Use this checkout to start a firearm transfer with Ballard Supply Co. — either an inbound transfer from an online retailer or another dealer, or a private party transfer between two unlicensed Washington residents (RCW 9.41.113). There is no charge today. Transfer fees, the Washington State Patrol background check fee, and any applicable sales/use tax are collected in person at pickup.
For outbound shipping to another FFL, please contact us directly — we invoice those separately due to variable carrier pricing.
The transfer process, in order:
Fees collected at pickup (cash/check pricing):
Receipt upload: If you want to be considered for a sales tax exemption, attach a copy of your seller's paid invoice or receipt at checkout. The document must clearly show Washington sales tax was collected by the seller. Generic order confirmations without a tax line typically do not qualify.
A straw purchase is a federal crime carrying up to 15 years in prison and $250,000 in fines (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(a)(6), 932; 924(a)(1)(A)). You commit a straw purchase when you buy a firearm on behalf of someone else, with someone else's money, or at someone else's direction — even a friend or family member, even as a "gift" if the recipient is prohibited from owning firearms or you're being reimbursed.
We are required by federal law to refuse the transfer if we have reason to believe it is a straw purchase. Behaviors and circumstances that will cause us to stop the transfer include:
If you are buying a firearm as a genuine gift (no reimbursement, the recipient is legally allowed to own it, and the recipient did not direct or fund the purchase), that is not a straw purchase — but you should still be the actual transferee on the 4473 and complete a lawful transfer to the recipient afterward.
Ballard Supply Co. will refuse to begin, or will terminate, a transfer if any of the following occurs:
We further reserve the right to decline service for any other reason, at any time, before or during the transfer process. A refused or terminated transfer is treated under our standard denial policy: any earned fees are owed, and the firearm must be shipped back to the seller (inbound) or returned to the seller party (private party) at the buyer's expense.
Once we notify you that your firearm has arrived (inbound) or that your background check has cleared and the waiting period has elapsed (either type), you have 30 calendar days to complete pickup. After day 30, storage fees of $10/day apply. Items remaining unclaimed beyond that window are surrendered to Ballard Supply Co. and sold.
WA state law requires us to ship a denied inbound firearm back to the originating seller. The full transfer fee is owed regardless of denial outcome, and you are responsible for return shipping and handling. You have 30 days to arrange a refund with the seller. We do not allow re-attempts on a denied transaction, and once a denial is fully dispositioned, we do not do further business with that customer.
Washington exempts genuine gifts and loans between immediate family from the dealer-facilitated requirement (spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, child, sibling, sibling-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, niece, nephew, first cousin, aunt, or uncle). A sale to a family member for cash does not qualify. If your transfer qualifies, you do not need to use this service.
Save your code and certificate (digital is fine) and bring them to your first appointment along with your WA ID.
By completing this checkout you affirm each of the following.
Attestation 1 — Eligibility. I am the actual buyer and transferee of this firearm. I am not acquiring it on behalf of another person, with another person's money, or at another person's direction (no straw purchases — 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(6)). I am not a prohibited person under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)) or Washington law (RCW 9.41.040), including without limitation felony convictions, certain misdemeanor domestic violence convictions, active protection or no-contact orders, involuntary mental health commitments, unlawful drug use, dishonorable discharge, fugitive status, or unlawful immigration status. I meet the minimum age requirement: at least 18 for a non-semi-automatic rifle or shotgun, or at least 21 for any pistol or semi-automatic rifle (RCW 9.41.240; federal law).
Attestation 2 — Pre-arrival requirements. I will present a valid Washington driver's license or Washington state ID showing my current residence address and full legal name; if my address is out of date, I will bring a WA DOL printout or screenshot showing my updated address. I have completed, or will complete before pickup, a Washington HB 1143-compliant firearm safety training course within the past five years, and I will present the certificate at my first appointment (RCW 9.41.090). I have generated, or will generate before my first appointment, a Washington State Patrol firearm transfer application code at safe.wsp.wa.gov/buyer-code. I understand Washington requires a 10-business-day waiting period after the background check is initiated before the firearm can be released to me, even if the check is approved earlier.
Attestation 3 — Fees and policies. I understand the BSCO transfer fee, the Washington State Patrol background check fee (per transaction), and any applicable Washington sales/use tax are due in person at pickup. I understand that if I am denied, the full transfer fee is still owed, the firearm must be shipped back to the seller at my expense (inbound) or returned to the seller party (private party), and Ballard Supply Co. will not re-attempt the background check or transfer the firearm to another person. I understand I have 30 calendar days from notification to complete pickup, after which storage fees of $10/day apply, and items remaining unclaimed beyond that window are surrendered to Ballard Supply Co. and sold.
Attestation 4 — Conduct and compliance. I have read the straw purchase warning and the right-to-refuse-service section in this listing. I will not bring children, individuals not party to the transaction, or any loaded firearm to my appointment. I commit to completing this transfer in full compliance with all applicable federal and Washington state law, and I acknowledge that Ballard Supply Co. may refuse or terminate service as described above. If this is a private party transfer, I additionally confirm that both parties are unlicensed Washington residents and that this is not an immediate-family-exempt transfer.
