Buy a Gun Online in Pennsylvania: FFL Transfer Guide

This guide explains how to buy a firearm online and finish the sale in Pennsylvania. You order here, the firearm ships to a licensed dealer in the state, and the dealer completes the federal and state paperwork with you at pickup. Ammunition, optics and most parts ship directly to your door.

How ordering online and shipping to a local dealer works

1. Choose a licensed dealer (FFL) in Pennsylvania before you order.
2. Order the handgun, rifle or shotgun here. We ship it to the licensed dealer you chose.
3. The firearm goes to that dealer, not to your home.
4. At pickup, you complete federal Form 4473 and show valid ID. The dealer runs a background check through the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS), which the Pennsylvania State Police run.

Handgun sales also use the state Application/Record of Sale. Under federal rules, dealers sell handguns to buyers 21 and older, and rifles and shotguns to buyers 18 and older.

Ammunition, optics and most parts ship to your door and do not go through a dealer. Handguns, rifles and shotguns always go to a dealer first, which is why the dealer you choose matters.

What the Pennsylvania rules say

Pennsylvania has no permit to purchase, no firearm registration and no state waiting period. Private handgun sales must go through a licensed dealer or a county sheriff's office.

Pennsylvania does not require a license to own a gun or to carry openly in most of the state. You need a License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) to carry a handgun concealed or to carry one in a vehicle. Residents 21 and older apply to their county sheriff. Philadelphia residents apply to the Philadelphia Police Department. The fee is set by law and county sheriffs list about $20 (check your county), the sheriff has 45 days to decide, and the license is valid for five years.

Carrying a handgun in a vehicle generally requires an LTCF, with narrow exceptions such as unloaded transport to a range or while going to or from hunting with a hunting license. Read 18 Pa.C.S. 6106(b) for the full list.

For deer and bear, you may use manually operated centerfire rifles and handguns, or manual or semiautomatic centerfire shotguns with single-projectile loads. Semiautomatic rifles are not legal for deer or bear; check the Game Commission digest for the rules for your species. The 2026-27 regular firearms deer season runs Saturday, Nov. 28 through Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026, statewide, with Sundays in that window included. The regular firearms bear season is Nov. 21-24. Some Wildlife Management Units add extended bear days during deer season.

Permit questions for carry go to the county sheriff where you live, or to the Philadelphia Police Department if you live in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia and Pittsburgh

These two areas have their own rules. Check them before you hunt or carry.

• Philadelphia: LTCF applications go to the Philadelphia Police Department. State law also requires an LTCF to carry any firearm on public streets or property in Philadelphia. Deer hunting rules are tighter in the Special Regulations Area around Philadelphia.
• Pittsburgh: the Special Regulations Area counties around Pittsburgh have tighter rules. Check the Game Commission digest for your Wildlife Management Unit (WMU).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to buy a gun in Pennsylvania?

No. Pennsylvania has no permit to purchase. You show ID, complete Form 4473 and pass a PICS background check at the dealer who receives your order.

Where do I apply for a License to Carry Firearms?

Residents apply to their county sheriff. Philadelphia residents apply to the Philadelphia Police Department. You must be 21 or older, and the issuing office has 45 days to decide.

Can you ship a gun directly to my home?

No. Handguns, rifles and shotguns ship to a licensed FFL dealer you choose, where you finish the paperwork and background check. Ammunition, optics and most parts ship to your door.

Can I carry a handgun in my car in Pennsylvania without a license?

Generally no. Carrying a handgun in a vehicle requires an LTCF, with narrow exceptions such as unloaded transport to a range or while going to or from hunting with a hunting license. Read 18 Pa.C.S. 6106(b) for the full list.

When is the 2026 regular firearms deer season?

The regular firearms deer season runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 13, 2026, statewide, including Sundays. Antlerless tags and extended seasons depend on your Wildlife Management Unit.

Browse the catalog

Browse the catalog to compare handguns, rifles, shotguns, ammunition and optics. Firearms in the catalog follow the same ordering steps described above. Use the search form on the shop pages to find a model by name.

Official sources named in this guide: the Pennsylvania State Police (PICS and the Application/Record of Sale), the county sheriff or the Philadelphia Police Department (LTCF), the Pennsylvania Game Commission hunting digest, and 18 Pa.C.S. 6106(b).

Laws change; confirm current rules with the state agencies named above.

General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.