Quick question about purchasing firearms

**9130** · August 24th, 2009, 11:12 PM

I recently moved to PA from Maryland. I do not have a PA driver's license yet and have only been here a week or so. I already have a decent arsenal of rifles and pistols and have been planning on buying a shotgun for a while now. I would like to get one at an upcoming gun show or a local gun store if possible.

When I lived in Arizona a few years back I was able to legally purchase rifles from any vendor using my Maryland driver's license even though I was from out of state.

I am wondering if it is possible for me to do the same thing with rifles/shotguns in PA- buy them even though I am not yet a resident. If not, I will be in a short while so it isn't a huge problem, I just don't want to ask to go ahead on a sale with somebody at a show coming up or at a store, hand them a Maryland license, and force them to turn me down because I didn't know the rules ahead of time.

**Blue301** · August 24th, 2009, 11:47 PM

Non residents can purchase long arms. you need to be a resident to purchase handguns.

**Xringshooter** · August 25th, 2009, 08:16 AM

Changing your license only takes a matter of an hour or so, but I realize it can be difficult to find the time to get to the license facility.

Non residents can buy long arms as long as they abide by the laws of the state they are buying in AND their home state. Non residents can purchase handguns but the gun has to be shipped to a FFL in their home state for the transfer, again they have to meet the laws of their home state.

You're in a kinda ackward situation, you're living in PA, but not long enough to prove it with tax receipts, utility bills, rent receipts, drivers license, etc. so to buy you still have to do it the same as a non resident. Now, this would be a moot point if you had your PA DL (but you already know that).

9130, you don't happen to be active duty military do you? I ask this because in your post you say you lived in AZ but with a MD DL. Most states require you to get their DL when you become residents with the exception of military (or going to college I believe). Military can keep their DL from their home of record no matter where they live and are considered residents of the state of their current duty station and the state of their home of record.

If the above is the case then all you need to do is give the FFL a copy of your PCS orders and they will know how to proceed.

**9130** · August 25th, 2009, 12:52 PM

Nope, the latter was correct. School took me to AZ and has taken me to PA now. Unlike AZ however I am planning on staying in PA since I have family and like the laws a lot more than Maryland. I was pretty sure the rules and laws regarding buying long arms were the same as I understood them in Arizona but I wanted to be sure before searching for the firearm I wanted.

Thanks for the responses!

**MARINE DIVISION TWO** · October 5th, 2009, 07:35 PM

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**goofin** · October 5th, 2009, 08:28 PM

go to the post office and get a address kit done. tell the clerk you need it for your drivers license, and they will give you a print out to take to penndot. we just had my stepson move from texas and he had it in a few hours