FFL Defined: Requirements and Application Process
If you are planning to venture into a business involving firearms, then you might have be interested in getting your ffl license. Even collectors of guns and ammo like the curios and relics type of firearms are mandated to obtain the license.
There may have been a list of requirements laid out for you, but it has to be noted that getting an FFL in never an easy task. You can expect to be fazed by the long demands of the government arms and hassles of red tapes.
This is why it is important to know all the details about getting an FFL license – what it is, how it can be acquired, and the qualifications needed for the application.
FFL Defined
The Issuance of Federal Firearms Licenses is handled in the US by the ‘Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco,Firearms and Explosives’ (BATFE) falling under the country’s Department of Justice. The FFL is non-transferable, so businesses with different locations need to secure separate licenses for each branch. Applying for multiple licenses, however, is not enough.
It is imperative to get right type of FFL to avoid facing the consequences:
Type 01 – For dealers of Firearms
Type 02 – For Pawnbrokers
Type 03 – For individuals who collect curios and relics
Type 06 – Required for ammunition manufacturers
Type 07 – For manufacturers of firearms
Type 08 – Requirement for those who import firearms and/or ammunition
Type 09 – For dealers of destructive devices
Type 10 – For those who produce destructive devices
Type 11 – needed for those who import destructive devices
Selling and dealing of ammunition and guns is not legal unless the proprietors have obtained the license. This is mandated under the ‘Gun Control Act’ of 1968 that cover any enterprise that sell, buy, or repair guns. Pawn shops, brokers, manufacturers, and importers are covered by the law, as projected in the list of types of licenses.
FFL is geared towards keeping the safety of the public, but not all businesses are guaranteed eligible to receive the license. It is then imperative to know the process and requirements of FFL License acquisition.
Applying for an FFL
Application for the licenses starts with the filling out of forms and sending them to BATFE. You can either be furnished with ATF Form 7CR or ATF Form 7 depending on where you will use the license for. To obstain the forms, you should personally go to the ATF office or request the forms via phone. The ‘ATF Distribution Center’ can be contacted at (703) 455-7801. These forms are not obtainable in any website.
The ATF Form 7 should be submitted with a photograph, fingerprints and corresponding fees. The picture can be passport-sized and can be acquired at the USPS location or local mail center. The fingerprinting, on the other hand, should be done before the ‘local law enforcement agency.’ You will receive a documentation that should be attached with the application form.
It takes about 60 days before the application can be approved or rejected.
Who can Obtain the License
Individuals who meet the following qualifications are the only ones who enjoy the approval of their application:
• Must be 21 years of age and above.
• Must be a citizen of the United States and never renounced their citizenship
• Must be a local of the state wherein the existing business is located or where the business will be opening
• Must never have violated any federal firearms law, like selling or buying guns without appropriate license
• Must not have been jailed for more than one year
• Must not have legally obtained controlled substances
• Must have never been into a mental asylum
• Must have obtained honorable discharge (for ex-members of the Armed Forces)
Get more information on the FFL License over at http://federal-firearms-license.net