Quick DROS question - What do I store for 3 years?

[ronlglock]

I am trying to slog though the DROS user guide, but I know many of you can answer this off the top of your head.

There are 3 stages to a DROS: Preview, Pending and Approved. Our DOJ rep told us to print and file all 3 of them.

My understanding is that I don't need to print the Preview, the Pending is for me to put with the firearm for 10 days and possibly give a copy to the purchaser to know when to come back. I believe that the Approved is the only one that needs a thumbprint and is the only one we need to keep.

Comments?

[c good]

Our field rep told us Fingerprints and Signatures on both Pending and Approved/Delivered DROS sheets.

[ronlglock]

Our field rep told us Fingerprints and Signatures on both Pending and Approved/Delivered DROS sheets.

Which one(s) did your rep tell you need to be stored?

[taperxz]

You only need to keep the final/approved copy for your records. I keep mine forever.

You do NOT have to give a copy of your copy of the DROS to anyone that you sell the gun to later. He'll get a final copy of the DROS in the transaction w/you when he picks up the gun later.

If you didn't actually own the gun legally because you unknowingly bought stolen property that somehow got previously approved for transfer under your prior DROS, the state will seize the gun to return it to the rightful owner and you'll be legally responsible for returning the purchase price to the seller, just as the prior seller to you would be legally obligated to refund you the amount you paid for the gun (assuming, of course, you aren't the one who stole it.)

LOL!

The problem in recovering $ unknowingly paid for stolen property is actually getting your $ back.

Huh?

[Nardo1895]

Our field rep told us Fingerprints and Signatures on both Pending and Approved/Delivered DROS sheets.

Same here. They want a signature and fingerprints on the Pending in case there is an issue with the buyer.

They didn't say whether I had to keep both, but its only one sheet so I keep it with the rest of the paperwork.

[Tyke8319]

Same here. They want a signature and fingerprints on the Pending in case there is an issue with the buyer.

They didn't say whether I had to keep both, but its only one sheet so I keep it with the rest of the paperwork.

I keep everything that pertains to the transfer. You can't go wrong with that and you already generated the paperwork. At the end of three years discard what is appropriate.

[ronlglock]

So in summary:

• No need to print the Preview.
• Signature and thumbprint on Pending in case there are problems with the buyer.
• Signature and thumbprint on Approved and this is the one I need to store, but no problem if I want to store the Pending too.

And as a matter of preference, who stores the 4473 and DROS together rather than in separate files?

[taperxz]

So in summary:

• No need to print the Preview.
• Signature and thumbprint on Pending in case there are problems with the buyer.
• Signature and thumbprint on Approved and this is the one I need to store, but no problem if I want to store the Pending too.

And as a matter of preference, who stores the 4473 and DROS together rather than in separate files?

I keep them separate. They are required to be stored for auditing purposes. The rule of thumb in an audit is to only provide what the auditor asks for. Giving them more information about something only keeps an auditor searching for more and prolongs things.

[Nardo1895]

I keep them separate. They are required to be stored for auditing purposes. The rule of thumb in an audit is to only provide what the auditor asks for. Giving them more information about something only keeps an auditor searching for more and prolongs things.

I keep them together but I'm not sure that is the best approach for the reasons mentioned in this string. I have only had one DOJ inspection to date and having them together didn't cause any problems.

On a related matter, I think I recall prior postings on this forum that you don't have to let DOJ see your A&D book. That makes sense I guess as its a Federal document. Denying DOJ access feels like I have something to hide so I have made it available. I'm curious as to what people do in that regards as well.

[kemasa]

The reason for the thumbprint is to be able to prove that it was the person in case they were prohibited. The CA DOJ seems to have lost their history since it used to be that you had to do the thumbprint on either copy, but in reality you had to do it on the pending in case the person didn't come back and there was no final copy. More recently they said that it needs to be only on the final copy, but that means that they can't prove who filled out the form in case of a prohibited person. So, I do it on both because I am sure that they will change it again and it doesn't hurt to have it on both. I try to print the final on the back of the pending to save paper (and space). Multiple transfers make it harder due to how it prints out, at least on my computer.

You are required to give a copy of the DROS to the people involved (separate versions for a PPT). It used to be that you only had to give a copy if they asked, which changed.

I have heard that you don't have to show the Federal documents to CA, but as said, it can just cause problems.