Been thinking about it for some time.

Finally took the plunge and called the ATF for the proper forms to be mailed out.

One of their requirements is to be properly licensed for business in Washington State.

One of Washington State's requirements is to show them the 01 FFL.

From Washington State:
How to get your license: Firearms dealer license
You can apply at the local law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where your business is located.

If your business is in the unincorporated area of a county, go to the sheriff’s office.
If your business is in an incorporated city, go to the police department.

What to bring when you apply

Bring all of the following items:

Your federal firearms license.
Your state business license. To learn more, see File a Business License Application or call the Department of Revenue at 800.451.7985.
Valid, government-issued photo identification (for example, Washington driver license or ID card).
A check or money order for $125, payable to the law enforcement agency where you’re applying.

Application hours: Application hours vary from agency to agency. For specific business hours, please contact the law enforcement agency where you plan to apply.
Background check required

You must be fingerprinted and have a criminal history background check before you’re issued a firearms dealer license.
The fingerprinting and background check will be performed by the law enforcement agency where you apply.
It may take 30–60 days to complete the background check, depending on your residency requirement.

How long your license is valid: Your firearms dealer license is valid for 1 year from the date it is issued. It isn’t renewable. You must reapply every year.

Yep! And this is why I am opposed to an end of private sales without an FFL. Getting an FFL is difficult - especially in states like WA (and for sure in King County). Bottlenecking transactions via a lack of FFLs is a surefire way to infringe on gun ownerships.

Getting FFL is not difficult - but the license is not designed to be used to buy for yourself. This is at the federal level and has nothing to do with the state. You have to have a business plan of how you are going to make money.

WRT licenses - first you register your business in WA, this gets you business license. Then you get FFL, on that business license. After that, you get WA FFL, with your federal firearms license.

For casual collector, the best option is C&R license. It allows you to buy certain older guns on the Internet.

Says the man who got an FFL as an excuse to the wife to buy lots of guns..

Why? The reason FFLs were created was to stop the practice of guns getting into the wrong hands. But I'm a good guy with multiple CPLs (PA and WA, OR is next) and even FBI fingerprint clearance via AZ DPS...so, why can't I get an FFL and order guns through the mail for my personal use? Hell, why can't I just skip the step of having the FFL all together and order guns directly (after proving I'm a good guy).

This is a flawed system. It's designed to bottleneck the sale of guns. It certainly does in PA for handguns...buying a used gun from a private party is a huge hassle there (for someone who follows the law), because all private handgun sales have to go through an FFL. It's a huge waste of time and resources.

Have you ever heard a few rotten apples spoil it for the rest of us?

You may be fine but there are those that would abuse the system... Shoot the system is flawed as it is now. Just imagine if everyone plus those that would not do it for collection but for profit! Remember the government doesn't like it if it doesn't get a cut...

So keep it real. The real life has checks and balances. Granted some will argue its unbalanced but again there are those that would spoil it for the rest of us.

Play by the rules and get your FFL 03!

I am not really defending the system, just providing some context.

One of the things that a business can be held accountable for easier than a consumer is recordkeeping. FFL must have a book for gun transactions, and if a dog somehow eats it, well, they use their livelihood. Consumer - not so much. Personally I would prefer a government database that would keep track of all gun transactions, where you get an account, and it keeps a ledger for you (and transfers are just dragging and dropping guns from an account to account). Sadly with anti-government hysteria on the right, I don't see it implemented, so we are stuck with FFL system...

Ok, wow... I'm certainly failing at reading that date thing today!





Once you get your FFL you have to get the state firearms license (you said WA FFL so that could confuse someone, just a minor nitpick).


It can be a month before your state license comes in. When I started at SA&A in Lakewood we could sell everything but guns for about a month. We could get them in, but couldn't sell them, because of the state taking so long.
I remember when another store opened a few years earlier. Same thing, Dan was selling rubber band guns as a joke for a few weeks until the state finally got him his license.

A dealer will have four licenses. FFL, state business license, local business license, state firearms license, plus the reseller permit.

Yeah we do have a flawed system, but we're kind of stuck with it unless and until we have both a Congress and President who agree with us (or a Congress so pro-gun that it would be able to over ride a veto).
The A&D book is a pain in the ass. The paper one is tedious, and the electronic ones around aren't complete or easy to use, or are just flawed in different ways.

Wasn't it the GCA of 68, because of the assassination of President Kennedy, that stopped the direct orders of guns to individuals? The government trying to look like it was doing something about crime.

If you're doing business also look into going the LLC route. You can't just transfer guns to yourself, you'll need to do the 4473 thing, but having that separation between you and your business is often a very good thing. If your ever sued for instance. You're LLC gets sued, not you yourself.

Well I'll be the first Congrats Mikem You sure got some full hands

Keep us up to date on how it goes for you. Hopefully the city/county won't come up with BS zoning crap, or fire regulations, or some other nonsense to slow you down for no reason.

I have a friend who had an 01 FFL and was hassled by the ATF for buying guns for himself and not transferring enough out. (+ some paperwork beef as well). If you're getting an 01 FFL, you need to be in the business of doing transfers, not buying guns.

Not saying anything about the OP's plans, just recounting the tale of woe from my friend.

To the OP

Get a State business license.
File the FFL.
Show the ATF the Business License.
Get the FFL.
File for the State Firearms License.
Get the State Firearms License.
File for your County and City Licenses if needed.
Get County and City Licenses if needed.
Legally Operate as an FFL.

You are confusing the State Firearms License and the State business license.

All said and done, I think it took my buddy about 6-8 months to finalize everything.