Where to get a Federal Firearms License (FFL) Application
What do you need to do to get your Federal Firearms License? One of the very first things that you’ll need to do is to procure an application. And if you’ve never had the misfortune of having to navigate your way through the bureaucracy of a government website, you are in for a very special treat!
First up, you’ll need to have done your homework on the different types of licenses that are available. There are a few different reasons why you may want to get a Federal Firearms License. And depending on your specific reason, there may be a certain application that you’ll need to fill out. Unfortunately, there is no one single application for a blanket type Federal Firearms License.
As an indicator of the complexity surrounding firearms, the ATF (now known as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive – BATF) has 47 different sets of forms, applications and instructions listed here.
Luckily though, most of those are special case license application types. The two most common license types are the F 7 (5310.12), and the F 7CR (5310.16). The F 7CR is the Collector of Curios and Relics type, and is not designated to be a dealer. If you intend to become a dealer, you’ll want the F 7 (5310.12).
Now, that you’re reasonably sure of the license type that you want, you’ll need to get the application itself to fill out. Unfortunately, unlike a lot of other government applications and forms, these forms aren’t available online due to their fingerprint and photograph requirements. To get one or more of these applications, you can, however, request them online here. Or, you can call this number to request them – (703) 455-7801.
If there’s anything that you should take from attempting to get just the application for an FFL, is that the government and all of the firearms laws and regulations are EXTREMELY dense. Some may even say cryptic. Nothing ever seems to be easy. And rest assured that the rest of your journey on the path to your FFL license is bound to be filled with speed bumps too. Just remember to keep cool, do your homework, and pray like hell, and just maybe you’ll get lucky the first time….MAYBE!
Tags: application, atf, BATFE, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, C&R, curios and relics, f 7, f 7cr, federal firearms license, federal firearms license application, ffl