How to become an FFL (gun dealer) in California

[tenpercentfirearms]

Librarian, edit your thread and tell them to start with the local business license agency. They must have a business license that says, "Valid for the retail sale of firearms" before they do anything else. The ATF will cash their check and issue an FFL that won't do them any good with the state if they do not have that business license first.

[simanovkalashnikov]

Thanks librarian. That's what I was looking for. Does anyone have any comments or stories on how difficult it was to attain FFL in California? I just thought it would be as difficult as getting a Concealed Handgun Permit. Hopefully it isn't.

[Librarian]

This is for those who contemplate opening a business to sell guns.

BATFE says
There are NO business requirements for a Curio & Relic FFL (C&R, 03 FFL).

Start reading here:

California Department of Justice Becoming A Firearm Dealer And/Or Ammunition Vendor In California

E-How - http://www.ehow.com/how_6400359_beco...alifornia.html
(Note they have the order of operations wrong - their step "5" should be step "2")

BATFE - http://www.atf.gov/firearms/how-to/become-an-ffl.html

CA-DOJ FAQ for FFLs - http://ag.ca.gov/firearms/dlrfaqs.php

Having read those for an overview, the first thing you must DO is contact your local business license agency.

An FFL applicant must have a business license that says, "Valid for the retail sale of firearms"
before they do anything else.

The CA DOJ will not issue you a valid CFD (centralized firearms dealer) number unless you have all of these items.

1. Local Business license stating "Valid for the retail sale of firearms".
2. Certificate of Eligibility (COE) (get it from CA DOJ)
3. Retail Sales Permit (BOE, Board of Equalization, sales tax permit)
4. Federal Firearms License

If you will accept guns 'on consignment' (and, why would you not?) you also need a "Secondhand Dealer license, issued by [your] local Chief of Police or Sheriff in accordance with Business and Professional Code Section 21641."

The secondhand dealer license/permit is a local thing, so it would be where you live,

but then you need to signup for the FDAS, which is on the CA DOJ webpage, but you need to know the special words

"Firearms Dealer Acquisition System" or "FDAS" :-).

http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/fdasoverview

FDAS info h/t kemasa, 7/31/2012

FDAS has been merged into DES; you still must submit "DROS ENTRY SYSTEM (DES) CONSIGNMENT AND/OR PAWN ACCESS APPLICATION", https://des.doj.ca.gov/forms/BOF_937...pplication.pdf

California DOJ had a page of forms useful for dealers at http://oag.ca.gov/firearms/forms

The Nov 1, 2012 list includes

* Application for Centralized List of Firearms Dealers (BOF 4080), pdf
* Application for Centralized List of Firearms Dealers Locally Inspected Dealership (BOF 4081), pdf
* Application for Centralized List of Exempted Federal Firearms Licensees (CLEFFL) and Exemption Declaration (BOF 10-07), pdf
* Certificate of Eligibility Application (BOF 4008), pdf
* California Firearms Licensee Check (CFLC) Enrollment Application (BOF 08-301), pdf
* California Firearms Licensee Check (CFLC) Firearms Shipment Modification/Cancellation (BOF 08-319), pdf
* Large-Capacity Magazine Permit Application (BOF 050), pdf
* Dangerous Weapons Licensee/Permitee Forms
* Employee Certificate of Eligibility Termination of Employment Notice (BOF 118), pdf

Using Contra Costa County as an example, their web site says

Check with County Zoning / Planning Department to make sure you locate your business at an address where it is allowed and that it does not heavily impact the neighborhood or require special parking consideration.

There is a Business License Application and an FAQ about Business licenses.

The full description of how to get a business license probably varies with every city and county and cannot possibly be included here.

There is some helpful business-related information (you were planning to run your new FFL location as business, remember?):

California Small Business Guide
CA Secretary of State Business Programs
Franchise Tax Board Tax Service Center
UC Merced's Small Business Development Center: Checklist for starting a business
and there are some handy city and county-based references: Orange, Sacramento, Claremont, Livermore

In ADDITION to Permits and Politics ...

The State has requirements for storage of firearms and ammunition, and local governments may add to these:
Penal Code 29141 describes a 'secure facility'; that's in with manufacturers (Division 7, Chapter 2), but also mentioned in
Penal Code 26890 regarding storage of inventory firearms by ordinary FFLs (Division 6, Chapter 2); 'secure facility' is not defined in that chapter, but instead in 'Definitions' at 17110 (Thanks to RedPandaGear, 7-18-21)

Some parts happily copied/stolen from posts lower in the thread - thanks!

=== 2022 Update ===

SB 1327 imposes comprehensive video surveillance requirements on FFLs as of 1 Jan 2024: PC26806

It also imposes an insurance requirement as of Jul 1 2023: PC 26811