Dealer Finder
FFL Transfer Dealers in Iowa
Our Dealer Finder lists 908 federally licensed firearms dealers and pawnshops (44 of them pawnbrokers) in Iowa that are likely to handle transfers. The most listings are in Cedar Rapids (18), Des Moines (15) and Sioux City (15). Listings start from ATF's public license list (October 2026), and shops can claim theirs to add transfer fees, hours and services.
Iowa cities with FFL dealers
- Ackley (3)
- Adel (3)
- Akron (3)
- Algona (5)
- Allison (3)
- Altoona (4)
- Ames (7)
- Anamosa (3)
- Ankeny (12)
- Aurelia (3)
- Bellevue (6)
- Bettendorf (7)
- Bloomfield (3)
- Bonaparte (3)
- Boone (4)
- Burlington (12)
- Camanche (3)
- Carroll (4)
- Cedar Falls (11)
- Cedar Rapids (18)
- Centerville (6)
- Chariton (3)
- Charles City (5)
- Cherokee (4)
- Clarinda (3)
- Clinton (3)
- Corydon (3)
- Council Bluffs (9)
- Cresco (4)
- Creston (4)
- Danville (3)
- Davenport (12)
- De Witt (3)
- Decorah (6)
- Denison (6)
- Des Moines (15)
- Dubuque (10)
- Dyersville (5)
- Elk Horn (3)
- Elkader (3)
- Estherville (6)
- Fairfield (4)
- Forest City (3)
- Fort Dodge (7)
- Fort Madison (6)
- Glenwood (10)
- Granger (3)
- Grimes (3)
- Grinnell (8)
- Harlan (3)
- Humboldt (4)
- Independence (3)
- Indianola (6)
- Iowa City (9)
- Johnston (3)
- Kensett (3)
- Keokuk (7)
- Knoxville (3)
- Lansing (4)
- Lime Springs (3)
- Livermore (3)
- Manning (5)
- Maquoketa (7)
- Marion (6)
- Marshalltown (5)
- Mason City (11)
- Milford (3)
- Montezuma (5)
- Mount Ayr (3)
- Mount Pleasant (6)
- Muscatine (6)
- New Hampton (4)
- New London (3)
- New Virginia (3)
- Newton (8)
- Norwalk (3)
- Oelwein (3)
- Onawa (4)
- Osage (8)
- Oskaloosa (6)
- Ottumwa (6)
- Perry (7)
- Peterson (3)
- Pleasant Hill (5)
- Red Oak (3)
- Sac City (3)
- Sheldon (3)
- Shenandoah (3)
- Sibley (3)
- Sioux City (15)
- Spencer (9)
- Spirit Lake (4)
- Stanton (4)
- Swisher (4)
- Urbandale (5)
- Vinton (4)
- Washington (3)
- Waterloo (10)
- Waukon (5)
- Waverly (5)
- Webster City (4)
- West Burlington (3)
- West Des Moines (3)
- West Point (4)
- Williamsburg (4)
Plus 359 listings in smaller towns. Search by ZIP above to find the ones near you.
Buying a gun in Iowa: good to know
- Waiting period
- None at the state level. Dealers run the federal NICS background check only.
- Handgun purchase permit
- No. The permit to acquire became optional in 2021. It's still issued, and dealers can accept it in place of a NICS check.
- Shipping and online purchases
- We found no notable state shipping restrictions. The usual federal rules apply: firearms ship to a licensed dealer, and handguns must go to a dealer in the buyer's home state. Check city and county rules too.
How an FFL transfer works
When you buy a gun online or from someone in another state, it ships to a local licensed dealer (an FFL) instead of your door. The dealer logs it in, you fill out ATF Form 4473 and pass the background check, and then you take it home. Dealers charge a transfer fee for this, often $20 to $75. Call first: ask whether they accept transfers from your seller, what the fee is, and whether they need the seller to email a copy of their license.