

[BigART71]

Yes, there is an exemption for CA for gunsmiths such that you can not submit a DROS. It is an exemption for the CFD.

So does my business license need to say anything special like it does for dealers? If not, then just submit for the FFL to the ATF as the next step and beyond that I don't know what there is since it's a bit of different path.

[Baboosh]

Our city didn't allow them either, we had to get legal with them.

[BigART71]

Our city didn't allow them either, we had to get legal with them.

Please share. I'm not sure I'd go that route. Sounds expensive.

[kemasa]

So does my business license need to say anything special like it does for dealers? If not, then just submit for the FFL to the ATF as the next step and beyond that I don't know what there is since it's a bit of different path.

https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/firearms/forms/CLEFFLApp.pdf

For the CFD, your local business license needs to say valid for retail sales, but since you would not be on the CFD for sales, it would not need to, but I suspect it should mention gunsmith.

[Baboosh]

Please share. I'm not sure I'd go that route. Sounds expensive.

Was very expensive. Hired an attorney and he was able to demonstrate to the city that we do paperwork just like all the CPA and realtors they gave home occupancy licenses to.

[BigART71]

I think I would like to pursue my FFL Gunsmith and maybe get an attorney later to get the Dealer classification. This stuff is a bit overwhelming.

I just want to make sure I do this correctly. Sorry for being dumb too, I don't have the acronyms memorized. Please let me know if the order of things are correct.

1. Business License (already done, I've been in business for 13 years)
2. Apply for FFL with the ATF
3. Register as an exempt dealer for CA (don't know what form) which will give me me a CFD
4. Apply for COE


Is that about right? Does anyone know the costs of each to apply. I know the FFL is $200 if memory serves.

[ASD1]

I think I would like to pursue my FFL Gunsmith and maybe get an attorney later to get the Dealer classification. This stuff is a bit overwhelming.

I just want to make sure I do this correctly. Sorry for being dumb too, I don't have the acronyms memorized. Please let me know if the order of things are correct.

1. Business License (already done, I've been in business for 13 years)
2. Apply for FFL with the ATF
3. Register as an exempt dealer for CA (don't know what form) which will give me me a CFD
4. Apply for COE


Is that about right? Does anyone know the costs of each to apply. I know the FFL is $200 if memory serves.

NO cfd that is for sales only.

What city? You may need the Police depo to sign off on you atf doc's.

You say you sell sporting goods now. on line or do you run a retail store out of your house

[BigART71]

NO cfd that is for sales only.

What city? You may need the Police depo to sign off on you atf doc's .

I'm in Union City. When I talked to someone at the dept. a few years ago, when I learned I couldn't be a dealer, he said there'd be no problem with being a gunsmith.

Aside from the CFD, does that look pretty accurate?

[ASD1]

I'm in Union City. When I talked to someone at the dept. a few years ago, when I learned I couldn't be a dealer, he said there'd be no problem with being a gunsmith.

Aside from the CFD, does that look pretty accurate?

coe and atf can be done at the same time

You want them to put "gunsmith" on your bis lic so that nothing comes up later

You want the pd to put it in righting that the know what you will be doing. you do not want to get up an running and have a problem later on

Most city's in the bay area do not let you run retail bis out of your house if you will have people coming and going from It and or have any power tools used for it

[BigART71]

coe and atf can be done at the same time

You want them to put "gunsmith" on your bis lic so that nothing comes up later

You want the pd to put it in righting that the know what you will be doing. you do not want to get up an running and have a problem later on

Most city's in the bay area do not let you run retail bis out of your house if you will have people coming and going from It and or have any power tools used for it

I know about the retail bis in the home and people coming and going. They already know I do mostly drop shipping. The main reason I want the FFL is for better pricing from some of my wholesale accounts.

I'll check with the city again and go from there.

Revised:
1. Business License with "Gunsmith" get letter in writing from police dept.
2. Apply for FFL and COE at the same time.

Is that correct now? Can it really be quite that simple?

[ASD1]

I know about the retail bis in the home and people coming and going. They already know I do mostly drop shipping. The main reason I want the FFL is for better pricing from some of my wholesale accounts.

I'll check with the city again and go from there.

Revised:
1. Business License with "Gunsmith" get letter in writing from police dept.
2. Apply for FFL and COE at the same time.

Is that correct now? Can it really be quite that simple?

Keep in mind that your Gunsmith customers' will have to "drop off and pick up" the jobs you cant ship or receive firearms. so you will have foot traffic an you need to make sure the city is ok with that

Also if the main reason is better pricing. Keep in mind that you can not order firearms and most wholesale out fits only give steeper discounts to 01 or 07 ffl as a gun smith is not going to buy enough to get a lower price

[BigART71]

I'm not trying to argue here.. just letting you know what I've read on these forums. You know how that goes.. lots of misinformation at times.

This is what I've read. The gunsmith is still an FFL-01, so it will hopefully still get me better pricing with some wholesalers. From other gunsmiths, I can order firearms, but can never sell them or take personal possession of any illegal firearms like off roster handguns.

I don't plan on using this to "purchase" firearms for myself. That's not my intention, better pricing is my primary goal.

[kemasa]

Keep in mind that your Gunsmith customers' will have to "drop off and pick up" the jobs you cant ship or receive firearms. so you will have foot traffic an you need to make sure the city is ok with that

Any firearms can be shipped or personally delivered, so it is possible to avoid foot traffic.