Type 01 FFL: Dealer in Firearms
A Type 01 FFL is a Federal Firearms License for a dealer in firearms other than destructive devices. It is the most common license and the one most gun stores, gunsmiths, and home-based dealers hold. This guide explains what a Type 01 covers, who it is for, and how a Type 01 dealer handles the paperwork on every transfer.
What a Type 01 FFL is
The Type 01 is the general dealer license. It authorizes the holder to engage in the business of dealing in firearms other than destructive devices, which 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. It is issued by the ATF 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
Every Type 01 dealer keeps an acquisition and disposition record (the A&D Book) and completes a 4473 for each transfer to a non-licensee. Both must be accurate and available for inspection. For an overview of the other records and government forms an FFL encounters, see our guide to ATF forms.
How e4473 helps a Type 01 dealer
Because the 4473 is the record a Type 01 dealer touches most, small transcription and completeness errors are the findings that most often turn up in an ATF inspection. e4473 moves the form off paper into the Bravo Store Systems point of sale, walks the buyer through every question, enforces required fields before submission, and stores each completed form so it 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.