Firearm Dealer License Certification

Welcome to the Firearm Dealer License Certification (FDLC) program website. 430 ILCS 68 was signed into law on January 18, 2019, requiring all Illinois Federal Firearm Dealers operating within Illinois to be certified by the Illinois State Police.

FDLC Frequently Asked Questions

Signed into law on January 18, 2019, the Firearm Dealer Licensing Certification Act [430 ILCS 68] requires all Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealers engaged in the business of transferring firearms to have their FFL certified by the Illinois State Police (ISP). All FFLs who wish to continue doing business within the state of Illinois must be certified by the Illinois State Police by July 17, 2019, or have electronically submitted their application to the ISP by June 17, 2019, in accordance with Section 5-10 of the Act.

If you engage in the business of selling, leasing, or otherwise transferring firearms, this Act applies to you. (430 ILCS 68/5-15)

This certification is for federal firearm licensees, not for events. However, FFLs participating in a gun show are required to be certified by the Illinois State Police.

If a person engages in strictly gunsmithing services, and only those services (where, for example, they accept a firearm for service, service the firearm, and then return it solely to the same person who gave them the firearm to service), they will not be required to be obtain State certification.

If, however, a person who offers gunsmithing services also engages in the business of selling, leasing, or otherwise transferring firearms to third parties, they will be required to obtain State certification.

No (430 ILCS 68/5-40(d))

Any certified licensee and any employee of a certified licensee who sells or transfers firearms shall receive at least 2 hours of training annually regarding legal requirements and responsible business practices as applicable to the sale or transfer or firearms. The Department may adopt rules regarding continuing education for certified licensees related to legal requirements and responsible business practices regarding the sale or transfer of firearms. (430 ILCS 68/5-30)

According to the provisions of the Act, each certification shall be valid for the term of the FFL being certified. (430 ILCS 68/5-75)

A person who violates any provision of this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor for a first violation, and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent violation. In addition to any other penalty provided by law, any person or entity who violates any provision of this Section shall pay a civil penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $10,000 for each offense, as determined by the Department. The civil penalty shall be assessed by the Department after a hearing is held in accordance with Sections 5-95 and 5-100.

The Act defines a retail location as, "...a store open to the public from which a certified licensee engages in the business of selling, transferring, or facilitating a sale or transfer of a firearm..."

To help make this determination, here are three scenarios and how they would be defined:

  1. A big box store open to the public during hours of operation with a displayed inventory where the public can purchase and receive transfers of firearms. This is a RETAIL location.
  2. A residential dealer who has a designated area within his or her home, such as a garage or separate area, wherein during hours of operation, the public is able to come into this area to make purchases and receive transfers. This is a RETAIL location.
  3. A residential dealer who is not open to the general public, who conducts firearm transfers with individuals known to the dealer or who sets appointments for firearms transfers. This is a NON-RETAIL location.

For initial (original) FDLC certificates, the cost is $300 for a non-retail location, $1,200 for a retail location. For renewal FDLC certificates, the cost is $100 for a non-retail location and $400 for a retail location.

The Application Process

The Pre-Application Checklist is located at FDLC Checklist

No. You will need to create a Business Account by clicking on Business Account Registration. This will create a user ID and password separate from what you are using for your FTIP transactions, FOID and CCL.

No. The current version of the software does not save your work if you time-out or if you have to voluntarily leave the application program.

No. All applications must be completed on-line.

No. There is no requirement to post or carry your certification credentials.

No. All payment must be made on-line by automatic clearing house (ACH), otherwise known as e-check.

According to the Act, the ISP shall issue an initial certificate of license within 30 days of receipt of the copy of license and sworn affidavit. If the ISP does not issue the certificate within 30 days, the licensee shall operate as if a certificate has been granted unless and until a denial is issued by the ISP. (430 ILCS 68/5-10)

More About the Program

A certified licensee shall post in a conspicuous position on the premises where the licensee conducts business a sign that contains the following warning in block letters not less than one inch in height (430 ILCS 68/5-20):

"With few exceptions enumerated in the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act, it is unlawful for you to:

  1. store or leave an unsecured firearm in a place where a child can obtain access to it;
  2. sell or transfer your firearm to someone else without receiving approval for the transfer from the Department of State Police, or
  3. fail to report the loss or theft of your firearm to local law enforcement within 72 hours."

On or before January 2, 2020, each certified licensee maintaining an inventory of firearms for sale or transfer must be connected to an alarm monitoring system or service that will notify its local law enforcement agency of an unauthorized intrusion into the premises of the licensee where the firearm inventory is maintained. (430 ILCS 68/5-50(c))

On or before January 2, 2021, each certified licensee operating a retail location in this State must maintain a video security system and shall maintain video surveillance of critical areas of the business premises, including, but not limited to, all places where firearms in inventory are stored, handled, sold, or transferred, and each entrance and exit. A video surveillance system of the certified licensee's retail location may not be installed in a bathroom and may not monitor inside the bathrooms located in the retail location. (430 ILCS 68/5-50)

Also, each certified licensee operating a retail establishment in this State must post a sign in a conspicuous place at each entrance to the retail location that states in block letters not less than one inch in height: "THESE PREMISES ARE UNDER VIDEO SURVEILLANCE. YOUR IMAGE MAY BE RECORDED." This sign shall be created by the Department and available for printing or downloading from the Department's website. (430 ILCS 68/5-50(b))

On or before January 2, 2020, each certified licensee operating a retail location shall implement an electronic-based record system to keep track of its changing inventory by updating the make, model, caliber or gauge, and serial number of each firearm that is received or sold by the certified licensee. Each certified licensee shall maintain these records for a period of no less than the time period under 27 CFR 478.129 or any subsequent law that regulates the retention of records. (430 ILCS 68/5-65)

In the event that a person or entity maintains multiple licenses to engage in different lines of business requiring different licenses at one location, then the licenses shall be deemed one license for purposes of certification. In the event that a person or entity maintains multiple licenses to engage in business at multiple locations, under the same business name on the license or a different business name on the license, then each license and location must receive its own certification.

Yes. The provisions of this Act related to the certification of a license do not apply to a person or entity that engages in the following activities:

  1. temporary transfers of firearms solely for use at the location or on the premises where the transfer takes place, such as transfers at a shooting range for use at that location;
  2. temporary transfers of firearms solely for use while in the presence of the transferor or transfers for the purposes of firearm safety training by a firearms safety training instructor;
  3. transfers of firearms among immediate family or household members, as "immediate family or household member" is defined in Section 3-2.7-10 of the Unified Code of Corrections, provided that both the transferor and transferee have a currently valid Firearm Owner's Identification Card; however, this paragraph (3) does not limit the familial gift exemption under paragraph (2) of subsection (a-15) of Section 3 of the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act;
  4. transfers by persons or entities acting under operation of law or a court order;
  5. transfers by persons or entities liquidating all or part of a collection. For purposes of this paragraph (5), "collection" means 2 or more firearms which are of special interest to collectors by reason of some quality other than is associated with firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons;
  6. transfers of firearms that have been rendered permanently inoperable to a nonprofit historical society, museum, or institutional collection;
  7. transfers by a law enforcement or corrections agency or a law enforcement or corrections officer acting within the course and scope of his or her official duties;
  8. transfers to a State or local law enforcement agency by a person who has his or her Firearm Owner's Identification Card revoked;
  9. transfers of curios and relics, as defined under federal law, between collectors licensed under subsection (b) of Section 923 of the federal Gun Control Act of 1968;
  10. transfers by a person or entity licensed as an auctioneer under the Auction License Act; or
  11. transfers between a pawnshop and a customer which amount to a bailment. For purposes of this paragraph (11), "bailment" means the act of placing property in the custody and control of another, by agreement in which the holder is responsible for the safekeeping and return of the property. (430 ILCS 68/5-25)

For technical issues, such as unable to complete the application, unable to upload document, application errors, forgetting your user name & password please contact NIC USA at ELP.IL.ISP@onesupport.com. Please do not contact them for any other issues.

For operational issues, such as the need to be certified, retail vs. non-retail location, etc., please contact isp.illinoisffl@illinois.gov . You may also call the FTIP Dealer Line at 866-752-1246. After entering your FFL#, press "0" for an operator.