No matter if you are a brink and mortar or a home based FFL there may come a time where you will have to change your address.

Changing your address can be simple as moving to a bigger location in the same town or as complicated as changing states. What I can tell you is this, we have done both!

If you are moving cities or states you need to get a new business license and check your zoning.

A change of state or city will require you to get a business license in the new area. You will also need to make sure the zoning laws allow you to have a gun business in the new area. Trust me, the ATF will check zoning requirements and in some cases these may restrict your business or not be an issue at all. The ATF will follow the zoning requirements for your area. This requirement can be done before you file your ATF paperwork and trust me it’s worth doing first!

Complete the ATF From 7 (5310.12)

Yes I know, I know you have to re-due this form to start the address change process best part is you don’t have to do anything except fill out the form and send it in and there is not cost associated with a change of address. We filled ours out, printed it and sent it in via priority mail with a tracking number. SUPER IMPORTANT.. once you an confirm it’s been received you can call or email and they will confirm the receipt.

Give it a few days (10 or so) before you start calling around to see the status of your address change. This process does not take long however there can be some lag when it hits your local ATF office. Be nice and stay on them. You can email the Federal Licensing Center at FFLC@atf.gov at any time and ask questions. They are quick to respond and very helpful.

There will be an interview

The ATF will come and do an interview at your new location. This is very informal, they will check your identification, check your business license and take the time to review the procedures for doing background checks and other procedural stuff pertaining to the sell of firearms. In my situation the Agent was clear, this was not an inspection. However I took it as an opportunity to ask questions, show off my storage and inventory and discuss “what if” cases. Mine took about two and a half hours, mostly because we talked a lot.

Once the agent submits their final report and that report is approved by their Supervisor they will authorize the powers that be to issue you another paper FFL at your new address. It took about six business days to receive mine in the mail.

Getting your new paper license is just the start, you now have to update all your wholesalers with the new license. Last thing you want to happen is for them to ship a firearm to the wrong address. We hope they have checks in place to ensure this does not happen but we also want to do our part.

NEVER POST YOUR FFL ONLINE… Individuals will download it alter it print out a new one and purchase firearms with your LICENSE… this is no good. Protect your physical copy and keep it off the internet. Share it with confirmed vendors on secure sites and vie email to confirmed parties.

What about my SOT???

Don’t worry we got you. In our case our SOT expired just before the address change. We reached out to the SOT office and they quickly responded stating for us to pay for the renewal at the old address and once the FFL license was approved and showing in ezCheck (Or on EzOnlineFFL’s list) you can submit a ATF Form 5630.7 to change the address and email it to SOT@atf.gov and they will get you a new one sent out with your new address. If you change locations your FFL number will change depending on what IRS region you land in.

Other Considerations

• Make sure where you are moving allows for NFA items if appealable.
• Remember if you have abandon your current FFL’s location you can’t have firearms shipped there.
• If your FFL is still valid you can still do dealer to dealer stuff and ATF eForm stuff.
• Once your new license is issued and your old license revoked you are now in ATF License limbo. Most vendors will not ship you a firearm until they get the physical copy of your license. Is what it is.

Doing your best to pre-game this process will make all the difference. As always if you have a question let us know.