Obtaining Your FFL

Many people aren’t aware how easy the opportunity is to go from owning their own guns to opening their own firearms business.

Owning your own guns is a right that all can certainly easily enjoy, as it is a second amendment right to bare arms. However, the selling of guns is a whole other story.

In order to do this, you need to find out how to get your Federal Firearms license. At first, it may seem overwhelming; searching the web, contacting local government authorities, finding the right forms to fill out and where to mail them, discovering the costs involved, and doing it all in the correct, time-saving order. There is good news, however. You can find companies or individuals who have already been through the process from start to finish that offer step-by-step guides that will ensure you waste no time or money in obtaining your ffl.

You must understand what agencies are involved in the process and what laws there are that you must follow before becoming a dealer.

First, you must go through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. One of its many responsibilities is determining who is eligible to receive a federal firearms license. There are certain things that they will and will not require of you. Pay attention to the following situations that immediately put up a red flag if not corrected.

-You must be at least twenty-one years old to sell guns. There is absolutely no exception to this rule and for obvious reasons. One reason being that you cannot even own a gun until you’re at least 21.

-You must have a physical location to set up a business. It must be an actual building or store where you can sell guns and collect money from customers in a safe and secure manner. Your home will not work including the garage, spare room, etc. and you definitely cannot sell firearms online. Locate a place to run your business, establish overhead costs, and then apply for your license.

-No one can prohibit you from using firearms. If you have ever been arrested for armed robbery and are now placed on parole, you won’t be allowed to sell firearms legally anytime in the near future.

-If you have ever violated the Gun Control Act your application will not be accepted.

-Applying for your federal firearms license is a simple step-by-step process but can easily become near impossible and too complex if you lie on your application. The government has smart people who will investigate everything about you and your past and could possibly hold that against you in the future. Good luck ever trying to sell a weapon again at that point.

-Every business must comply with its state’s business laws. Depending on the type of business you open, i.e. Sole Proprietor, Limited Liability Company, etc., you will need to ensure you follow the laws, tax reporting, and registration renewals on a continual basis.

Okay, so you feel confident that you are ready to apply for the license, what you need to do now is contact the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and submit an application. An application fee will be in the price range of $30-$3000, depending on the type of non-destructive or destructive firearms you will be dealing with.
Some other variables that determine the price are if you are a manufacturer, importer, pawnbroker, dealer or just a collector. You can expect the government processing time to take 2 months on average.

Be sure not to skip any of the steps and to make sure that all your ducks are in a row when applying for the ffl. Again, the safest and fastest way to do this is to simply buy or download an ffl instructional guide that also includes software to maintain inventory and licensing active status.