Type 01 FFL: Dealer in Firearms
If you run a gun store, gunsmith shop, or home-based dealership, the Type 01 is likely the license you need. It is the most common Federal Firearms License. It covers dealers in firearms other than destructive devices and carries paperwork requirements for every transfer.
What a Type 01 FFL is
The Type 01 is the general dealer license. It lets you engage in the business of dealing in firearms other than destructive devices. That covers most rifles, shotguns, and handguns sold at retail. Gunsmiths who take in customer firearms for repair or customization also generally operate under a Type 01. The ATF issues it after you apply on Form 7 and pass the required background investigation.
Who a Type 01 is for
- Retail gun stores selling new and used firearms.
- Gunsmiths performing repairs, cleaning, or customization on customer firearms.
- Home-based and kitchen-table dealers who intend to buy and sell firearms for profit.
- Ranges and sporting goods retailers adding firearm sales.
What a Type 01 lets you do
- Buy and sell firearms other than destructive devices as a business.
- Receive firearms shipped interstate from other licensees and act as the transfer point for online sales.
- Run the background check and complete ATF Form 4473 for each transfer to a non-licensee.
- Perform gunsmithing services on customer-owned firearms.
What a Type 01 does not cover
- Destructive devices, which require a Type 09 dealer license.
- Manufacturing firearms for sale, which generally requires a Type 07 license.
- Importing firearms from outside the United States, which requires a Type 08 license.
Selling NFA items
A Type 01 dealer who wants to deal in National Firearms Act items such as suppressors or short-barreled rifles must also register as a Class 3 Special Occupational Taxpayer (SOT) and pay the annual SOT tax on top of the license.
Key forms and recordkeeping
You keep an acquisition and disposition record (the A&D Book) and complete a 4473 for each transfer to a non-licensee. Both records must be accurate and ready for an inspection. For the other records and government forms you may handle, see our guide to ATF forms.
How e4473 helps a Type 01 dealer
The 4473 is the record you touch most, so small transcription and completeness errors can follow you into an ATF inspection. e4473 puts the form inside the Bravo Store Systems point of sale. It walks the buyer through every question and enforces required fields before submission. Each completed form is stored digitally and can be retrieved in about 12 seconds during an inspection.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Type 01 FFL the license for a gun store?
Yes. The Type 01 dealer in firearms license is the most common license and the one most retail gun stores and gunsmiths hold. It covers dealing in firearms other than destructive devices.
Can a Type 01 FFL sell suppressors or other NFA items?
Only if the dealer also registers as a Class 3 Special Occupational Taxpayer. The Type 01 license by itself does not authorize dealing in National Firearms Act items.
Do I need a Type 01 to do transfers for online purchases?
Yes. A firearm bought online is shipped to a licensed dealer, and a Type 01 holder can receive it, run the background check, and complete the 4473 before transferring it to the buyer.
Run every 4473 the right way
See how e4473 gives a Type 01 dealer a digital, audit-ready 4473 that validates every field before the firearm leaves the counter.