FFL from residence

**Robbo** · March 2nd, 2008, 08:01 PM

Is it legal to be a FFL dealer from your residence in PA? Just wondering.

**Pa. Patriot** · March 2nd, 2008, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Robbo

Is it legal to be a FFL dealer from your residence in PA? Just wondering.

Yes, but you'll need an attached store (dealer) or work shop (gunsmith) where you obviously intend to run a biz or the ATF won't approve.
You'll also need all proper zoning and meet local laws regarding businesses.

**Robbo** · March 2nd, 2008, 08:39 PM

u r quick Pa. Patriot! Would a finished basement work? Is limited access through residence allowed, or is all this up to local zoning.

**BearTitan** · March 2nd, 2008, 08:41 PM

What is your intention of what to do with the FFL?

**Robbo** · March 2nd, 2008, 09:02 PM

To start dealer. My wifes uncle is a firearms expert from the military and is about to retire. When this happens it may expand to gunsmith svcs. This is all still in the planing stage. May not go down at all.

**sgser** · March 2nd, 2008, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Robbo

Is it legal to be a FFL dealer from your residence in PA? Just wondering.

Call 404 417 2750 or 1 866 662 2750 and request the FFL packet. You should get an application with an explanation of what you have to do. I believe that you can operate from your home but you will subject to their inspections. There are alot of hoops to jump through but they will be outlined for you in the application.

**GRoPA** · March 2nd, 2008, 10:54 PM

Yes, you can have it in your home. That is the way I do it. Check your local laws before you invest any money in this idea. On a side note: I do not and will not have an inventory since I do this out of my home. It would just be a reason for some (insert explative)tard to break in and threaten the safety of my family.

ETA: You will also find that a good portion of the distributors will not sell to you if you do it out of your home and do not have a "Store Front".

**Brown-Bear** · March 2nd, 2008, 10:58 PM

A friend of mine tried to d that here in the york area and is was sucha PITA that he gave it up. The part about being subject to random un-announcedd searches of your home did it for him. Never did figure out if it was your entire home just what was used for bussiness purposes.

Good luck either wyan say thanks to you dad in law for us.

BB

**P.SUTER** · March 2nd, 2008, 11:17 PM

An Agent explained to me that you needed to have a dedicated entrance to the space. Of course that may be because they try to shy people away from applying for one to operate from their house.

**Xringshooter** · March 3rd, 2008, 05:18 PM

The BATFE CAN NOT do random searches of your house. They can do random checks of your books (Acquisition/Disposition Records) in your place of business. If you are using a room in your house to run your business they can go in there ONLY. If they want to search the rest of your house they must have a search warrant just like any other police agency. And the random "searches" of the business is a myth. They can come to your business unannounced to check your books but they cannot "search" your business without a warrant. There are several different departments with the BATFE, the ones that check your books is the compliance division, the enforcement division would be the one's that would implement the search warrant.

BTW, like Gunrunners of PA, I also operate from a dedicated room in my house.