Thinking about applying for FFL in SD

[DarkGT]

Hi all, I am hoping someone can give me good info. I have a call in to the ATF but with the holiday weekend I won't hear anything until next week.

I am thinking about applying for an FFL in the city of San Diego. Does anyone have any experience with a home based business of this nature within city limits? I was looking at the SD website today and saw the application for retail sales of firearms and the associated $660 annual fee. Does this apply to all non C&R FFLs? I don't intend on having a large stock (if any) on hand, more a transfers and special order business for people I know, people they refer and several LE aquaintances I have. I want to make a few bucks but this realistically won't be my primary income.

Any info for the newbie would be appreciated

Thanks!

[tenpercentfirearms]

The number one, first thing you must do is get a local business license. The ATF will send you an FFL no problem, but if you don't have a business license, the CA DOJ won't give you a CFD and then you have a worthless FFL that you wasted $200 on.

[glockwise2000]

And I believe that you need to have a storefront and minimum hours that you should be open in a week in able to retain your CFD.

[DarkGT]

Good info thanks guys! I need to see if the city's $660 fee is required for issuance of a business license.

[Cokebottle]

Seriously consider renting a small unit in a business park.
Keep in mind that the address listed on your FFL is subject to entry and audit by the DOJ/ATF at any time during the listed hours of operation without warrant.

It is also typically easier to secure a commercial building that has only a couple of windows and a door with a roll-up door in the back.

[tenpercentfirearms]

And I believe that you need to have a storefront and minimum hours that you should be open in a week in able to retain your CFD.

Then how do all of the kitchen table FFLs retain their CFD?

[DarkGT]

Then how do all of the kitchen table FFLs retain their CFD?

Thats my main question for the ATF. Unless they were grandfathered in maybe? I am just trying to figure out what is needed, and the order to go in so that I don't waste anyone's time or lose any money for application fees. With all the requirements at a federal, state and municipal level, its looking like a much more involved and longer process than I had initially beleived. Once I get a complete picture of what is required I will move forward from there.

[tenpercentfirearms]

Thats my main question for the ATF. Unless they were grandfathered in maybe? I am just trying to figure out what is needed, and the order to go in so that I don't waste anyone's time or lose any money for application fees. With all the requirements at a federal, state and municipal level, its looking like a much more involved and longer process than I had initially beleived. Once I get a complete picture of what is required I will move forward from there.

The reason I asked that question is I think that was incorrect information. I do not believe the CA DOJ whom issues CFD numbers cares about your hours or a storefront. In fact, from my basic understanding of the CFD process, as long as you have your

local business license
FFL
retail sales permit
COE

they aren't discretionary about issuing a CFD.

Again, nothing else matters until you get a local business license. Don't do anything else until you do that.

[Cokebottle]

Again, nothing else matters until you get a local business license. Don't do anything else until you do that.

I've heard of some municipalities being very picky about business licenses issued for a firearms business without a storefront.
I've also heard about zoning ordinances being very picky about any business, and especially one that includes customers "coming and going", without a storefront.

And I'm sure some cities (like Huntington Beach) make it a PITA, where they insist on approval from another agency, that normally depends on approval from the city.
Case in point, my buddy was working on some modifications for his deck.
He went to the city and they told him that they would approve the plans once he got approval from the Coastal Commission.
Coastal Commission said that they couldn't approve until after the city approved.
The Coastal Commission was "right", because their authority only covered the part that touched the seawall and extended over the water, and the city authority was responsible for the attachments to the home, utilities, basic structure, etc....
He spent thousands on an engineer getting it designed to a point that would pass commercial inspection, and ran into the brick wall getting final approval.

[kemasa]

The ATF will not be able to answer your question since you can get the FFL if you can get all of the local and state permits/licenses. The local is usually the problem.

You need to check with your local government to see if you will be able to get everything first, as tenpercent said.

[ParallaxTactical.com]

San Diego won't issue to a home based FFL as far as I can tell.

Also expect it to take about 9 months. That's how long it took for us (in San Diego) to get our FFL.

[VIGILANCE]

Then how do all of the kitchen table FFLs retain their CFD?

This is a great question considering I just recived my CFD last month... Unless this has change in the last week.: All kidding aside I am a so called "kitchen table" FFL and I am here in California and was not grandfathered in... All license were done this year it took 3-4 months and now I am setting up accounts with wholesalers....

[SDProtection]

Won't happen in San Diego. You have to have a local business license before ATF will issue you the FFL. San Diego will not issue you a business license unless your business location is in a properly zoned area. (i.e, industrial or commercial zone).

[tenpercentfirearms]

Won't happen in San Diego. You have to have a local business license before ATF will issue you the FFL.

Don't be so sure of that. My understanding is the ATF will take your $200 and issue you an FFL no matter what you have or don't have. It is the CA DOJ that won't be issuing you a CFD without the local license and without a CFD, you can't DROS and that pretty much means you can't have much of a gun shop.

[DarkGT]

I spoke with an ATF issuance and enforecement agent today. She said what I am seeing here, local and state first and she sort of laughed and said if you can get passed that, our side is easy.

It is also my understanding now that zoning is the toughest step. I have a thought about the foot traffic and vehicle traffic but I still need zoning approval. Then I have to pay a good amount of money to the city for the PD approval $660 + a $104 "investigation fee". This is before anything to the city for the actual business license, the state for the resellers permit, or the ATF for the FFL app.

I sort of want to pursue it out of principal but it is going to cost quite a bit more than I had initially expected. If anyone is interested I will update as I go through the process or once I get everything done.

Does anyone have a contact for city of SD zoning I could reach out to? I tried the ombudsperson but with the budget cuts, who knows if she is still even with the city. I may have a better shot at dealing with the county in an unincorporated area.

I am not trying to dip into any of the other local FFLs koolaid, just trying to set this up as a side gig to make a few extra bucks and take care of a select group of LE friends and family.

Parrallax and SD Protection, I would love to visit your shops sometime soon!