Buying From an Out-of-State Seller? We Can Help With the Transfer.

Found a firearm you want to purchase from a dealer or private seller outside California?

Federal and California laws generally require the firearm to be transferred through a licensed California firearms dealer before you can take possession of it. Clear Sky Armory can receive the firearm, complete the required California transfer process, and deliver it to you once all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

Before purchasing or having a firearm shipped to us, please contact Clear Sky Armory. California has restrictions that can prevent certain firearms from being transferred even if they’re perfectly legal in the state where they’re being sold.

How Does an Out-of-State Firearm Transfer Work?

The basic process is straightforward:

1. Find the Firearm You Want to Purchase

The firearm may be offered by:

  • An out-of-state gun store
  • An online firearms retailer
  • An individual in another state
  • An auction house
  • A seller on an online marketplace

Before committing to the purchase, make sure the firearm can legally be transferred to you in California. Contact us if you are not sure.

2. Contact Clear Sky Armory

Let us know what you’re planning to purchase.

We’ll need information about the firearm and seller so we can determine whether we can accept and transfer it.

It’s much easier to identify a California compliance problem before you’ve paid for the firearm and had it shipped.

3. The Firearm Is Sent to Clear Sky Armory

In an interstate transaction, you generally cannot have the firearm shipped directly to your home or simply take possession of it from the out-of-state seller.

Instead, the firearm is sent or delivered to Clear Sky Armory, where we receive it into our inventory as the transferring FFL.

Federal law generally requires interstate transfers between unlicensed residents of different states to go through an FFL in the recipient’s state.

4. Complete Your California Transfer

Once the firearm has arrived and we’ve received the necessary documentation, you’ll come to Clear Sky Armory to begin the California transfer process.

Depending on the transaction, you’ll generally need:

  • Valid California identification
  • A valid Firearm Safety Certificate (FSC) or qualifying exemption
  • Proof of residency for handguns and if your DL address is not updated. This can be a utility bill, a hunting license or car registration as long as it has your current address.
  • Any additional documentation applicable to your particular transaction

We’ll complete the required federal and California paperwork and submit your Dealer Record of Sale (DROS).

5. Complete the Waiting Period

California generally requires a 10-day waiting period before a dealer may deliver a firearm.

The waiting period begins when the DROS transaction is submitted—not when you purchase the firearm from the out-of-state seller or when the firearm arrives at our store.

We’ll tell you the earliest date and time at which the firearm may be delivered.

6. Pick Up Your Firearm

Once the waiting period has elapsed, DOJ permits delivery, and all other requirements have been satisfied, you’ll return to Clear Sky Armory to complete the transaction.

We’ll complete any required safe-handling demonstration and delivery paperwork before releasing the firearm.

Is This a Private Party Transfer

NO.

California’s Private Party Transfer (PPT) process applies when both the buyer and seller are California residents and personally appear at a California licensed dealer to conduct the transaction.

If you’re a California resident buying from a resident of another state, the transaction is an interstate transfer, not a California PPT.

That means California’s regulated $10 dealer PPT fee does not apply. Clear Sky Armory’s regular incoming transfer fee applies instead.

Can I Buy a Handgun From Someone Outside California?

Potentially—but this is where you need to be especially careful.

California generally restricts dealer delivery of handguns to models appearing on California’s Roster of Certified Handguns, unless the firearm or purchaser qualifies for an exemption.

A handgun being:

  • Used
  • Privately owned
  • Legal in another state
  • Available on GunBroker or another marketplace

does not by itself make it eligible for transfer to a California buyer.

This creates an important difference between a California PPT and an interstate purchase.

Don’t Assume a Used Handgun Is Roster-Exempt

A California resident may be able to acquire an off-roster handgun through a qualifying California PPT because PPTs are generally exempt from the roster requirement.

That doesn’t mean the same handgun can be purchased from a private seller in Nevada, Oregon or another state and transferred through a California FFL.

If you’re considering an out-of-state handgun purchase, contact us before paying the seller.

What About Rifles and Shotguns?

Long guns aren’t subject to California’s handgun roster, but they still must comply with applicable California law before they can be transferred.

Depending upon the firearm, issues can include:

  • Assault-weapon restrictions
  • Magazine capacity
  • Semiautomatic firearm configuration
  • Overall length and barrel length
  • Prohibited features
  • Other California-specific restrictions

A firearm being advertised as “California compliant” is helpful, but we still need to determine that we can legally receive and transfer the particular firearm.

What About Magazines?

Be careful when an out-of-state firearm includes magazines holding more than 10 rounds.

California generally prohibits importing large-capacity magazines, subject to limited exceptions.

Don’t have a seller simply put noncompliant magazines in the box with the firearm.

If the firearm normally ships with magazines that may not be California compliant, contact us before shipment so we can discuss your options.

Can an Out-of-State Private Seller Ship the Gun to Clear Sky Armory

This depends in part on our receiving policy and the method of shipment.

Federal law permits an unlicensed person to ship a firearm to an FFL in another state for a lawful transfer, but carriers have their own firearm-shipping rules, and federal law imposes additional restrictions on mailing handguns.

Before the seller ships anything, contact us for:

  • Our current receiving requirements
  • The documentation we require from the seller
  • Our shipping address and instructions
  • Any requirements applicable to the particular firearm

Please don’t have an individual ship a firearm to us without contacting us first.

What If I’m Buying From an Out-of-State FFL?

That’s a very common transaction.

The selling dealer MUST contact us and request a copy of our Federal Firearms License before shipping the firearm.

Additionally, an out-of-state FFL shipping a firearm to a California FFL MUST use California DOJ’s California Firearms Licensee Check (CFLC) system and obtain a Firearms Shipment Approval letter before shipping.

That’s primarily a dealer-to-dealer requirement. We’ll work with the sending FFL on the necessary documentation.

You don’t need to become an expert on CFLC to buy your firearm.

What Taxes Apply to an Out-of-State Firearm Purchase?

An out-of-state purchase can have California tax consequences even though you paid the seller outside California.

Depending upon the transaction, Clear Sky Armory may be required to collect applicable:

California sales/use tax

and/or

California Firearm and Ammunition Excise Tax (CFET).

These taxes can be based upon the firearm’s purchase price and applicable charges, not merely Clear Sky Armory’s transfer fee.

Bring Your Purchase Documentation

We may need documentation showing:

  • Firearm purchase price
  • Shipping charges
  • Other charges paid to the seller
  • Sales tax already collected, if any

Providing the invoice or sales receipt helps us determine the correct amount that must be collected.

What Will My Transfer Cost?

Your total will depend on the transaction.

Potential charges include:

Clear Sky Armory Incoming Transfer Fee

  • California DROS/state fees ($37.19)
  • Applicable sales/use tax (7.25%)
  • Applicable California firearm excise tax (11%)
  • FSC — $25 if required and you don’t already have one
  • Firearm safety device (i.e. lock and hard case for handgun). Lock ($7.99), Handgun Case ($14.99) if purchased from us.
  • Storage Fees: We do not charge storage fees during the hold period. However, if the firearm is not picked up within 20 days after the hold period , there is $1 / day per firearm until it is picked up.

Because an interstate transfer is not a California PPT, the dealer transfer fee is not limited to the $10 PPT fee.

Buying From a Family Member in Another State?

Don’t assume that being related eliminates the FFL requirement.

Federal interstate-transfer requirements can still apply when a firearm is being transferred between residents of different states.

There are special rules and exceptions for certain situations, particularly inherited firearms, so contact us with the circumstances before moving the firearm across state lines.

Can I Drive to Another State and Bring the Gun Home Myself?

This is another area where customers can inadvertently get themselves into trouble.

Generally, a California resident cannot simply purchase a firearm from a private resident of another state and bring it home to California without going through the required FFL transfer process.

Similarly, federal law generally prevents an FFL from directly transferring a handgun to a resident of another state. Long-gun transactions have somewhat different federal rules, but California law adds additional requirements for California residents.

The simplest rule for a California customer is:

Contact us before taking possession of a firearm outside California.

We’ll help determine the proper way to handle the transaction

Before You Buy: Send Us the Firearm Information

A few minutes spent checking the firearm before purchase can potentially save you shipping charges, return fees and a lot of frustration.

Send us:

Manufacturer
Model
Caliber
Manufacturer part number/SKU, if available
UPC, if available
Link to the firearm listing
Seller’s name/business
State where the seller is located

For a handgun, we’ll also determine whether the firearm appears eligible for transfer under California’s handgun requirements.

Please Don’t Ship a Firearm Until We’ve Confirmed We Can Accept It

We’re Here to Make Interstate Transfers as Simple as Possible

California firearm laws can make an otherwise simple out-of-state purchase complicated.

You don’t have to figure it all out yourself.

If you’ve found a firearm outside California that you’d like to purchase, contact Clear Sky Armory before completing the purchase. We’ll help you determine whether we can transfer it and explain what needs to happen next.