To pick up a gun that shipped to a dealer, bring a valid government photo ID that shows your current address, and come in yourself. Bring payment for the transfer fee too. That covers most pickups.
The rest of this post explains each item, why it matters, and what to expect at the counter. It is general information and not legal advice, and it is current as of November 2026.
Your photo ID
The ID is the one thing nobody can skip. Under federal rules, the dealer must look at your ID and write down what type it was. The law defines an ID, in 27 CFR 478.11, as a document with your name, residence address, date of birth and photograph, issued by a government. A standard driver’s license fits that description.
At our shop, the rule is a valid government photo ID with your current address. A few points follow from the federal form:
- Your address has to be current. ATF’s Form 4473 asks for your current state of residence and address, and it says the address cannot be a post office box.
- If your ID does not show your current address, the form has a place for supplemental government-issued documentation. Ask us before you drive over what we can accept, so you do not make a trip for nothing.
- Bring it unexpired. The form records the expiration date of the ID if there is one.
Bring the card itself.
Come in yourself
Plan to pick up the gun in person, as the buyer. The Form 4473 asks, in question 21.a, whether you are the actual buyer of every firearm on the form. ATF’s warning on the form says you are not the actual buyer if you are acquiring a gun on behalf of another person, and if you are not, the dealer cannot transfer it to you.
That is why a friend or relative cannot pick up the gun for you. The form says that answering “yes” to that question when you are not the actual buyer is a crime punishable as a felony. ATF has a page on the topic called Don’t Lie for the Other Guy, which explains the straw purchase rules.
If you are buying a gun as a gift, read ATF’s page above and ask us before you order. A lawyer can answer the legal questions.
Your age
Federal law sets the minimum age at the counter. Under 18 U.S.C. 922(b)(1), a licensed dealer may not sell or deliver a handgun to someone the dealer knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under 21, or a rifle or shotgun to someone under 18. Your ID shows your date of birth, so the dealer can check.
Payment
The transfer fee at our shop is $40 flat per firearm. It is one flat fee, not a percentage of the gun’s price. We take credit cards, debit cards, cash and phone tap.
If you bought a suppressor or anything else on an NFA form somewhere else, the fee is different. See our suppressors in Georgia page for how that works.
What happens at the counter
Here is what the visit looks like:
- You show your ID. The dealer checks it and records the type, as the federal rule requires in 27 CFR 478.124.
- You fill out the Form 4473 with us at the counter. It asks for your name, address, date of birth, citizenship and a set of yes or no questions. Your Social Security number is on the form, but the form marks it optional. ATF says it may help avoid the chance of being mistaken for a prohibited person.
- The dealer runs the background check where it applies.
- You pay the fee and take the gun home.
What the form asks you
Plan a few minutes to read the Form 4473 before you sign it. ATF’s warning at the top says the information you give is used to decide whether federal or state law bars you from receiving a firearm. After the basic details, the form has a set of yes or no questions.
Several are about your record. One asks whether you are under indictment for a felony, or for any other crime a judge could punish with more than a year in prison. Another asks whether you have ever been convicted of such a crime, even if you got a shorter sentence or probation. Others cover things like whether you intend to sell the gun to further a felony. Answer every question honestly. The form says making a false statement is a crime.
If you are not sure how an old case applies to you, talk to a lawyer before you order the gun, not at the counter. We cannot give legal advice.
A delayed background check is a separate question. We cover it in our guide to a delayed background check in Georgia.
Before you drive over
Do not go until you hear from us. We log your transfer the day it arrives, any day we are open, and we call you right away. You can come in any time after that during our hours.
Our hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday, 10 AM to 5 PM. We are closed on Sunday and Monday.
The short checklist
- A valid government photo ID with your current address.
- Payment for the $40 transfer fee: card, cash or phone tap.
- Yourself. The buyer has to pick up the gun.
- A call from us first, so you know it has arrived.
What to do next
If you bought a gun online and want it sent to us, pick us as your dealer at checkout. Our FFL transfers page explains how it works, and you can call or message us through the contact page before you order. If you are still deciding where to buy, our post on buying a gun online in Georgia goes through the steps.
