I've sold several firearms over the years on Gunbroker. Every firearm that I've sold, the buyer has always provided a copy of their dealer's FFL and I've shipped to that FFL. I do not have an FFL myself and I do not engage in the business of buying or selling guns.

I just sold a shotgun, and they buyer's FFL who is apparently a home-based FFL said he will not provide a copy of his FFL to anyone who is not an FFL themselves, and that actually the ATF prohibits him from doing so because of fraud or something.

In my own research, I'm not seeing anything saying I must see a copy of that FFL, however, the law clearly states, interstate firearms MUST be shipped to an FFL so...
1) without a copy of his FFL, I really can't be sure I am following the law, and
2) I am required by law to tell the common carrier it is a firearm, and they have usually (always?) asked to see a copy of the FFL I'm shipping to.

The easy answer is of course I just take the gun to someone I know who is an FFL and have them put it in their books and ship it, but I'd kind of like to know if anyone has an answer. Every firearm I have ever shipped the FFL has always sent me a copy.

He's full of it.
He doesn't need to give you a copy... he only needs to supply the parts of the number you need to verity him on ATF's Ez-Chek web page.

I just read the rules on gunbroker this morning.

You can ship private to FFL.

Long guns can go usps, handguns must be ups/fedex overngh.

I would tell your buyer to pick another ffl.

You can fnd n yourself on gb if you have his zip

Have the buyer find an FFL that will accept a firearm from a non-licensed party.

Call the FFL directly and ask him-her directly, what information they need from you (usually a copy of your DL).

Have the FFL give you the information you need to verify their license one the ATF website.

USPS the gun to the FFL (since it is a long gun).

Be happy.

<----home based FFL/SOT
He's full of shit. No ATF regulation prohibits providing a copy of an FFL to a nonlicensee. ATF has stated that its not required when the shipment comes from a nonlicensee.


In that case he can provide you with the first three and last five numbers on his FFL. You then verify his license at ATF FFLeZCheck
Quite likely he'll want a copy of your drivers license so he can record the aquisition in his books (required by Federal law)

Neither UPS or FedEx tariffs require that you show them a copy of the receiving dealers FFL.

No, the easy answer is box it up and mail it USPS. Anyone can mail rifles or shotguns.
Print and pay for your mailing label at USPS.com, then drop off at any US Post Office. I highly recommend Priority Mail with Adult Signature on Delivery.
You are not required to notify anyone at USPS that you are shipping a firearm. (Dealers only have to when shipping firearms other than rifles or shotguns)

When I was actively building my collection I had a copy of my FFLs license, signed and everything.
I would give it to an out of state FFL, then call my FFL to be on the lookout.

Never had any kind of problem.
Long guns, handguns, 'others.
John called me when it showed up.

I have found wrong info in their rules so do not take them as gospel.

Many FFL's do not care to send copies of their licenses to non-licensees as there have been instances where those copies have been used by criminals and scammers to get their hands on firearms or cash that they do not deserve.  Ours was used once where a scammer pretended to be us, selling a transferrable MP5.  Even though there was no phone # in the ad, just an email address (not ours of course), a prospective buyer looked us up online and called us with questions so we managed to get the ad pulled pretty quickly and hopefully before anyone sent the scammer any money.

As stated above, use FFL EzCheck to verify the FFL's status.  Even FFL's use it because they've received scans of fake FFL's from scammers.

Then tell him you will only ship to a brick and mortar
shop if he will not provide a copy.

Uh...…"brick & mortar shops" are the most likely to refuse to send a copy of their FFL to a nonlicensee.

Let me see if I can summarize this question.

ATF implemented EZ Check a number of years ago.

https://fflezcheck.atf.gov/fflezcheck/

ATF has requested that FFLs not distribute copies of their licences to non-licenses.

A non-licensee may mail (USPS) long guns interstate to an FFL.  That FFL will request a copy of your DL to accurately log the firearm into their bound-book.

Never has ATF said that:

Licensees cannot use the EzCheck as a substitute for a copy of the FFL.
It simply means that a nonlicensee DOES NOT NEED a copy of the receiving dealers FFL, but an FFL shipping to an FFL does.

Being that a licensed dealers name, address and FFL# are easily found at atf.gov,List of FFL's the paranoia surrounding the FFL copy is silly. All that needs to be done is verify the receiving dealers FFL on eZCheck and ship the gun.

The OP needs to understand the difference between Interstate and Instate.

Interstate is between states.
As in across a state line.

Instate is withing a single state.
As in NOT crossing a state border.

Actually, the terms are:

Interstate
Intrastate