How to Buy a Gun Online

Buying a firearm online is legal in the United States, but the gun never ships straight to your house. Federal law requires that a firearm sold across state lines go to a federally licensed dealer, known as an FFL. You pick the gun up there, fill out the same paperwork you would for any store purchase, and take it home once the background check clears. This guide walks through each step and points out where state law adds its own rules.

The short version

Choose your firearm and add it to the cart in our shop.
Pick a licensed FFL dealer near you at checkout.
Pay by card. The firearm ships to that dealer, not to you.
The dealer calls you when it arrives.
At the dealer you show ID, fill out ATF Form 4473 and pass the background check.
Pay the dealer's transfer fee and take your firearm home.

Ammunition, optics, magazines and most parts are different. They are not firearms under federal law, so they usually ship to your door, unless your state or city limits that.

Why firearms ship to an FFL

The Gun Control Act of 1968 makes it illegal for an unlicensed person to receive a firearm directly from a seller in another state. The only lawful route is through a licensed dealer in the buyer's home state. The dealer acts as the local store for your purchase: it logs the gun into its records, confirms who you are, runs the background check and makes the transfer. Because of this, you get the same legal protection as a store sale, and the seller never needs your home address for the firearm.

Step 1: Know your state law before you order

Federal rules are the floor. Many states add their own. Before you pay, check these points for the state where you live:

Purchase permits. Some states require a permit or certificate to buy a handgun, and a few require one for any firearm. Nebraska, for example, still requires a handgun purchase certificate or a concealed handgun permit, while North Carolina repealed its pistol purchase permit in 2023.
Waiting periods. Some states make the dealer hold the firearm for a set time. Colorado requires three days after the background check starts.
Age limits. Federal law lets dealers sell rifles and shotguns to adults 18 and older and handguns to adults 21 and older. Some states, such as Colorado, set 21 as the minimum for all firearms.
Feature and magazine limits. Several states restrict certain semiautomatic firearms or magazines above a set capacity. Colorado limits new magazine sales to 15 rounds, and Virginia passed a sales ban in 2026 that a court put on hold.
Purchase limits. Virginia limits most buyers to one handgun in 30 days.

Our city pages at gun shop locations list the key rules for each featured state, with the date we last checked them. Laws change, so confirm with your state police or attorney general before you order.

Step 2: Choose an FFL dealer

Almost any gun store can receive a transfer, and many small dealers work mainly as transfer agents. When you pick one, call first and ask:

Do you accept transfers from online sellers?
What is your transfer fee, and does it change for handguns or long guns?
What are your hours for pickup?
Do you need anything from me before the gun arrives?

Transfer fees are set by the dealer, not by us. They often fall in the range of a modest flat fee per firearm, but they vary widely, so ask up front. Our FFL transfer guide covers this step in more detail.

Step 3: Order and pay

At checkout you pay by card and select your dealer. Before the firearm ships, we confirm the dealer's federal license. If we already have a copy on file, the order moves quickly. If not, we contact the dealer for a copy. Once that is done, the firearm ships by a carrier that handles firearms, usually with tracking and an adult signature at the dealer.

Step 4: Pick up at the dealer

When the firearm arrives, the dealer logs it in and contacts you. Bring a current government photo ID that shows your home address. If your license shows an old address, bring a government document with the current one, such as a vehicle registration or property tax bill. You then complete ATF Form 4473, the federal Firearms Transaction Record. It asks for your name, address, date and place of birth, and a series of yes or no questions about whether you are legally allowed to own a firearm. Answer every question truthfully; lying on the form is a federal crime.

Step 5: The background check

The dealer submits your information to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), or to a state agency in states that run their own checks, such as Virginia, Colorado and Utah. Most checks come back within minutes as proceed, delayed or denied.

Proceed. You complete the transfer, pay the dealer's fee and take the firearm home, unless your state has a waiting period.
Delayed. The check needs more research. Under federal law a dealer may transfer after three business days if no answer comes back, but many dealers choose to wait, and some states do not allow the default transfer.
Denied. The dealer cannot transfer the firearm. You can appeal a NICS denial through the FBI. Contact us about returning the firearm from the dealer.

In some states, holding a valid state carry permit lets you skip the NICS check at the dealer. Your dealer will know whether your permit qualifies.

What ships to your door

Ammunition, optics, holsters, cleaning gear, magazines and most parts ship directly to you where local law allows. A few states require ammunition to go through a dealer or a background check, and some limit magazine capacity or certain parts. Check your state and city rules before you order ammunition or parts. Frames and receivers count as firearms under federal law and always ship to an FFL.

Buying for someone else

You can buy a firearm as a genuine gift, but you cannot buy one for a person who is paying you to do it or who cannot legally buy it themselves. That is a straw purchase and a serious federal crime. If the gift is for someone in another state, ship it to an FFL in their state so they complete the paperwork themselves.

Moving or buying out of state

You can buy a rifle or shotgun in person from a dealer in another state if the sale is legal in both states. Handguns can only be transferred by a dealer in your home state. When you order online, always pick a dealer in the state where you live.

Next steps

If this is your first handgun, read our first handgun guide. If you plan to carry, see our overview of concealed carry reciprocity, and for storage and planning at home, see our home defense guide. When you are ready, browse the shop.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.