How Does an FFL Transfer Work? Buying Guns Online Explained

Read this first: This is general information about federal law, not legal advice. States and cities add their own rules on top of federal law, and those rules vary a lot. Check your state's gun laws, and talk with your dealer or an attorney about your situation before you buy, sell or ship a firearm.

If you've ever found a great price on a gun online and wondered how it actually gets from the website to your hands, the answer is an FFL transfer. It sounds technical, but the process is simple once you see the steps. Here's how an FFL transfer works, why federal law requires one in so many situations, and what to expect at the counter.

Talk to your dealer before you buy. Call the FFL you'll use before you buy online. They know which state and local laws apply to you, and every shop has its own policies: transfer fees, which sellers it accepts, whether it takes guns shipped by private parties, and any extra paperwork.

What is an FFL transfer?

FFL stands for federal firearms licensee, which is a business licensed by the federal government to deal in firearms. People often call the dealer itself "an FFL."

An FFL transfer is when a licensed dealer near you receives a gun on your behalf, then completes the sale to you in person, with the same paperwork and background check you'd go through buying a gun off that dealer's own shelf. The seller might be an online retailer, a dealer in another state or a private person.

When do you need an FFL transfer?

Federal law sets a few ground rules about guns crossing state lines. These are the situations where a dealer in your home state gets involved:

• Buying online or from an out-of-state dealer. Licensed sellers can't ship a firearm across state lines to someone who isn't a licensee (18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)). And if you buy or otherwise get a gun outside your home state, you generally can't bring it home or receive it yourself (18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and 27 CFR 478.29). So the seller ships it to a dealer in your state, and you pick it up there.
• Buying from a private seller who lives in another state. An unlicensed person can't sell, trade, give or deliver a firearm to an unlicensed person who lives in a different state (18 U.S.C. 922(a)(5) and 27 CFR 478.30), and the buyer can't bring that gun home or receive it in their own state (18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3)). That covers gifts, too, not just sales. The fix is the same: the seller sends the gun to a dealer in your state.
• Buying a handgun while you're traveling. A dealer generally can sell a handgun only to residents of the dealer's own state (18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3)). If you find one on vacation, the dealer can ship it to a dealer back home for the transfer.

There are a few exceptions written into those same rules:

• Rifles and shotguns bought in person. A dealer may sell a rifle or shotgun to a resident of another state if you meet in person at the dealer's premises and the sale fully complies with the laws of both states (18 U.S.C. 922(b)(3)(A) and 27 CFR 478.96(c)). You still fill out the Form 4473 and go through the background check.
• Inheritance. The interstate rules don't apply to a gun left to you in a will (a bequest) or passed to you under your state's inheritance laws when there's no will (intestate succession), as long as you're allowed to have that firearm under your home state's laws.
• Temporary loans or rentals for lawful sporting purposes, such as borrowing a shotgun for a hunt.

Shipping your own gun is a different thing. The rules above are about a gun changing hands. If you're not a licensee, you can still ship your own firearm to yourself in another state, for example to the place you'll be hunting. ATF's guidance is to address the package to yourself "in care of" the person who'll hold it until you arrive, and nobody but you should open it or take the gun out (ATF Q&A). You can also ship your own gun to a licensed dealer in any state, say for a repair or a consignment sale. If you use a common or contract carrier, federal law requires you to tell the carrier in writing that the package contains a firearm when it's going to anyone other than a licensee, and the carrier can't make you label the outside of the box (27 CFR 478.31 and ATF Q&A). Carriers have their own firearm shipping policies, and the destination state may have its own rules, so check both before you ship.

What about a private sale between two people who live in the same state? The federal background check rule in 18 U.S.C. 922(t) is written for licensed dealers, manufacturers and importers. Some states go further and require private sales to go through a dealer, so it's worth checking your state's page before you meet a seller.

How does an FFL transfer work, step by step?

1. Pick a local dealer and call them first. Before you buy, call the dealer you'll use. Ask whether they handle transfers, what they charge, which sellers they accept, whether they take guns shipped by private parties and what paperwork they need from you and the seller. They can also tell you about state or local rules that apply to your purchase. Our Dealer Finder lists licensed dealers by state and city.
2. The seller ships the gun to your dealer. When one licensee sends a gun to another, the shipping dealer has to verify the receiving dealer's license (27 CFR 478.124(a)), which is why a seller may ask your dealer for a copy of its license. A private seller is allowed to ship a firearm to a licensed dealer (18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A)). Rifles and shotguns can go through the U.S. Postal Service. Handguns are different, at least for now: 18 U.S.C. 1715 makes them "nonmailable" for ordinary owners, and the current USPS rules in Publication 52 still say so. That means a private seller ships a handgun by a commercial carrier instead. A change is pending (see "Can I mail a gun to a dealer myself?" in the FAQ below). Carriers have their own firearm shipping policies, so the seller should check those first.
3. Your dealer receives it and calls you. The gun is now in the dealer's hands, and the rest happens at the counter.
4. Bring a valid photo ID. The dealer has to verify who you are with a valid identification document that has your photo on it (18 U.S.C. 922(t)(1)(D)). If your state requires a purchase permit or ID card, bring that too.
5. Fill out ATF Form 4473. This is the federal Firearms Transaction Record. You'll list your name, address, date and place of birth and a few other details, and you'll answer questions certifying you're not legally prohibited from having a firearm (27 CFR 478.124). Your Social Security number is optional, but the regulation notes it can help keep you from being mixed up with someone who is prohibited.
6. The dealer runs a NICS background check. NICS is the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. You'll get one of three results, covered in the next section.
7. You take your gun home. Once the check clears and any state waiting period is over, the dealer records the transfer, signs the form and hands you the firearm.

What happens during the NICS background check?

• Proceed: the dealer can complete the transfer.
• Denied: the dealer can't transfer the gun.
• Delayed: the system needs more time. Under federal law, if 3 business days pass (days when state offices are open) and the system hasn't told the dealer the sale would be illegal, the dealer may complete the transfer (18 U.S.C. 922(t)(1)(B)). That's permission, not a requirement: a dealer can choose to wait longer, and some states add their own waiting periods or other requirements.

Two more details are good to know:

• Buyers under 21 get an enhanced check. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, passed in 2022 after the shooting in Uvalde, Texas, added extra steps for buyers under 21. Along with the usual database search, NICS reaches out to state and local agencies to look for a possibly disqualifying juvenile record (FBI). This is not a mandatory 10-day wait, and many under-21 checks clear quickly. The timing works like this under 18 U.S.C. 922(t)(1)(C): if NICS hasn't responded within 3 business days, the dealer may transfer the gun. If NICS tells the dealer within those 3 business days that there's cause to look further into a possible juvenile record, the window extends to up to 10 business days total. If no denial comes by then, the dealer may transfer. As with any delayed check, the dealer can choose to wait longer, and some states add their own waiting periods.
• Some state permits can stand in for the NICS call. Federal law skips the check for a buyer with a qualifying state permit to possess or acquire firearms, issued within the past 5 years by the state where the transfer happens, if that state's law requires a background check before issuing it (18 U.S.C. 922(t)(3)). Your dealer can tell you whether your state's permit qualifies.

How old do you have to be?

Under federal law, a licensed dealer can't sell or deliver any firearm or ammunition to someone under 18, and can't sell or deliver a firearm other than a rifle or shotgun (or its ammunition) to someone under 21 (18 U.S.C. 922(b)(1) and 27 CFR 478.99(b)). In practice, that means 18 for rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns when you buy from a dealer. Some states set higher minimum ages, so check your state's rules.

FFL transfer FAQ

• Can I buy a gun online and have it shipped to my house? Generally, no. Licensed sellers can't ship a firearm across state lines to someone who isn't a licensee, and a gun bought outside your home state has to come to you through a dealer in your state. That's why online orders ship to a local dealer instead of your front door.
• Can I buy a rifle or shotgun in another state? Yes, if you buy it in person at a licensed dealer's premises and the sale fully complies with the laws of both your home state and the dealer's state. You'll still fill out a Form 4473 and go through the background check.
• Can I buy a handgun in another state? Not directly. A dealer can generally sell a handgun only to residents of its own state, so an out-of-state handgun has to be shipped to a dealer in your home state, and you complete the purchase there.
• Can a friend or relative in another state give or sell me a gun directly? Not under federal law, unless it's an inheritance (a bequest in a will or intestate succession) or a temporary loan or rental for lawful sporting purposes. The gun has to go to a licensed dealer in your state, and you pick it up there after the paperwork and background check. Shipping your own gun to yourself, say for an out-of-state hunt, is a different matter and is allowed under federal law.
• Can I mail a gun to a dealer myself? For a rifle or shotgun, yes. Federal law lets you ship a lawfully owned firearm to a licensed dealer, and USPS accepts unloaded rifles and shotguns from ordinary owners sent with tracking and signature at delivery. Handguns are the exception for now: under the current USPS rules, an ordinary owner still can't mail a handgun, so it has to go by a commercial carrier. A change is pending. On January 15, 2026, the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel issued a legal opinion (not an executive order) concluding that 18 U.S.C. 1715, the law that makes handguns nonmailable, is unconstitutional as applied to handguns, and said USPS should change its rules (OLC opinion). On April 2, 2026, USPS proposed amending Publication 52 to let lawful handguns be mailed under the same terms as rifles and shotguns (Federal Register). Comments closed May 4, 2026, and as of October 17, 2026, USPS hasn't issued a final rule, so the current handgun rule still applies (Publication 52). Check with your dealer and the carrier before you ship.
• What should I bring to pick up my gun? A valid ID with your photo, plus any permit or card your state requires to buy a firearm.
• What if my background check is delayed? If 3 business days pass and NICS hasn't told the dealer the sale would be illegal, federal law allows the dealer to complete the transfer. Buyers under 21 go through an enhanced check added by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, but it isn't a mandatory 10-day wait, and many under-21 checks clear quickly. The same 3-business-day rule applies unless NICS notifies the dealer within those 3 business days that there's cause to look further into a possible juvenile record. In that case, the window extends to up to 10 business days total, and if no denial comes by then, the dealer may transfer. Either way, a dealer can choose to wait longer, and some states add their own waiting periods.
• How much does an FFL transfer cost? Each dealer sets its own transfer fee, so call ahead and ask before you buy.

Before you buy, check your state's laws

Federal law is the floor, not the whole story. Many states have their own permits, waiting periods, background check rules for private sales and limits on certain firearms and magazines. A dealer can't sell you a firearm if the purchase would break state law or a published local ordinance where the sale takes place (18 U.S.C. 922(b)(2)).

• State gun laws: pick your state for permits, waiting periods, private-sale rules and more.
• Federal gun laws: the national rules that apply everywhere.
• Pending legislation and litigation: bills and court cases that could change the rules.
• ATF NFA guidance explained: if your purchase is a suppressor or short-barreled rifle, start here.

Once you know the rules, the fun part is shopping. Browse today's deals, then use the Dealer Finder to line up a local dealer for the transfer.