FFL dealers and transfer fees

You buy the firearm online and pick a dealer near you. The seller ships it to that dealer, you go in with ID, fill out the 4473, pass the background check, and take it home. The dealer's fee for doing this is separate from the price of the gun.

Uppers, barrels, triggers and almost every other part ship straight to your door. Only the serialized part, the lower receiver or the frame, has to go through a dealer. Suppressors are different again: they go through a Class 3 dealer, one that pays the NFA special occupational tax (SOT). The federal tax on the suppressor itself has been $0 since January 1, 2026. ATF announced on October 9, 2026 that it would stop enforcing the National Firearms Act's approval, registration and tax stamp requirements for suppressors, short barreled rifles, short barreled shotguns and any other weapons (AOWs). This is an enforcement policy, not a change to the National Firearms Act; the law is still on the books and the policy can be reversed or challenged. The dealer still runs a 4473 and a background check. Some states only allow suppressors and SBRs that are federally registered or possessed in compliance with federal law. Check your state's statute before you buy.