Gun Registration Requirements in Arizona?
Question:
We purchased our handguns & rifle several years ago. We have since moved & in fact the store that we purchased them at no longer exists. We still live in the same state. What I am trying to find out is…..I no longer have my registration or bills of sale on my handguns. Do I need something to prove that my guns are registered to me? Do I need a proof of purchase? Do I have to re-register every so often? I keep my handgun & rifle at home for self-defense. My wife carries hers in her car at all times for the same reason. She travels quite a bit. She also crosses the AZ state line into CA & sometimes into NV. Is there anything special she has to do there to report that she is carrying a gun? She does not have a CCW permit, as she carries it unloaded in her vehicle. It is also in a holster. Her vehicle is locked at all times.
Thanks,
Rick
Answer:
Rick,
Arizona does not have any ‘gun registration’ requirement. Some people think the form they fill out when they purchase a gun is a ‘registration’ when in fact it is simply a record of the transfer from the dealer to the purchaser. BATF requires these ‘transfer’ documents and requires a firearms dealer to keep them on file. When a gun store goes out of business, they are supposed to transmit the records to BATF, but in reality, it may or may not occur.
You do not need a proof of purchase or any documentation that they are ‘registered’ to you. I would recommend that you record the serial numbers and model numbers and keep them somewhere safe. This way, if you ever lost a gun or had it stolen, you could give the appropriate info to the police.
Your wife should probably get her CCW if she consistently carries a gun in her car. In Arizona, the law states that the gun must be in plain view or if concealed, it must be at least two steps removed from immediate access by anyone in the vehicle. An example of ‘two steps removed’ would be in the glove box (step 1) and in a holster (step 2). If the gun is not in a holster or case and is in the glove box, it is only 1 step removed. When you have a valid CCW permit, this ‘two step’ rule no longer applies.
When your wife drives into CA, if she has a gun in the car, she needs to meet California requirements for transporting the gun. CA requires that the gun be unloaded and in a locked container in the trunk of the vehicle. CA also requires that any ammo be in a separate container.
In Nevada, the firearm can be legally carried in the vehicle unloaded, but not on your person unless you have a Nevada CCW permit.
I’d have her be a little careful traveling into CA. They are not a gun friendly state. She needs to take particular care to follow the rules while she is there.
Gun Registration Requirements in Arizona?,
i have a question too…we ere hunting rabbits last night to keep them from going into the cornfield but someone called the police on us and they confiscated our firearms (a shotgun & AR15) but no arrest was made, now they want proof of owner ship before we can get them back, that would be the bill of sale from the store we purchased it at right? and we misplaced one where can we go to get another copy of this?
Dawn,
You should be able to get a record of purchase from the store where you bought the gun. They are required to keep the BATF 4473 Transfer Form on file indefinitely. You will need to give them the approximate date of the purchase of the firearm. Please bear in mind that this is not something they are legally required to do, so you will want to ask very nicely. They also may want to charge you a fee since this might require some work on their part.
Hope this helps,
Doug
Question: Is there anything in Arizona law that requires someone to attend gun safety training if they are going to be carrying a weapon inside an adult entertainment establishment where alcohol is not served? (not concealed, but in open)
Are guns allowed if there is alcohol in the building after hours?
I just took my concealed weapon class and I wanted to add something. If she is traveling in Las Vegas county the gun requirements are really strick. She needs to have any handgun registered with the county and have a “blue card” to be with the gun at all times:
Clark County (minus Boulder City) requires registration of handguns only. All other counties have no registration of any guns. For Clark County, the first handgun purchase includes a 72 hour “cooling off” period. A handgun registration card (commonly known as a “blue card” because of its light blued color) is issued for each registered handgun, and must stay with the gun. Examples: If you take the gun to shoot at the range, you must take its blue card also. If you loan the gun to a friend, you must make sure he has the card with it. You may register your handgun at any branch of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (bring it to them UNLOADED AND IN A SAFE MANNER). If you sell or give away the handgun, you are obligated to have the registration transferred into the name of the new owner. If you wish to purchase other handguns, your “cooling off” period is waived if you have your blue card present.
Jay is correct in what he says, but it only applies if you are a Nevada resident. A visitor in Nevada does not have to register their handgun in Clark County.