FFL Application Question

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expatqatar04

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Any help from you guys would be much appreciated. I recently submitted my application for a home business FFL. I already own a company that has a EIN, State Sales & Use Tax Permit, registered with the State of Texas, etc. Do I need to form another company or can I get a DBA for the firearm venture and just use my main company information? I've already checked with my local HOA and Fort Worth zoning and have no issues with that. Just want to get everything in a row before the inspection. Thanks again
 
I've dealt with an FFL that was run out of a automotive repair shop. It was neat. I also shipped a gun to a Karate Instruction School that held an active FFL! Ya never know.

But I'm guessing that this is going to depend on how your current business is structured and how you indicated your gun business will be structured; i.e. sole prop, LLC, etc. I presume that they need to be the same, but not entirely sure. If your other business is Tie Dye Shirts LLC and you plan to run the FFL as a sole prop, it would not make sense to use the same infrastructure of the LLC to operate the sole prop FFL. And you would surely want to use a different business name than Tie Dye Shirts LLC for the gun biz. :p

If both are sole proprietorships under your personal name, I don't know of any issues in using the same EIN and permits; local ords notwithstanding (they sometimes need a business description on record).
 
I'm probably completely wrong, but I was under the impression that home-based FFL's were all but impossible to get approved nowadays.
 
Home-based FFL's are OK but they have to satisfy any applicable local zoning and business licensing requirements. This is a big hurdle in some places. (If you live way out in the country you shouldn't have too many problems getting an FFL.)
 
Okay. Zoning is critical, but not all residential addresses are zoned to exclude the engagement of business. Some are, some aren't.

It's as simple as asking the licensing/zoning authority. Cities/counties often allow businesses to be run out of a residence; child day care, ebay sales biz, web hosting, architect firm, consulting biz, etc. One thing that rubs them wrong is 'retail traffic' and signage. They don't want you to erect a huge billboard on your roof that says 'Guns, Liquor, & Bailbonds' and to have dozens of customers coming and going day and night and using the street as a parking lot. Don't be surprised if you are asked to describe your business model. If you plan to sell guns on GunBroker, explain it to them in terms they can understand: ebay/internet type sales.


First thing's first, you want to verify that the area is zoned to allow business.
 
Thanks for the replies. CoCoMo is absolutely right about the zoning and traffic. I just thought it would be smart to find someone else in the area with a home FFL. There's a guy 2 blocks over in the same HOA so I sent him an email just asking to pick his brain. He told me what he did and that got the ball rolling.

I sent the Town (Fort Worth) and HOA emails just asking if there are any regulations preventing me from operating a firearms business out of my home and both said there is absolutely nothing prohibiting it.

The only issue you may have is that it has to be a legitimate business meaning you intend to turn a profit- which I do. If you can get through the zoning issue you are good to go. Don't buy any kit saying it will speed up the process or guarantee an approved application. All of this information is on the ATF website If you can own a firearm, you can obtain an FFL.
 
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