Frequently asked questions.

Gun Purchase Requirements

Gun and Ammunition Purchase Requisites in New York

Gun laws vary from state to state, where in New York, you must have a license to possess a firearm and/or conceal it. There were new laws enacted after September 4, 2022 which require a permit to purchase a semi-automatic rifle. The cost of obtaining a license will depend on the county you live in and the process usually takes six to nine months.

NY Handgun Eligibility

New York follows federal regulations with additional requirements. You must meet the following criteria to own a firearm in New York:

  • Be 21 years of age or older

  • Be a state resident

  • Must complete a state approved safety course with a score 80%, or higher on the written portion of the exam and complete a physical safety course.

  • Must not have any serious offenses or felonies, as listed in NYS Penal Law 265.00(17).

  • Have a good moral character

  • Must possess 4 character references who will attest to your moral character for the permitting process.

  • Have a justified reason to possess a handgun

  • Application form must be notarized before submission

  • Any person with misdemeanor domestic violence, or hate crime offenses are prohibited from purchasing a firearm, along with individuals with a court ordered TERPO/ERPO/Order of Protection.

  • Once the above is finished and the permit is issued, you must complete ATF Form 4473 Transaction Record and pass the NY NCIS background check

Semi-Automatic Rifle or Shotgun Eligibility

  • Be a state resident

  • Must be 21 years of age or older

  • Must acquire a New York State semi-automatic rifle license

  • Hold a valid drivers license 

  • Must not have any serious offenses or felonies, as listed in NYS Penal Law 265.00(17).

  • Any person with misdemeanor domestic violence, or hate crime offenses are prohibited from purchasing a firearm, along with individuals with a court ordered TERPO/ERPO/Order of Protection.

  • Complete ATF Form 4473 Transaction Record and pass the NY NCIS background check. There is a $9 fee as part of the background check.

  • Long guns must not have any prohibited features, such as folding stocks, thumbhole stocks, pistol grips, threaded barrels, flash suppressors, or foregrips.

Bolt Action Rifle, or Shotgun Eligibility

  • Be a state resident

  • Be 18 years of age or older

  • Have no serious offenses or felonies, as listed in NYS Penal Law 265.00(17).

  • Hold a valid drivers license

  • Complete ATF Form 4473 Transaction Record and pass the NY NCIS background check. There is a $9 fee as part of the background check.

  • Any person with misdemeanor domestic violence, or hate crime offenses are prohibited from purchasing a firearm, along with individuals with a court ordered TERPO/ERPO/Order of Protection.

Ammunition purchases in New York

  • Handgun ammunition purchasers must have a concealed carry permit with that caliber listed on the permit.

  • Must pass the NY NCIS background check

  • There is a $2.50 fee as part of the NY NCIS background check.

  • Ammunition purchased from a 3rd party is subject to a $20 transfer fee (includes $10 administrative free)

Application

The application will depend on the county where your home address is located. Your best starting point for a license is at the court clerk.

Ontario County site: https://ontariocountyny.gov/148/Pistol-Permits

Monroe County: https://www.monroecounty.gov/pistols

Fill out Form PPB3 (State of New York Pistol/Revolver License Application) with the following info:

  • Full legal name

  • DOB

  • SSN

  • Current address

  • Your physical description

  • Your criminal history if applicable

  • Your mental health history if applicable

  • References from associates to your character 

You’ll need a driver’s license, or passport to apply. For a concealed carry license, there will be additional requirements: 

  • Info about your domestic partner or spouse

  • Social media accounts used in the past 3 years

  • Info about adults living at your residence

You can request a NYS Firearms License Request for Public Records Exemption through the County Clerk, which make your records private from the public domain.

Time period for License Arrival

Firearm purchases are prohibited unless you have a valid license. If your application is denied for errors, you will need to resubmit and wait up to four months.

It is illegal to purchase guns in a state where you are not a resident. Licensed dealers will not sell to you, and private party purchases to circumvent the laws is also illegal.

How to Buy a Gun Online

Purchasing a gun online must abide by the same federal and state regulations as purchasing a gun in person. Therefore, you cannot purchase a firearm in another state if that firearm is not legal in the state where you reside. The firearm sold to a non-NYS resident must be first shipped to a dealer in the buyer’s state of residence, where that dealer can perform the necessary checks. Only shotguns, or rifles (non-semi-automatic) can be purchased by out of state residents. The transaction must comply with the Federal law, and the laws of NY state and the buyer’s state. We reserve the right to deny sales to out of state individuals, or those we deem to have an increased risk. We also reserve the right to refuse delivery of any firearms or ammunition shipped to us without contacting us first.

Firearms transfers are $30 (includes $20 administrative fee) + $9 NY NCIS background check, person to person transfers are $30 per person (includes transfer fee)

Ammunition transfers are $20 (includes $10 administrative fee) + $2.50 NY NCIS background check

Purchases directly through us are exempt from the transfer fee

Please make sure to call or emailing us before ordering online and having product shipped to us. All transfers must follow state and federal regulations. The State of New York will determine whether you can buy a weapons, along with what weapons you can legally own.

Conduct an FFL Transfer

You cannot ship a firearm to your residence. Instead, you need to perform a Federal Firearms License (FFL) transfer. The firearm purchased online must be shipped to a licensed store/dealer, where you will pick it up.

You need to fill out Form 4473 from the ATF and pass the NY NCIS background check to verify you’re not a prohibited person, which includes being a felon, criminal, ERPO, or involved in domestic violence disputes. For New York, you will need to add handguns to your permit before picking up the firearm.

Background Check

Form 4473 must be completed for any firearms purchases, NY State uses the a NICS (National Instant Criminal Check System) managed by the State Police. Ammunition also requires a background check for purchases. Firearm transactions cost $9.00 and Ammunition transactions cost $2.50. Please refer to the NY NCIS website for more details: https://nysnics.ny.gov/app/home/faq.

For any handgun or semi-automatic weapon purchase, New York firearm license is required prior to making any purchases.

Perform a Firearm Transfer from an individual, or online store.

Purchase firearms only from licensed dealers that obey all laws as there are harsh federal penalties for trying to circumvent firearm regulations.

Once you purchase the firearm, you will need to contact a local gun store (state and federally licensed, FFL) that has agreed to receive the gun. There is a transfer fee (on top of the NYS NCIS fee) for the receipt and transfer to you.

Once the purchase is contacted, make sure that the gun store (FFL) is updated. Provide the manufacturer, model, serial number (if provided), and any other pertinent details. We will contact you once received, so you can then go pick up the firearm or ammunition.

Pick Up Your Firearm

Ammunition purchases also require background checks in New York State. You cannot purchase ammunition for rifles and shotguns under the age of 18, or for handguns if under the age of 21. All handguns must be added to your permit prior to pickup. The form to amend a pistol permit can be found at your county clerk’s office. The cost is $3 for Ontario County and $5 for Monroe County. Both Counties allow for amendments by mail.

In addition to the restrictions above, New York also regulates the sale of certain firearms accessories and self defense equipment. The following items are expressly prohibited:

  • Any device, component, or combination of parts that increases the rate of fire of any firearm, including but not limited to bump stocks, trigger cranks, forced reset trigger, and binary triggers.

  • Magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds.

  • Batons.

  • Exploding targets and binary compounds (Tannerite, etc.)

  • Electronic dart guns and stun guns.

  • Switchblades, pilum ballistic knives, metal knuckle knives, and cane swords.

  • Billy clubs, blackjacks, bludgeons, plastic knuckles, and metal knuckles.

  • Chuka sticks, sand bags, and sand clubs.

  • Shuriken or "Kung Fu stars."

  • Wrist-brace type slingshots.

Suicide Prevention and Safe Firearm Storage

if you are in crisis, please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting 741-741. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) addresses suicide by firearm through a multi-pronged public health approach that focuses on education, public policy, and partnership.

Their efforts are primarily centered on reducing access to lethal means during a suicidal crisis, which is critical since over half of all suicide deaths in the U.S. involve a firearm, and attempts with a firearm are overwhelmingly lethal.

AFSP strongly advocates for responsible and secure firearm storage. This creates time and distance between a person in crisis and a lethal means, allowing the immediate crisis to pass or for intervention to occur. For more information, please visit: https://afsp.org/firearms-and-suicide-prevention/