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If you are a gun owner and have ever had to move your firearms from one state to another, you’ve probably worried or thought about the methods, rules, and laws behind transporting firearms across state lines. I’ve been asked countless times by gun owners: “how do you safely transport guns when moving to another state?” or “how do I bring my guns to another state to go hunting?”
At first glance, this may seem easy as putting your firearms in your trunk and driving off into the sunset. After all, you’ve probably gotten used to leaving the house and driving with your firearms, whether kept in your trunk or hidden somewhere in your vehicle (learn 12 ways to do so with a gun magnet here).
However, many factors come into play when transporting firearms across state lines whether you are moving or just traveling, from knowing how to pack your guns to knowing how to navigate the different, disjointed state gun laws relating to interstate firearm transportation.
In this article, we will teach you everything you need to know about how to pack guns for moving or travel, how to transport guns while moving or traveling, and how to legally transport firearms across state lines. If you’ve been planning a big move/trip and need to bring your arsenal of firearms along with you, this guide will help you better plan your travel route and transportation strategy.
Table of Contents
FOPA: what it is and how it affects transporting firearms across state lines
On a motor vehicle
On your person
Via commercial aircraft
Transporting firearms through national parks, state parks, and/or wildlife refuges
How to pack your guns and ammo while transporting firearms across state lines
Keep your ammo and firearms separate
Ensure they are not accessible by the persons in the vehicle
Keep the safety on
Keep them unloaded
How to ship your ammo and firearms
Safety tricks/best practices when traveling interstate with guns and ammo
States to watch out for when transporting firearms across state lines
Conclusion
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FOPA: what it is and how it affects transporting firearms across state lines
FOPA is a 1986 law that stands for the “Firearm Owners Protection Act”. This law has sparked many revisions to the Gun Control Act of 1968 and has had a major impact on transporting firearms across state lines in America. It reads:
“Notwithstanding any state or local law, a person is entitled to transport a firearm from any place where he or she may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he or she may lawfully possess and carry it, if the firearm is unloaded and locked out of reach…Travelers should be aware that some state and local governments treat this federal provision as an ‘affirmative defense’ that may only be raised after an arrest”.
This is a bunch of legalese, so let’s break this down for the four major situations you’re most likely to encounter.
On a motor vehicle
Laymen terms: A gun owner is allowed to transport firearms over state lines from gun-friendly State A to gun-friendly State C while crossing through gun-unfriendly State B without any issues.
As a hypothetical situation, this means that you can transport firearms in your vehicle as per FOPA travel regulations from Pennsylvania to Virginia, even if you cut through Maryland. In this case, you would be protected by FOPA in Maryland since you would be traveling from Virginia, which has very friendly vehicular firearm transportation laws.
NOTE: this clause only stands true if you are traveling nonstop. Meaning, you are protected in Maryland from local/state gun regulations as long as you continue driving nonstop to Pennsylvania. The moment you stop to grab gas/food or park turns your trip into something other than just “passing through”, and will subject you to local/state laws of whichever gun-friendly or gun-unfriendly state you are situated in.
Laymen terms: the firearm must be unloaded and locked away out of the reach of the gun owner.
When you are transporting firearms or moving ammunition across state lines, your firearm(s) must be kept unloaded, separate from your ammunition, and in either your closed and secured trunk or in a locked container (a safe, gun case, etc. NOTE: DON’T use foam gun cases! Here’s why). This means that you are NOT allowed to transport firearms across state lines with your gun attached to a gun magnet or kept in your glove compartment or center console (doing so would be keeping your firearm(s) in an area that accessible to your reach – against FOPA regulations).
NOTE: if you know you will be crossing through a state with more restrictive gun laws while transporting firearms and/or ammunition, carry all your necessary/required licenses/permits on you. If possible, also carry printed documentation of any relevant firearm laws of the states you are crossing through – LEOs, while diligent, don’t always know the law like the back of their hands.
Laymen terms: depending on the local gun laws of the state you are in, FOPA sometimes may ONLY be used as a defense for transporting firearms across state lines AFTER an arrest has been made.
As we know, gun laws across the USA can differ greatly across states. If you are crossing into Maryland from Virginia with your guns locked away in your track and your ammunition locked in a hard-sided separate container, you are protected by FOPA. This is because you are transporting firearms/ammunition across state lines as per FOPA regulation from a state that allows vehicular firearm transportation in such a fashion.However, in this hypothetical situation when crossing through Maryland, LEOs who aren’t as well versed in FOPA may still arrest you for transporting firearms illegally. Maryland’s gun laws state that civilians are not allowed to wear, transport, or carry a firearm unless you are going to “a target shoot, formal or informal target practice, sport shooting event, hunting, a Department of Natural Resources-sponsored firearms and hunter safety class, trapping, or a dog obedience training class or show”, or if you are “engaged in, on the way to, or returning from (such) activity” (source).This extremely strict gun piece of gun regulation aside, if you end up being arrested by said hypothetical LEO, you can use FOPA as a viable defense. However, as per FOPA regulations, you are only allowed to use it as a defense AFTER the arrest has occurred.
Thus, while you are protected by FOPA, this won’t stop an overzealous officer from arresting you and holding up your day for something you didn’t do wrong/for exercising your 2nd Amendment rights. I know – not a perfect system.
Other notes to bear in mind:
For some handguns and “assault weapons”, there are some additional restrictions that apply when transporting firearms across stateliness via motor vehicle – be sure to check local laws before traveling as state laws vary greatly.
When transporting firearms across state lines, keep your firearms and ammunition in separate, locked containers, and if possible, in your trunk. Placing them within arm’s reach in the back seat does not count as “inaccessible” by FOPA regulations.
On your person
Let’s say you’re in Virginia where concealed carry is allowed, and you have a legally concealed Glock on your person. You walk over the border into Maryland jurisdiction where concealed carry is not allowed (unless in situations outlined in the above paragraphs).
As soon as you cross state lines into Maryland, you are immediately subject to its local laws surrounding firearm possession (which would put you at odds with the Maryland police). Thus, always call to check/check online local laws before traveling to different state to prevent running into any potential legal issues.
Via commercial aircraft
To tackle the complexities of transporting firearms via commercial flights, let’s first go over some TSA firearm transportation rules/tips.
Firearms and ammunition being transported via commercial aircrafts must be checked in as luggage with your respective airline. Putting firearms and ammunition in your carryon is forbidden – the definition of firearms is extended to include magazines, gun parts, etc.
Gun owners should double check all carryon bags before heading to the airport/boarding. If you are using a gun carrying bag for transporting other personal items, you don’t want to forget taking out loose gun parts/shells/magazines that would cause you to be in non-compliance with TSA carryon bag firearm laws/rules.
Declare all your ammunition/firearms transported in your check in luggage as per your airline rules.
Firearms being transported in checked baggage must be unloaded.
Every piece of checked luggage may be subject to search/inspection by TSA agents. If you are called in to help open your luggage during inspection and are transporting firearms, cooperate fully with TSA agents/LEOs involved.
Ammunition cannot be stored in carryon luggage and must be stored in its original manufacturer packaging/other similar packaging for travel. Restrictions may apply regarding ammunition quantity depending on your airline.
Your firearm(s) needs to be stored in a locked, hard-sided container whose key/combination code is held/known only by you (no sharing!).
On the federal side, the US DOJ has asserted that US federal law (under FOPA) protects flight passengers transporting firearms, under the assumption that:
The original state the passenger is traveling from allows him/her to legally carry and possess a gun.
While going to the airport, the gun is kept unloaded and inaccessible as per FOPA considerations (in the trunk of the car, locked, etc.) in the passenger’s vehicle.
The passenger brings the firearm(s) straight from his/her car to the check-in desk of his/her respective airline without any “stops” along the way.
The firearm remains unloaded and kept in a locked container while being transported from the vehicle to the check-in counter.
Other notes to bear in mind:
The TSA/airline officer(s) handling your luggage may not know every facet of TSA firearm transport rule. Before travelling, go to the TSA official website and print out a copy of the rules and regulations regarding firearms and ammunition transportation to bring on your person, just in case.
In New York and New Jersey airports, local authorities often end up enforcing local/state laws against traveling gun owners who are just passing through while transporting firearms. Although these gun owners are often in full compliance with TSA rules/FOPA, local laws sometimes supersede and diminish the power of FOPA. Thus, always do your homework before traveling and consider shipping your firearms ahead of time if necessary instead of traveling with them if need be.
Transporting firearms through national parks, state parks, and/or wildlife refuges
If you are transporting firearms across state lines with the intention of going to a national/state park and/or a wildlife refuge (for hunting, protection while camping, etc.), local laws regarding firearms will apply to you first and foremost. Thus, be sure to check local laws ahead of time before going.
How to pack your guns and ammo while transporting firearms across state lines
As seen above, how you pack and carry your guns while transporting firearms across state lines is crucial. Even simple actions like bringing your check-in luggage of firearms to the check-in desk of your airline requires careful planning. Thus, it is important to properly pack your guns and ammunition when traveling/moving to ensure you are operating within the rules set by federal law.
Five key rules to follow:
Keep your ammo and firearms separate
When traveling, you are required to store your ammo in a separate, locked container away from your firearms. To avoid moisture (learn how to avoid the pitfalls of high humidity here) from damaging your ammo, many gun owners store their ammo in dedicated ammo cans when traveling.
Ensure they are not accessible by the persons in the vehicle
As detailed earlier, you must store your guns in your vehicle in a way that makes them not accessible. This means that while transporting guns across state lines, your guns cannot go in the center console nor the glove compartment. Most gun owners choose to store their firearms in the trunk for this reason.
Keep the safety on
This rule doesn’t just apply for when you are transporting firearms across state lines – it should be a general rule that you live by while carrying around any firearm. Keep your safety ON to prevent any accidental discharges.
Keep them unloaded
Similar to leaving the safety on, this should be a no-brainer – be sure to check the chamber of your firearm and keep your guns unloaded while transporting firearms across state lines.
Remember – if your firearm is loaded and accessible within your vehicle, local/state laws of the locale you are in apply to you. While being in a friendly state may allow this, other less-friendly states will have laws that will lead to legal issues.
Other notes to bear in mind:
For commercial airline travel, ensure:
Your ammunition doesn’t exceed .75 caliber (exception: any size shotgun shells are allowed)
Any loaded magazines with exposed ammunition have cardboard, plastic, or metal covering the exposure
You find out the maximum weight of ammunition allowed on your flight by your airline – most airlines set maximums at 11 pounds of ammunition for “personal use”
Your ammunition is stored in a hard, locked container in your check-in luggage
How to ship your ammo and firearms
If you are traveling or moving to a non-gun friendly state, you may find yourself in a position where you want to ship your firearms first to your destination instead of manually transporting your guns across state borders to avoid potential legal issues.
To understand this procedure, shipping firearms via shipping companies is split into two categories: shipping firearms for licensed persons and for non-licensed persons. In the multitude of licenses that exist for gun owners, in this case “license” refers to the FFL (Federal Firearms License).
For FFL holders (licensed persons)
Any gun owner/shipper who is an FFL holder is considered by federal law to be a licensed person and is able to ship ANY firearm using any type of US Mail to ANOTHER FFL holder via the US Post Office (via Form PS 1508).
For non-FFL holders (non-licensed persons)
For any gun owner that does not have an FFL, there are some restrictions. On one hand, you can ship to anywhere in the state where you reside. However, if you want to ship out of state, you are only able to ship modern firearms to someone/a dealer that is a licensed FFL holder (source).
For shotguns and rifles, the recipient must have an FFL. You may ship rifles and shotguns to a destination outside of your state if you address the package to yourself, to be received by an FFL holder (the FFL holder must be a resident of the state you are sending to).
The package needs to be addressed to yourself with the line “in the care of (name of FFL holder)”. It can only be opened by the owner (you), must have a tracking ID, and is needs to be signed for by the recipient upon delivery.
For handguns, regulations are stricter. According to federal law, “pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person are nonmailable”. In order to ship a handgun, you must yourself have an FLL, and the recipient must also have an FLL. If you don’t have an FFL, you need to find an FFL holder to help ship for you. Handguns also can only be shipped by commercial carriers, like FedEx or UPS.
For non-FFL holders looking for FFL holders to help ship your guns to an FFL holder in another state, it is advised that you either work with your local gun dealer to see if they are able to do so or look for gun shipping services.
There is generally a fee involved for the transaction, but all shipments would be done completely by the book (they themselves have an FFL and ship to partner FFL holders near your location for you to pick up your firearms), which is often times worth the trouble to avoid potential legal mix-ups while transporting firearms over state lines.
Tips/rules for shipping firearms:
Depending on your carrier, you may have to open your shipping box for carrier employees to inspect your gun to see if it is eligible to ship (type of firearm, whether or not you have an FFL, unloaded vs. loaded, etc.).
When shipping, choose a shipping class that requires a signature upon delivery. This is federal law and also just smart shipping: you don’t want the delivery man to simply just drop off your gun on the porch.
Choose a shipping class that provides a tracking ID. This is also federal law.
Ensure that the package you ship your firearm in does not have outside markings that indicate it is a gun.
Depending on your situation, consider insurance (get insurance that covers the cost of your gun’s aftermarket value).
If you do not have an FLL and are shipping to an FLL, include your driver’s license in the package if you are arranging to pick up the shipment yourself later on. If an FLL is shipping for you, you don’t need to include ID.
Pack and ship your ammo completely separate from your firearms.
Ensure that any firearm you are shipping is unloaded.
Inform the carrier you use to transport your firearms that you are shipping firearms so that they follow the correct protocol during the shipping process.
Safety tricks/best practices when traveling interstate with guns and ammo
Now that we’ve outlined how transporting firearms across state lines works, here are some additional rules to abide by as you travel.
Act as you normally would. Don’t drive suspiciously – if you’ve done your homework, packed your guns properly, and are following the rules, you have nothing to worry about. Keeping this in mind, don’t drive erratically or behave any differently than you normally would.
Pack your guns correctly. Be sure you are keeping your firearms unloaded, separate from your ammo, and in separate, locked containers not accessible by you nor other passengers in the vehicle.
Don’t stop until you hit a friendly state that reciprocates with the original state you are traveling from.
Understand the laws of all states you cross through and bring copies of their gun laws with you (including FOPA). When traveling with firearms across the country or transporting guns across state lines, always be sure to give a good read through any gun laws/gun transportation laws state-to-state. State gun laws and regulations change quickly and vary widely. Thus, you want to know the legalities of transporting firearms in each state you travel in ahead of time. Carrying copies of the laws and statutes also can serve as a crutch if you run into an overzealous LEO that doesn’t know about FOPA (it happens, trust us).
Problem States
Even though FOPA is a federal law, some states do have notoriously difficult gun laws that make it difficult to transport guns through their jurisdiction (and/or make regular changes in their gun laws). A quick shortlist:
Massachusetts
Massachusetts has particularly strict laws for normally legal gun possession and firearm transportation practices.
Learn more here or call 617-660-4780 to reach the Massachusetts Firearms Records Bureau.
Washington D.C.
Washington D.C. law more or less states that if an officer finds out you are a non-D.C. resident transporting firearms in D.C., he/she can ask you to prove that you are going to or coming from a government allowed “lawful recreational firearm-related activity within the District”, or that you are legally allowed to possess a firearm in the state you originally made your trip from. While these things can be easily proved most of the time, you don’t want to get caught with your pants down even if you’re not breaking the law.
Hawaii
All individuals entering Hawaii with any kind of firearm are required to register within three days’ time upon arriving with the county police chief.
California
California, as we know, has many strict gun laws. Check out their full gun laws herefor more detailed information before visiting.
New York
New York, like New Jersey, is another messy East Coast state with strict gun laws and varying requirements/rules across different regions of the state. Read up on the areas you are cutting through before transporting any firearms in/across New York.
Most gunowners I know on the East coast have spoken to me about the incredibly tight gun laws in New Jersey. The New Jersey government assumes that you understand its local gun laws thoroughly and will charge you accordingly if they find you in violation with them.
If you were looking to learn how to transport guns when moving or traveling, we hope this guide gave you good insight on how to do so. Transporting firearms across state lines isn’t the easiest task and does require a lot of research into gun transportation laws by state. It also involves taking good care to follow all local and federal laws. However, if every “i” is dotted and every “t” crossed, you shouldn’t run into any trouble along the way.
If you have any other suggestions for transporting firearms across state lines or moving ammunition across state lines, let us know in the comment section or email us at support@gunmagnetworld.com!
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Transporting Firearms Across State Lines: How to Transport Guns When Moving
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If you are a gun owner and have ever had to move your firearms from one state to another, you’ve probably worried or thought about the methods, rules, and laws behind transporting firearms across state lines. I’ve been asked countless times by gun owners: “how do you safely transport guns when moving to another state?” or “how do I bring my guns to another state to go hunting?”
At first glance, this may seem easy as putting your firearms in your trunk and driving off into the sunset. After all, you’ve probably gotten used to leaving the house and driving with your firearms, whether kept in your trunk or hidden somewhere in your vehicle (learn 12 ways to do so with a gun magnet here).
However, many factors come into play when transporting firearms across state lines whether you are moving or just traveling, from knowing how to pack your guns to knowing how to navigate the different, disjointed state gun laws relating to interstate firearm transportation.
In this article, we will teach you everything you need to know about how to pack guns for moving or travel, how to transport guns while moving or traveling, and how to legally transport firearms across state lines. If you’ve been planning a big move/trip and need to bring your arsenal of firearms along with you, this guide will help you better plan your travel route and transportation strategy.
Table of Contents
FOPA: what it is and how it affects transporting firearms across state lines
How to pack your guns and ammo while transporting firearms across state lines
How to ship your ammo and firearms
Safety tricks/best practices when traveling interstate with guns and ammo
States to watch out for when transporting firearms across state lines
Conclusion
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FOPA: what it is and how it affects transporting firearms across state lines
FOPA is a 1986 law that stands for the “Firearm Owners Protection Act”. This law has sparked many revisions to the Gun Control Act of 1968 and has had a major impact on transporting firearms across state lines in America. It reads:
“Notwithstanding any state or local law, a person is entitled to transport a firearm from any place where he or she may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he or she may lawfully possess and carry it, if the firearm is unloaded and locked out of reach…Travelers should be aware that some state and local governments treat this federal provision as an ‘affirmative defense’ that may only be raised after an arrest”.
This is a bunch of legalese, so let’s break this down for the four major situations you’re most likely to encounter.
On a motor vehicle
Laymen terms: A gun owner is allowed to transport firearms over state lines from gun-friendly State A to gun-friendly State C while crossing through gun-unfriendly State B without any issues.
As a hypothetical situation, this means that you can transport firearms in your vehicle as per FOPA travel regulations from Pennsylvania to Virginia, even if you cut through Maryland. In this case, you would be protected by FOPA in Maryland since you would be traveling from Virginia, which has very friendly vehicular firearm transportation laws.
NOTE: this clause only stands true if you are traveling nonstop. Meaning, you are protected in Maryland from local/state gun regulations as long as you continue driving nonstop to Pennsylvania. The moment you stop to grab gas/food or park turns your trip into something other than just “passing through”, and will subject you to local/state laws of whichever gun-friendly or gun-unfriendly state you are situated in.
Laymen terms: the firearm must be unloaded and locked away out of the reach of the gun owner.
When you are transporting firearms or moving ammunition across state lines, your firearm(s) must be kept unloaded, separate from your ammunition, and in either your closed and secured trunk or in a locked container (a safe, gun case, etc. NOTE: DON’T use foam gun cases! Here’s why). This means that you are NOT allowed to transport firearms across state lines with your gun attached to a gun magnet or kept in your glove compartment or center console (doing so would be keeping your firearm(s) in an area that accessible to your reach – against FOPA regulations).
NOTE: if you know you will be crossing through a state with more restrictive gun laws while transporting firearms and/or ammunition, carry all your necessary/required licenses/permits on you. If possible, also carry printed documentation of any relevant firearm laws of the states you are crossing through – LEOs, while diligent, don’t always know the law like the back of their hands.
Laymen terms: depending on the local gun laws of the state you are in, FOPA sometimes may ONLY be used as a defense for transporting firearms across state lines AFTER an arrest has been made.
As we know, gun laws across the USA can differ greatly across states. If you are crossing into Maryland from Virginia with your guns locked away in your track and your ammunition locked in a hard-sided separate container, you are protected by FOPA. This is because you are transporting firearms/ammunition across state lines as per FOPA regulation from a state that allows vehicular firearm transportation in such a fashion.
However, in this hypothetical situation when crossing through Maryland, LEOs who aren’t as well versed in FOPA may still arrest you for transporting firearms illegally. Maryland’s gun laws state that civilians are not allowed to wear, transport, or carry a firearm unless you are going to “a target shoot, formal or informal target practice, sport shooting event, hunting, a Department of Natural Resources-sponsored firearms and hunter safety class, trapping, or a dog obedience training class or show”, or if you are “engaged in, on the way to, or returning from (such) activity” (source).This extremely strict gun piece of gun regulation aside, if you end up being arrested by said hypothetical LEO, you can use FOPA as a viable defense. However, as per FOPA regulations, you are only allowed to use it as a defense AFTER the arrest has occurred.
Thus, while you are protected by FOPA, this won’t stop an overzealous officer from arresting you and holding up your day for something you didn’t do wrong/for exercising your 2nd Amendment rights. I know – not a perfect system.
Other notes to bear in mind:
On your person
Let’s say you’re in Virginia where concealed carry is allowed, and you have a legally concealed Glock on your person. You walk over the border into Maryland jurisdiction where concealed carry is not allowed (unless in situations outlined in the above paragraphs).
As soon as you cross state lines into Maryland, you are immediately subject to its local laws surrounding firearm possession (which would put you at odds with the Maryland police). Thus, always call to check/check online local laws before traveling to different state to prevent running into any potential legal issues.
Via commercial aircraft
To tackle the complexities of transporting firearms via commercial flights, let’s first go over some TSA firearm transportation rules/tips.
On the federal side, the US DOJ has asserted that US federal law (under FOPA) protects flight passengers transporting firearms, under the assumption that:
Other notes to bear in mind:
Transporting firearms through national parks, state parks, and/or wildlife refuges
If you are transporting firearms across state lines with the intention of going to a national/state park and/or a wildlife refuge (for hunting, protection while camping, etc.), local laws regarding firearms will apply to you first and foremost. Thus, be sure to check local laws ahead of time before going.
How to pack your guns and ammo while transporting firearms across state lines
As seen above, how you pack and carry your guns while transporting firearms across state lines is crucial. Even simple actions like bringing your check-in luggage of firearms to the check-in desk of your airline requires careful planning. Thus, it is important to properly pack your guns and ammunition when traveling/moving to ensure you are operating within the rules set by federal law.
Five key rules to follow:
When traveling, you are required to store your ammo in a separate, locked container away from your firearms. To avoid moisture (learn how to avoid the pitfalls of high humidity here) from damaging your ammo, many gun owners store their ammo in dedicated ammo cans when traveling.
As detailed earlier, you must store your guns in your vehicle in a way that makes them not accessible. This means that while transporting guns across state lines, your guns cannot go in the center console nor the glove compartment. Most gun owners choose to store their firearms in the trunk for this reason.
This rule doesn’t just apply for when you are transporting firearms across state lines – it should be a general rule that you live by while carrying around any firearm. Keep your safety ON to prevent any accidental discharges.
Similar to leaving the safety on, this should be a no-brainer – be sure to check the chamber of your firearm and keep your guns unloaded while transporting firearms across state lines.
Remember – if your firearm is loaded and accessible within your vehicle, local/state laws of the locale you are in apply to you. While being in a friendly state may allow this, other less-friendly states will have laws that will lead to legal issues.
Other notes to bear in mind:
For commercial airline travel, ensure:
How to ship your ammo and firearms
If you are traveling or moving to a non-gun friendly state, you may find yourself in a position where you want to ship your firearms first to your destination instead of manually transporting your guns across state borders to avoid potential legal issues.
To understand this procedure, shipping firearms via shipping companies is split into two categories: shipping firearms for licensed persons and for non-licensed persons. In the multitude of licenses that exist for gun owners, in this case “license” refers to the FFL (Federal Firearms License).
For FFL holders (licensed persons)
Any gun owner/shipper who is an FFL holder is considered by federal law to be a licensed person and is able to ship ANY firearm using any type of US Mail to ANOTHER FFL holder via the US Post Office (via Form PS 1508).
For non-FFL holders (non-licensed persons)
For any gun owner that does not have an FFL, there are some restrictions. On one hand, you can ship to anywhere in the state where you reside. However, if you want to ship out of state, you are only able to ship modern firearms to someone/a dealer that is a licensed FFL holder (source).
For shotguns and rifles, the recipient must have an FFL. You may ship rifles and shotguns to a destination outside of your state if you address the package to yourself, to be received by an FFL holder (the FFL holder must be a resident of the state you are sending to).
The package needs to be addressed to yourself with the line “in the care of (name of FFL holder)”. It can only be opened by the owner (you), must have a tracking ID, and is needs to be signed for by the recipient upon delivery.
For handguns, regulations are stricter. According to federal law, “pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed on the person are nonmailable”. In order to ship a handgun, you must yourself have an FLL, and the recipient must also have an FLL. If you don’t have an FFL, you need to find an FFL holder to help ship for you. Handguns also can only be shipped by commercial carriers, like FedEx or UPS.
For non-FFL holders looking for FFL holders to help ship your guns to an FFL holder in another state, it is advised that you either work with your local gun dealer to see if they are able to do so or look for gun shipping services.
There is generally a fee involved for the transaction, but all shipments would be done completely by the book (they themselves have an FFL and ship to partner FFL holders near your location for you to pick up your firearms), which is often times worth the trouble to avoid potential legal mix-ups while transporting firearms over state lines.
Tips/rules for shipping firearms:
Safety tricks/best practices when traveling interstate with guns and ammo
Now that we’ve outlined how transporting firearms across state lines works, here are some additional rules to abide by as you travel.
Problem States
Even though FOPA is a federal law, some states do have notoriously difficult gun laws that make it difficult to transport guns through their jurisdiction (and/or make regular changes in their gun laws). A quick shortlist:
Conclusion
If you were looking to learn how to transport guns when moving or traveling, we hope this guide gave you good insight on how to do so. Transporting firearms across state lines isn’t the easiest task and does require a lot of research into gun transportation laws by state. It also involves taking good care to follow all local and federal laws. However, if every “i” is dotted and every “t” crossed, you shouldn’t run into any trouble along the way.
If you have any other suggestions for transporting firearms across state lines or moving ammunition across state lines, let us know in the comment section or email us at support@gunmagnetworld.com!