FFL - Out of state order TAXES question

[thefitter]

Playing devils advocate... how can we be sure the FFL is actually sending in the TAX we pay on out of state orders and not simply lining their pockets?

[kemasa]

Sigh ...

You can't. You can't be sure that when you go to the store and buy something that they actually pay the sales tax either. Does that also concern you? If not, why are you only concerned with FFLs?

The thing is that it is NOT your problem. The sales tax is required to be paid and if the FFL does something illegal (not paying), then it is the FFL problem to deal with. The fact is that with all the paperwork which tracks a firearm transaction, it would be foolish for the FFL to not pay (not that there are not foolish FFLs out there). In order to hide it, it would need to not be listed in the bound book, no DROS submitted, etc., all of which are quite serious issues. So if you don't fill out a DROS, then you can assume that the FFL is not paying the taxes, but the again it also shows that the FFL is breaking the law with regards to the transfer.

The bottom line is that it is not worth the FFL's freedom to steal a small sum of money.

[driftstalker]

You really can't make sure of that. I know it is hard paying the $50 to $100 FFL fee on top of state tax ....AND on top of DROS .... AND if they want to screw with you a little further... make you buy a California approved lock

think I was done?

Wrong...

They may even add in DROS handling fee (eg. Tur*ers - I shop from them all the time, love u guys still!)

[kemasa]

The really annoying thing is that for a typical transfer, the state gets more money than the FFL, yet the FFL does all the work and has to file the sales tax return for free or pay someone to file it. Complain about that instead.

[tenpercentfirearms]

Playing devils advocate... how can we be sure the FFL is actually sending in the TAX we pay on out of state orders and not simply lining their pockets?

No more sure than any other retailer or restaurant you reimburse for sales tax.

Well with the exception that inventory is tracked pretty closely in the gun business so trying to hide a firearms sale is awfully difficult to do.