How to buy a Glock online and ship it to your FFL

Buying a Glock online is simple once you know the one rule that shapes it: a handgun never ships to your house. It ships to a federally licensed dealer, an FFL, in your state, and you complete the paperwork and background check there. Everything else, from magazines to holsters, comes to your door where your state allows. Here is how the process works from the first click to the drive home.

Step 1: pick the pistol

Decide on frame size, caliber and generation before you compare prices. The model size guide and the generations guide cover those choices. Check that the model is legal where you live: California sells only roster pistols, several states cap magazine capacity at 10 or 15 rounds, and a few restrict threaded barrels. The product page shows the magazines the pistol ships with; where a state limits capacity, dealers usually receive the pistol with compliant magazines or remove the standard ones.

Step 2: name your FFL dealer

At checkout you enter the dealer who will receive the pistol. Any licensed dealer can accept a transfer, but call first: some charge a transfer fee between about $20 and $75, some only accept transfers from dealers they know, and some want a copy of the license sent ahead. Your city page lists the nearest public ranges and the rules for your state; the dealer directory on the ATF site lists licensees by ZIP code. Gun shops, pawn shops with an FFL and many indoor ranges all do transfers.

Step 3: we ship to the dealer

Price and stock are checked live when you order, before you pay, so you are not charged for a pistol that sold out. The pistol ships insured with adult signature required, and the dealer logs it into their bound book when it arrives. Most dealers call or email you the same day; if you have not heard within a day or two of tracking showing delivery, call the shop.

Step 4: Form 4473 and the background check

At the dealer you show government photo ID with your current address and fill in ATF Form 4473, the firearms transaction record. The dealer runs the FBI NICS check, or the state's own point-of-contact check in states that run one. Most checks clear in minutes. A delayed check can take up to three business days under federal rules, and some states extend that or add a waiting period that starts when the check is submitted. You must be 21 to buy a handgun from a dealer.

Step 5: state paperwork

Some states add a step. Illinois requires a FOID card, Massachusetts an LTC, New Jersey a purchase permit, and a handful of others a license or a safety certificate. Waiting periods range from none in most states to ten days in California. Your dealer will know the local rule and will not hand over the pistol until it is met. Our city pages summarize each state's requirements, but the dealer's word is final because they are the licensee.

Step 6: take it home and check it

Before you leave, check the box: two magazines for most models, a magazine loader, a cleaning rod and brush, the manual and a fired case envelope in some states. Confirm the serial number on the frame matches the paperwork. Run a function check at home, then clean and lightly oil the pistol before the first range trip.

What ships to your door

Slides, barrels, triggers, sights, holsters, ammunition and magazines are not firearms under federal law and ship straight to you, with these exceptions. Magazines over a state's capacity limit do not ship to that state. Ammunition needs an adult signature and does not ship to a few jurisdictions that require dealer delivery. Serialized frames and receivers are firearms and go through an FFL like a complete pistol. If a part is restricted where you live, the checkout will tell you before payment.

Buying a used or police trade-in Glock

Used Glocks and police trade-ins follow the same path: the pistol ships to your dealer and the background check happens there. Listings describe condition and note whether night sights, a light or extra magazines are included. A trade-in with holster wear on the slide and a clean bore has usually been carried a lot and shot a little, which is the best kind of used pistol. Recoil springs, magazine springs and night sight vials are the parts most likely to be tired on an older gun; budget a few dollars for each and the pistol will run like new. Ask the dealer to let you inspect it before the transfer is completed.

Buying for someone else

Federal law allows a genuine gift, but the person who fills in Form 4473 must be the actual buyer, and buying a pistol for someone who cannot pass a background check is a felony. The simplest way to give a Glock is to have the recipient complete the transfer at the dealer in their own name; some states require the gift transfer to go through a dealer as well. A gift card for parts and accessories avoids the question entirely.

Returns and problems

A pistol cannot be returned once it has been transferred to you; after that point, warranty issues go to Glock's service department, which has a strong record of fixing problems quickly. If a pistol arrives at the dealer damaged or wrong, refuse the transfer and contact us before the dealer logs it out to you. Parts and accessories follow our normal returns policy.

Ready to start? Browse pistols, search the Glock catalog, or read your first Glock if you are choosing a first pistol. Find your local rules on the city pages.

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