Are you looking to get your FFL in Pennsylvania? If so, FFL123 is here to help. Our step by step guide guarantees that you’ll get your FFL or get 150% of your money back? So let’s take a look at some specific things you’ll need to have to make sure getting your Pennsylvania FFL is as easy and painless as possible.
While Federal law and regulations for FFL’s are uniform and applicable to all FFL holders, potential FFL’s also have to jump through regulatory hoops at state and even local levels as well. The ATF will not issue an FFL to a person or company until they have complied with state and local law for the type of business they are operating.
In most cases this simply involves zoning rules as well as laws about how your business is to operate. Some cities like Philadelphia have been reported to make compliance with zoning regulations extremely difficult for potential FFL holders.
Basic laws for Pennsylvania FFL holders can be found in Chapter 31 of the Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act. Chapter 31 covers the baseline standards FFL holders have to follow for storage, sale of guns during declared emergencies and more.
To get an FFL in Pennsylvania you have to do the same basic things anyone has to do in any state. That means you have to meet a few simple requirements that all FFL holders have to meet.
Here is an example of a Pennsylvania state form to apply for a Pennsylvania State Firearm Dealer License can be found here. In order to be approved for a Pennsylvania Gun Dealer License, you have to meet several qualifications and provide personal information including:
Basically, if you are a law abiding citizen, don’t do drugs and are over 21 you should be able to get your Pennsylvania Gun Dealer License. But that’s just on the state end. What about on the Federal? After all, you can’t sell guns in Pennsylvania without also being licensed by the ATF.
We talked about the bare minimum requirements already, but there is more to getting an FFL than simply being a US citizen over 21 who can own a gun and doesn’t do drugs.
It is true that the ATF has a uniform set of requirements to get an FFL. They are the same no matter if you are in Alaska or Pennsylvania. But here is the tricky part. The ATF will not issue an FFL unless local requirements or regulations are also complied with.
That can be tricky, because while most states have preemption laws about firearms ownership, they do not have a single statewide regulations governing zoning and business licensing. Local jurisdictions can and sometimes do use their zoning and business licensing powers to harass and even deny FFL holders the chance to setup shop and do business.
In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia is infamous among would be FFL holders for getting zoning approved. Without a specific variance, it is all but impossible to get approval in Philadelphia to have an FFL business. Not only does that destroy the chance for small, part time home based FFL holders to operate in Philadelphia, but it makes it extremely difficult for larger brick and mortar storefronts to open and operate. Your ATF examiner won’t be issuing you an FFL for Philadelphia until you show that you’ve acquired the needed variance to open your location.
In fact, zoning is the biggest problem any Pennsylvania FFL holder faces, regardless of where they live. While most places don’t make it hard to have a brick and mortar FFL, some jurisdictions may make it difficult to operate a small home based business of any sort.
Home based FFL’s are often attacked by anti-gun groups, and are shrouded in all sorts of mythology and confusion. Some local authorities may think they are not Federally legal (which is not true!) or may try to impose requirements they aren’t allowed to under the law.
FFL123 can help you understand these odd zoning and local licensing issues. Our team of experts is well versed in the problems small FFL holders face, and specialize in helping you navigate the sometimes difficult process of getting FFL zoning approved.
FFL123 offers comprehensive guides for every FFL available. No matter if you just want to do transfers of firearms by appointment only out of a spare room in your home, or if you want to setup to manufacture and deal in NFA items, we can help you get the FFL you want and deserve!
For almost 2 decades, FFL123 has been America’s leading FFL guide, and our industry insider experts are here to guide you through every step of the process, from filling out the application, to assisting in jumping through any regulatory hoops you might encounter along the way.
Our support doesn’t end once you get your FFL. We offer free continuing support for as long as you are in business. This includes industry news and information, FFL best practices, private support forums, and even help in finding the best wholesalers and distributors for your business.
Click here to pick the guide that is best for you, and start working on getting your Pennsylvania FFL today!
Find the latest list of Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.