# Washington FFL?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ffl/423344>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 19, 2007, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ffl/423344 "2007-10-19T23:07:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2007, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ffl/423344/1 "2007-10-19T23:07:43Z")

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Anyone know what it takes to get an FFL in Washington state? A friend is thinking about opening a shop.

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ffl/423344/2 "2007-10-20T02:01:58Z")

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What the hell is an FFL?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ffl/423344/3 "2007-10-20T02:05:25Z")

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Federal Firearms License. My friend is thinking about getting an FFL and opening a shop possibly in Whatcom County. (So there are two issues: Federal and State.) He’d also like to get a Class III license. Machine guns are not allowed in Washington, but he wants to sell to military and law enforcement.

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**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ffl/423344/4 "2007-10-20T03:44:20Z")

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The BATF’s website ([www.atf.gov](http://www.atf.gov)) seems like a good place to start, here’s what they say about the FFL:

[http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#c](http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#c)

[http://www.atf.gov/firearms/fflc/index.htm](http://www.atf.gov/firearms/fflc/index.htm)

I didn’t see anything about the Class 3 license though.

I found some stuff about the rules in Washington state by searching on “Firearms” at their website:

[http://access.wa.gov/](http://access.wa.gov/)

There were lots of legal decisions, opinions by previous AGs and so on, you can probably find the right department to ask there.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/washington-ffl/423344/5 "2007-10-20T15:08:53Z")

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I’ve sent him the links.