How to Legally Ship a Firearm to an FFL Dealer

To ship a firearm to an FFL dealer, federal law lets you send it directly to any licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector in any state, but carrier policy decides how you actually get it there: long guns can go through USPS with tracking and signature confirmation, while handguns have to be handed off to a local FFL who ships them under their own carrier account. UPS and FedEx no longer accept firearms from private individuals at all. Getting the carrier choice wrong is what turns a routine shipment into a seized package or a federal charge.

What Federal Law Actually Allows

The Gun Control Act permits a private owner to ship a lawfully owned firearm to a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector. 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(2)(A) says nothing in the statute prevents “an individual from mailing a firearm owned in compliance with Federal, State, and local law” to any of those licensees.¹ If you legally own the gun, you can send it to any FFL in the country.

What you cannot do is ship a firearm directly to another private individual across state lines. Interstate transfers between non-licensees must go through an FFL, who runs a background check on the recipient before releasing the gun. That is the reason most people ship to an FFL in the first place: the dealer is the legally required middleman.

State and local law can add restrictions on top of the federal baseline. Some states require a permit to purchase certain firearms or impose waiting periods. Check the laws of both your state and the destination state before you ship. A transfer that clears federal law can still violate state law if the recipient lacks a required permit or the firearm itself is restricted where they live.

Which Carrier Will Actually Take Your Package

Federal law permits shipment through the U.S. Postal Service and through common carriers like UPS and FedEx. Carrier policy is tighter than federal law requires, and the private carriers have narrowed their rules to the point where most people have only one real option.

USPS for Rifles and Shotguns

USPS lets a non-licensee mail rifles and shotguns domestically to an FFL in any state. You have to use a class of mail that provides tracking and signature capture at delivery.² Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation or Registered Mail both satisfy this. At the counter, USPS may ask you to open the package for inspection or provide written certification that the firearm is unloaded and not concealable.

USPS Will Not Take Handguns from You

Under USPS rules, handguns and other concealable firearms are nonmailable except when sent by licensed dealers, manufacturers, importers, and certain government agents.² As a private individual, you cannot legally mail a handgun through the Postal Service.

UPS and FedEx: Licensed Shippers Only

This is where older guides fall apart. Both UPS and FedEx now accept firearms only from federally licensed shippers with an approved shipping agreement on file. UPS states that it accepts firearm shipments “only as a contractual service and only from Shippers who are licensed importers, licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, or licensed collectors.”³ FedEx requires an FFL and a signed Firearms Shipping Compliance Agreement.

You cannot walk into a UPS Store or FedEx Office as a private party and ship a firearm, no matter what federal law technically allows. Forum posts describing overnight handgun shipments by private senders are out of date.

Handguns: Use a Local FFL as Your Shipper

Since USPS will not mail a handgun for you and the private carriers will not accept one from you, sending a handgun to an out-of-state FFL means bringing it to an FFL near you first. Pay their handling fee and let them ship it to the receiving dealer under their carrier account. This is the only realistic option and it keeps you inside both federal law and carrier policy. Local FFLs do this routinely. Call ahead to confirm the fee and any specific requirements.

The same setup works for a warranty repair. Federal regulations at 27 CFR § 478.147 let you ship a firearm to a licensed manufacturer for any lawful purpose, and the manufacturer can return it directly to you across state lines with no intermediary FFL required.¹ Long guns go via USPS; handguns still need a local FFL to send them.

Verify the Receiving FFL Before You Ship

Contact the receiving dealer before you send anything. You need their full business name, physical address, phone number, and a signed copy of their federal firearms license. A legitimate dealer will provide these without hesitation; they exchange license copies with other FFLs and shippers all the time.

Confirm the license is current. ATF’s FFL eZ Check system lets licensees authenticate another FFL’s license by entering the license number.⁴ If you are shipping through a local FFL, they handle verification themselves. If you are mailing a long gun directly through USPS, you can call ATF at (800) 788-7133 to verify a license number.

Packaging and Labeling Rules

Confirm the firearm is completely unloaded before you start. Remove the magazine, open the action, and visually check the chamber. Apply a cable or trigger lock if the firearm accepts one.

Federal law prohibits any external label, tag, or marking indicating a package contains a firearm.¹ The outside of the box must be plain. Use a sturdy corrugated box with no manufacturer logos, brand names, or other clues to the contents.

Double-boxing is the standard, and some carriers require it. Place the firearm in a hard case or a snug inner box, surround it with foam or packing material so nothing shifts, then place that inside a larger unmarked outer box with more cushioning. The goal is zero movement in transit. A gun bouncing around inside can damage itself, damage other packages, and draw attention at a sorting facility.

When you ship by common carrier, federal law requires you to give the carrier written notice that the package contains a firearm.¹ That notice goes to the carrier employee, not on the outside of the box.

Step by Step: Mailing a Long Gun via USPS

Unload and secure. Remove all ammunition, verify the chamber is clear, and apply a trigger or cable lock.
Package. Place the firearm in a hard case or inner box, then double-box it inside a plain, unmarked outer box with adequate cushioning.
Address. Label the outer box with the receiving FFL’s business name and address. Do not write “firearm,” “gun,” or anything similar on the outside.
Select service. Choose a USPS product with tracking and delivery signature, such as Priority Mail with Signature Confirmation or Registered Mail.
Take it to the counter. Bring the package to a postal clerk. Be prepared to certify in writing that the contents are unloaded and not concealable. Do not use a self-service kiosk or drop box.
Track and notify. Get the tracking number and share it with the receiving FFL so they can expect the package.

For a handgun going through a local FFL, you bring the firearm to the dealer, show identification, and let them handle packaging and shipping under their carrier account. Some dealers accept firearms already boxed; others prefer to package in-house. Ask when you call.

What Happens After the FFL Receives It

The receiving FFL logs the firearm into their Acquisition and Disposition record no later than the close of the next business day, recording the manufacturer, model, serial number, type, caliber, date received, and your name and address as the sender.⁵

Before the intended recipient can take possession, they complete ATF Form 4473 and the FFL runs a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.⁶ The recipient typically needs a valid government-issued photo ID showing name, address, and date of birth. Some states require additional documentation, such as a purchase permit or firearms owner identification card.

What FFLs Charge

FFLs charge a service fee to receive and transfer a firearm. There is no federally set price; each dealer sets their own. Transfer fees typically run $20 to $50 per firearm, though shops in high-cost areas charge more. NFA items like suppressors or short-barreled rifles usually carry higher fees because of the extra paperwork. If you are also using a local FFL on the sending end, expect a separate fee for that service. Call a few dealers and compare.

Situations Where These Rules Change

Same-state transfers loosen the rules. Federal law allows a non-licensee to ship a firearm by common carrier to another resident of the same state as long as you have no reason to believe the recipient is prohibited.⁷ You can also mail rifles and shotguns to same-state residents through USPS. Handguns still cannot go through the Postal Service even intrastate. Some states require every transfer, including private same-state sales, to route through an FFL with a background check. Check your state attorney general’s office if you are unsure.

NFA items follow a separate track. Suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, machine guns, and destructive devices require prior ATF approval on the appropriate form (typically ATF Form 4 for transfers involving non-licensees) before the firearm ships or transfers. Approval has to come through first, not just an application. Interstate transfers of NFA firearms to non-licensees in a different state than the transferor are generally not approved, because they would violate the Gun Control Act.⁸ For NFA items, work with an FFL who holds Special Occupational Tax status and handles these transfers regularly.

Ammunition cannot ship through USPS at all; it is classified as hazardous material.⁷ UPS and FedEx accept ammunition by ground service under their hazardous materials rules, with ORM-D or Limited Quantity markings on the outer package. Do not pack ammunition in the same box as a firearm you are shipping. Send them separately.

Penalties for Getting It Wrong

Federal firearms violations carry real prison time. Shipping a firearm in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison.⁹ Straw purchases, meaning buying a firearm on behalf of someone else who is prohibited, carry up to 15 years, or up to 25 years if the firearm is connected to terrorism or drug trafficking.¹⁰

Even without criminal intent, using the wrong shipping method or sending to the wrong recipient violates 18 U.S.C. § 922 and can produce felony charges. Carriers that catch an improperly shipped firearm confiscate the package and notify law enforcement. When you are unsure, route the shipment through an FFL rather than trying to handle it yourself.

1
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 922 Unlawful Acts
2
Postal Explorer. Publication 52 – Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail
3
UPS. How To Ship Firearms
4
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. FFL eZ Check Application
5
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Federal Firearms Licensee Quick Reference and Best Practices Guide
6
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Recordkeeping and Background Check Procedure
7
ATF. Firearms Questions and Answers
8
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. NFA Handbook – Chapter 9 – Transfers of NFA Firearms
9
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 924 Penalties
10
Congress.gov. Gun Trafficking and Straw Purchases