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Are you ready to get your North Carolina FFL? Have you wondered what it takes to get an FFL in North Carolina? Do you want to know how to get your North Carolina FFL? Are you overwhelmed by the seemingly heavy-handed government regulations and confusing laws and rules about being an FFL in North Carolina? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone! Well, it’s not terribly hard if you know what you are doing, and even if you don’t getting your North Carolina FFL isn’t difficult.
To get any FFL first you have to meet Federal requirements. Then there are state requirements you have to meet in order to be licensed to sell guns by North Carolina. Lastly, you’ll have to meet various local laws or zoning requirements. The ATF will not allow you to operate an FFL in North Carolina unless all three criteria are met, so let’s take a look and see what needs to be done to get your North Carolina FFL!
There are a lot of gun owners in North Carolina. There are also a lot of FFL holders in North Carolina. As of June 2021, there are 4,544 of them, to be exact! While North Carolina government may be kind to gun owners and gun businesses, the same cannot always be said for the federal government. That means you have to tread carefully when getting your North Carolina FFL and you need to make sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row in order to get into – and stay in – business.
That’s where we come in. FFL123 is here to make sure you can get that North Carolina FFL you want and deserve!
The very simple answer is: yes. If you plan on running a business that deals with firearms, you need to have an FFL. This isn’t a state requirement, but rather a Federal requirement. Speaking of which…
The ATF has a uniform set of requirements to get an FFL no matter if you are in North Carolina or North Dakota. The requirements are the same no matter what, but the variables come in state and local law and regulation. The first step to getting your North Carolina FFL is making sure you meet the basic criteria to get an FFL.
In nutshell, The ATF has pretty basic requirements to get an FFL. So basic, in fact, we’ll only glance at them.
To get an FFL, the ATF requires that you be a law-abiding US citizen or permanent resident over 21 years of age who can legally own a firearm. Pretty simple stuff, really. The paperwork is annoying, and you have to demonstrate you are planning to operate a business, but that’s not too hard.
Those are the basic baseline criteria. You’ll still have to submit paperwork, identifying information and fingerprints, business information and be interviewed by an ATF agent before your FFL is approved. Which means you need to make sure you’ve got everything squared away on a state and local level too.
While many states also require gun dealers to have a state issued license, North Carolina has no such requirement. This makes sense, as state gun dealer licenses tend to just be redundant versions of the Federal FFL and are often historical relics from before the ATF regulated gun dealers and required an FFL to sell guns.
Since North Carolina has no state level gun dealer license, you are home free, right? Well, not quite. You’ll still need to demonstrate to your examining ATF agent that you are familiar with North Carolina gun laws. For instance, did you know in North Carolina, a permit to purchase a pistol issued by the county sheriff the purchaser resides in is required before an FFL holder can sell a handgun?
You’ll be expected to know this and other North Carolina specific laws before the ATF issues your FFL.
You also need to make sure your business is licensed with the state. Now is when you decide if you are doing business as an individual or incorporating, and a host of other small decisions. Getting a North Carolina business license is fairly simple and only requires the paying of the fees associated with registering the type of business you choose.
Because there is no state gun dealer license, North Carolina FFL holders can start business as soon as the ATF approves their application!
Once you meet the federal requirements, it’s time to make sure you meet the state ones next.
Yes, you must be registered with the state as some kind of business to get an FFL in North Carolina. While there are no state level gun dealer licenses in North Carolina, you must still be successfully licensed with the state and the local area in which you are doing business. You also have to operate in a correctly zoned area that matches the type of business you are doing.
First, you need to get a state business license. This is a pretty cut and dry process and even largely automatic as long as you pay the licensing fees. Now is a good time to decide if you are setting up as a corporation or not. We suggest doing business as an LLC or other corporation to limit personal liability.
While the state laws for FFLs are fairly simple, there are other laws that need to be met by the firearms purchaser for the transactions you want to perform to be considered legal.
North Carolina requires a purchase permit for people who want to buy a handgun, but not a long gun like a rifle or a shotgun. These are usually issued at the county-level by the local Sheriff’s Department in the form of a Purchase Permit or a North Carolina Concealed Carry Handgun Permit.
In other words, if your buyer is a concealed carry permit holder, then they’ve already got what they need to buy a handgun in North Carolina.
(This isn’t really a big deal; it’s just something to keep in mind.)
Next, it’s time to get your local business licenses. Cities and counties may also require a business license. Again, this should be pretty cut and dry.
Make sure you are properly zoned for the kind of business you plan on doing. In most places, a home based FFL should be possible. Type 07 FFLs that engage in more than the lightest of manufacturing probably won’t be possible in residential areas.
This is the part that trips up most would be FFL holders. Even if you are operating out of your home, you need to be able to get a retail business license. Sometimes that is pretty straight forward. Many small towns and rural areas have few zoning requirements about retail establishments in a residential area or residence, and usually are more concerned with things like signage and parking.
Other places may be more strict, and will have a lot of hoops to jump through if you are going for a home based FFL. Retail storefronts are usually easier, and most places don’t differentiate between an FFL or any other kind of retail business when it comes to zoning and permitting. Some might though, but your local planning office, or the folks who give out business licenses can give you the specifics for your area.
The ATF requires that before giving you an FFL for North Carolina, that you be fully able to operate the kind of FFL you are applying for. A storefront or small home based FFL might be easy to get local licensing approval for, but a manufacturer or importer may need to meet more stringent requirements, and ammo manufacturers might have even more regulatory and safety hoops to jump through.
Thankfully, almost all of North Carolina is pro-gun. That’s not to say, however, that you won’t possibly run into some minor hiccups with local authorities. Still, this shouldn’t be too big of a deal and should be able to be resolved rather easily.
If, for some reason, you encounter a snag, FFL123 is here to help. Our members are provided access to private forums with other FFL dealers just like you, as well as members-only resources to help you navigate these waters.
On the Federal level, it costs between $30-$200 to get an FFL for the first three years. Each license type’s cost varies due to the different responsibilities they allow the licensee to perform. There are different kinds of licenses for selling a few handguns versus handling or making NFA items.
There are also other costs associated with North Carolina state and local licenses. Because of the wide variety of localities and their different policies and procedures, it’s best to check directly with your local government to find out how much they charge for business licenses, etc.
FFL123 has almost 20 years helping our customers navigate the murky waters of FFL licensing. We’ve helped people get their FFL’s even when local authorities sought to deny business licenses. Our team of industry insider experts are here for you during the entire licensing process.
In most cases getting your North Carolina FFL will be easy. We’ll guide you through the entire ATF application, and provide guidance on local zoning permitting and licensing. When properly done very few people ever fail to get an FFL, and we offer a 150 percent money back guarantee that you’ll get your FFL or you get 150 percent of the purchase price of the FFL123 guide back!
After you get your North Carolina FFL, FFL123 is still here for you. Many new FFL holders struggle to make relevant industry contacts, or to find distributors and wholesalers who will work with them. We have a list of leading distributors who will work with FFL’s of any size and any volume, which ensures that you’ll be able to access inventory and the wholesale gun and ammo supply chain.
Getting your North Carolina FFL isn’t hard when you have the right people behind you. Take a look at our different FFL license guides and choose the one that’s right for you, and enjoy the FFL123 advantage!
How to Become a Federal Firearms Licensee in 10 Easy Steps: This is the ATF’s own guide to getting your FFL.
US Code § 923: Federal US Code § 923 covers regulations for the import, manufacture, and dealing of firearms and ammunition. This is the law that requires firearms businesses to get an FFL.
US CFR § 478.47 – Issuance of License: This explains how a Federal Firearms License is issued, including who must assign the license number. It requires the ATF to qualify applicants based on a predetermined list of requirements and to issue Federal Firearms Licenses. If a correct FFL application has been submitted, the Chief of the Federal Firearms Licensing Center must issue the license and assign a serial number to the licensee.
Gun Control Act (GCA): The GCA of 1968 established stricter laws on the firearms industry than were already present in the NFA of 1934. This included new regulations regarding firearms offenses, firearms/ammunition sales to “prohibited persons,” and federal jurisdiction for “destructive devices” (bombs, grenades, mines, etc.) These are just some of the things that were created with the GCA.
Truth be told, we’d like a world where any law abiding American could easily get into the gun business. But we don’t live in that world. We know this, and so does our staff of industry insiders and legal experts. FFL123 has assembled a staff that is dedicated to helping our customers cut through the red tape of getting an FFL.
When you purchase an FFL123 guide, you aren’t just buying a comprehensive step-by-step guide to applying for an FFL. You are also getting decades of combined industry and legal experience that is there when you need it the most.
Every FFL123 customer is entitled to direct, one-on-one customer support for their specific problems in getting an FFL. We specialize in helping people understand and navigate complex local zoning issues, as this is where most problems with getting your North Carolina FFL will occur.
In other words, when you do business with FFL123, we back you up until you get your FFL. In fact, we go beyond that, and keep backing you up for as long as you are in business! Our customers get ongoing support for everything from finding suppliers to keeping abreast with the latest changes in gun laws and regulations.
With just a couple easy clicks, you can start your journey to your North Carolina FFL today. Rest easy knowing that you aren’t cast adrift with confusing federal and state paperwork, or left alone to figure out how to fill out and file seemingly conflicting forms. FFL123 is here for you along your entire journey from choosing the FFL that’s right for you, to your first day of business and everything in between.
Are you ready to get your North Carolina FFL? Choose the guide that is right for you. Not sure which one you need? No problem! Just ask and we’ll help you with that too. What are you waiting for? The sooner you start, the sooner you can enjoy all the benefits of an FFL!
Find the latest list of North Carolina gun dealer’s name, email id, phone number and address. You can easily contact the gun dealers. Click here to see class 3 gun dealers in North Carolina.
| FFL Types | The Purpose of an FFL License | SOT Class |
|---|---|---|
| Type 1 FFL | Dealer in Firearms / Gunsmithing (firearms repair) | 3 |
| Type 2 FFL | Pawnbroker/Firearms’ Dealer | 3 |
| Type 3 FFL | Collector of Curios and Relics | N/A |
| Type 6 FFL | Manufacturer of Ammunition for Firearms | N/A |
| Type 7 FFL | Manufacturer of Firearms & Ammunition | 2 |
| Type 8 FFL | Importer of Firearms/Ammunition | 1 |
| Type 9 FFL | Dealer in Destructive Devices | 3 |
| Type 10 FFL | Manufacturer of Destructive Devices, Ammunition for Destructive Devices, or Armor Piercing Ammunition | 2 |
| Type 11 FFL | Importer of Destructive Devices, Ammunition for Destructive Devices, or Armor Piercing Ammunition | 1 |
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