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Pay a transfer fee to FFL seller?

yettadriver
Never used GunBroker before, so please bear with my newbie question.

I understand that FFLs charge a fee for 3rd-party transfers.

However, if I purchase a firearm on GB and pick it up from the seller, who is an FFL, should I expect to pay a transfer fee?

If it matters, the gun is used, but it's from the seller's personal collection, not a consignment.

Thanks!
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • nmyers
    It depends on your state.

    Some states require approval of instate transfers for all or some firearms, & the buyer is expected to pay any fee that the state/locality may charge. But, you should not have to pay an "excess profit fee".

    Neal
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  • beantownshootah
    quote:Originally posted by yettadriver
    Never used GunBroker before, so please bear with my newbie question.

    I understand that FFLs charge a fee for 3rd-party transfers.

    However, if I purchase a firearm on GB and pick it up from the seller, who is an FFL, should I expect to pay a transfer fee?

    If it matters, the gun is used, but it's from the seller's personal collection, not a consignment.

    Thanks!

    You really shouldn't be paying an extra fee if you're buying a gun directly from any FFL.

    MA requires in-State approval for all gun transfers, but I've never paid a fee specifically for that, whether buying a new gun from an FFL or a used one. I don't think the State charges the FFL anything extra per transfer. (The State makes its money by taxes and licensing fees. The true cost to the State is mainly in establishing the structure. Once the State has the employees hired and the database set up, there is no real incremental cost to one more or less gun transferred).

    IMO, if the State requires a fee to transfer a gun in-state from an FFL, it might be reasonable for the seller to pass it onto the buyer.

    But that were the case, the seller should disclose that up front to the buyer. (IE "In state transfers require an additional $20 State transfer fee").

    If this is a concern, I'd clarify this up front with the seller prior to buying.
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  • Dokey
    New Jersey is one state I know of that charges a fee
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  • tsr1965
    It depends on a lot of things, but if the seller is an FFL, and you pick this up directly from him/her, then I wouldn't think there would be a fee. If there is, then I might think that the seller/FFL is pricing themselves out of business.

    I would check the wording in the auction, to make sure it mentions this, specifically, and go from there.

    Best
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  • yettadriver
    Thanks for the replies.

    A little more info: I'm in PA, which has a required instant check (PICS) that costs a few dollars. In this case, the seller indicated that he would charge a $35 transfer fee plus the PICS fee if I picked up the gun from him. I did confirm that he is an FFL holder - there is no 3rd party involved.

    Live and learn. I'll have the gun shipped to a FFL who's closer and has cheaper transfers.
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  • rufe-snow
    quote:Originally posted by yettadriver
    Thanks for the replies.

    A little more info: I'm in PA, which has a required instant check (PICS) that costs a few dollars. In this case, the seller indicated that he would charge a $35 transfer fee plus the PICS fee if I picked up the gun from him. I did confirm that he is an FFL holder - there is no 3rd party involved.

    Live and learn. I'll have the gun shipped to a FFL who's closer and has cheaper transfers.



    Used or not, many FFL holders get torqued about transfering modern in production guns. Rightly or wrongly they feel if you want them to transfer a gun they could have sold you, they aren't gone to cut you any slack. What you are saying about this guy is entirely different though. How the heck does he stay in business, if he pull stuff like this on prospective customers?
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  • Don McManus
    I can understand the PICS fee and his actual cost for the transfer, as he would not incur those expenses had he sold it to an out of state buyer. It does not cost him $ 35.00 to transfer the firearm. Your choice, I guess, is to pick it up directly, or pay another FFL for the transfer and pay the seller for shipping.

    I would not spend a whole lot of time in his shop looking in the future.
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  • gumbydamnit
    The PICS fees in the state of Pennsylvania is actually only $5.00 cost for one gun for the FFL. 2 dollars for the call and $3.00 for the check, but he can charge what he wants but only cost the dealer $5.00. If he has the firearm in his shop or the shop is part of his house he has to log the firearm in to his books regardless if it is a personal gun or consignment and log it back out when it is sold or leaves the shop.

    Local guy went through this with so called personal guns in the shop attic. He did not have any of them log into the books and told them they were guns he bought for himself. As long as they are on the property that is on the FFL they have to be logged.
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  • 62fuelie
    In Colorado there is a nominal fees for the intant check - that sometimes takes several hours - but no other fee required. The FFL does have some costs involved with the transfer, they receive and book the firearm, they provide the means for the instant check and monitor its proper use, and they book out the transfer. All of these things have a personnel cost involved and they should be able to make, at least their costs back. If the buyer had purchased the firearm from the FFL holder these costs would have been included in his margain/overhead calculations.
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  • 41 nut
    quote:Originally posted by gumbydamnit


    Local guy went through this with so called personal guns in the shop attic. He did not have any of them log into the books and told them they were guns he bought for himself. As long as they are on the property that is on the FFL they have to be logged.


    Not exactly correct. Any personal guns in a house that contains a home business must either be kept seperate from business guns that are for sale or tagged Not For sale if mixed in with guns for sale. Any personal gun that has been held in your collection for at least 1 year may be sold as a personal gun without a 4473 or background check to a resident of the state in which you reside. If you sell it to an out of stater then you have to log it into your bound book and sell it as any other business gun.
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