How to legally ship a firearm

Yes, within limits. ATF states that a person without a license may ship a firearm to a resident of their own state or to a licensee in any state. A private person may not ship a firearm to an unlicensed person in another state. That comes from 18 U.S.C. 922(a)(5), which bars private transfers across state lines.

When the buyer lives in another state, the firearm goes to a federally licensed dealer in the buyer's state. The buyer completes ATF Form 4473 and a NICS background check at that dealer before taking the firearm home. State waiting periods and permit rules at the buyer's end still apply.

Federal law is only half of the question. The other half is whether a carrier will accept the package from you. As of 2026, carrier policies are stricter than federal law, and they decide what most private sellers can do in practice.

In most cases, no. Both carriers now limit firearm shipments to federal licensees who have signed a firearms shipping agreement with the carrier. A private person who walks into a carrier location with a firearm to ship does not meet either carrier's published rules.

UPS states that it accepts packages containing firearms or firearm parts only as a contractual service, and only from licensed importers, manufacturers, dealers or collectors under an approved UPS agreement. Handguns must go by a UPS Next Day Air service. Every firearm package requires adult signature delivery, and the box and label must not identify the contents.

FedEx states that only customers holding a federal firearms license may obtain approval to ship firearms, after signing a FedEx Firearms Shipping Compliance Agreement. FedEx says shippers without an FFL are prohibited from shipping firearms with FedEx. Its Service Guide also says handguns are not accepted in FedEx Ground or FedEx Home Delivery shipments, and that firearm shipments need an adult or direct signature. Read each carrier's current page before you plan a shipment, because these terms have changed more than once in recent years.

A private person can mail an unloaded rifle or shotgun in limited cases, but not a handgun. USPS Publication 52 says handguns and other concealable firearms are nonmailable except between licensed manufacturers, dealers and importers and certain government officials. ATF puts it simply: handguns are not mailable by nonlicensees, and a common or contract carrier must be used.

For rifles and shotguns, Publication 52 section 432.3 lets an owner without a license mail a long gun to a licensed dealer, manufacturer or importer in any state. It also allows mailing within the same state, subject to state law, with a Return Service Requested endorsement on the package.

In each of these cases the package must be sent with a service that provides tracking and signature capture at delivery. No marking of any kind that indicates the contents may appear on the outside. The Postal Service may ask you to open the package or certify in writing that the firearm is unloaded.

These handgun rules may change. In January 2026 the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel concluded that the federal ban on mailing handguns, 18 U.S.C. 1715, is unconstitutional and told the Postal Service to revise its rules. The Postal Service published a proposed revision to Publication 52 on April 2, 2026. As of September 2026 no final rule has been published, and the August 2026 edition of Publication 52 still lists handguns as nonmailable for private persons. Check the current edition before you mail anything.

Have a local licensed dealer ship it. A dealer with carrier agreements can send a handgun or long gun to the buyer's dealer, which keeps you inside federal law and the carrier's rules at the same time. Many gun shops offer this service for a fee plus the shipping cost.

The usual steps look like this.

• The buyer chooses a licensed dealer in their home state and confirms that dealer accepts incoming transfers
• The buyer's dealer sends a copy of its license to the shipping dealer
• You bring the unloaded firearm and your photo ID to your local dealer
• Your dealer verifies the receiving license, packs or inspects the package and ships it with tracking and an adult signature
• The buyer completes ATF Form 4473 and the background check at the receiving dealer and pays that dealer's transfer fee
• Keep the tracking number and a copy of the bill of sale

One licensed dealer ships the firearm to another licensed dealer, and the receiving dealer completes the transfer to the buyer. Under 27 CFR 478.94, a licensee who sends a firearm to another licensee must first verify the recipient's identity and licensed status, using a certified copy of the recipient's license. That duty belongs to the shipping dealer, not to you. ATF provides the FFL eZ Check tool to confirm that a license number is valid.

Both dealers record the firearm in their required records, which creates a clear chain of custody. When the package arrives, the receiving dealer logs it in and contacts the buyer.

The buyer then appears in person, shows valid ID, fills out ATF Form 4473 and must pass the NICS check, or a state equivalent, before the dealer hands over the firearm. If the buyer is denied, the firearm stays with the dealer, and the buyer and seller work out the return. Agree in advance on who pays return shipping if that happens.

Federal law requires written notice to the carrier when a firearm or ammunition is shipped in interstate commerce to anyone other than a licensee. This is 18 U.S.C. 922(e). ATF's guidance for nonlicensees says the carrier must be notified that the shipment contains a firearm. Carriers and the Postal Service also have their own disclosure and acceptance rules, so never hide the contents from the carrier.

Telling the carrier is different from marking the box. The same statute says a carrier may not require any label or tag on the outside of a package indicating that it contains a firearm. UPS, FedEx and USPS all require the outside of the package to be free of markings that identify the contents.

Under 18 U.S.C. 922(f), a carrier must obtain written acknowledgment of receipt from the recipient of a package containing a firearm. That is one reason signature delivery is standard for firearm shipments.

Pack it unloaded, protected and anonymous. A firearm must be shipped unloaded, and ammunition must travel in a separate package under its own rules. The outer box should be plain, sturdy and free of brand names or wording that points to a firearm.

A basic packing checklist follows. If a dealer is shipping for you, ask whether they want to pack it themselves, since many dealers prefer to inspect what they send.

• Check the chamber and magazine twice and remove all ammunition
• Place the firearm in a hard case or padded inner box so it cannot shift
• Put that case inside a new, plain corrugated outer box
• Use a label with no gun-related business names or descriptions on the outside
• Choose a service with tracking and an adult signature, and insure it for the sale value
• Include a copy of the bill of sale and the buyer's contact details inside the box for the receiving dealer

Yes, in specific cases. ATF says a person may ship a firearm to themselves in care of another person in a state where they intend to hunt or take part in another lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner in care of the out-of-state resident, and only the owner may open it or take possession. USPS Publication 52 section 432.3 has a matching rule for rifles and shotguns. Because UPS and FedEx do not accept firearms from private persons, the mail is the practical route for a long gun.

For repairs, a firearm may be sent to a licensed manufacturer or gunsmith, and federal law lets the licensee return the repaired firearm or a replacement directly to the person who sent it. UPS notes that shippers with an approved firearms agreement may provide customers a prepaid label to return a firearm. Call the manufacturer first and follow its instructions exactly.

No. This page is general information about federal law and published carrier policies as of the date shown. It is not legal advice.

Laws and carrier terms change, and states add their own rules on transfers and transport. Check your state's rules, read the carrier's current policy page, or ask a lawyer. When you are unsure, have a licensed dealer handle the shipment and the transfer.