Is a seller required to have a gun dealer ship their firearm?

Yes, in most cases a seller must ask a local gun dealer to ship their gun to the buyer’s gun dealer. This is not about federal law, but about carrier and FFL policies. Learn more on our shipping guidance page.

Carriers mostly prohibit

All private carriers prohibit individuals from shipping guns. USPS prohibits individuals from shipping handguns, but long guns are acceptable.

Receiving gun dealers sometimes prohibit

Also, some FFLs have a policy of only accepting shipments that have been sent by other FFLs. GunTab considers it the buyer’s responsibility to confirm that the FFL they have selected will accept the shipment and conduct the transfer. GunTab will prompt the buyer to ask this question.