Highlights
- Private gun sales are allowed in Austin.
- You can’t sell guns to anyone under 18 in Austin.
- Buyers don’t need licenses to carry to buy guns in Austin.
- Cash for Arms is a good place to sell guns in Austin if your goal is an easy transaction with good profit potential.
The Rules for Gun Sellers in Austin
Do You Need a Federal License to Sell a Gun in Austin?
You don’t need a federal license to sell a gun in Austin. It will be called a private gun sale. Those are legal in Texas.
Do You Need a Bill of Sale to Sell a Gun in Austin?
Bills of sale aren’t needed to sell guns in Austin. Some private sellers just like to make them for their own peace of mind.
Do You Need to Register a Gun to Sell It in Austin?
You don’t need to register a gun to sell it in Austin, TX. The state doesn’t have a gun registry either.
Do Buyers Need a Permit or License to Carry to Buy a Gun in Austin?
Buyers don’t need a permit or license to carry to buy a gun in Austin.
Do You Need to Do Background Checks to Sell a Gun in Austin?
You don’t need to do background checks to sell a gun in Austin. Only sellers with federal licenses (also called Federal Firearms Licensees or FFLs) have to do those.
At What Age Can a Person Buy a Gun in Austin?
People can buy long guns at 18 and handguns at 21 in Austin. That’s when buying from an FFL.
When buying from a private seller in Austin, however, people can buy both long guns and handguns at 18.
Who Can’t You Sell Guns to in Austin?
Under state and federal laws, you can’t sell guns to anyone in Austin who:
- Has been officially pronounced mentally defective or committed to a mental institution
- Is known to be addicted to or illegally using controlled substances
- Has been dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces
- Has been convicted of certain domestic assault crimes
- Is planning to use the gun for a criminal activity
- Has renounced United States citizenship
- Is the target of an active protective order
- Is a fugitive from justice
- Is a convicted felon
- Is an illegal alien
The Buyer Options for Gun Sellers in Austin
Once you’re familiar with the rules, you can safely sell your gun in Austin. Here are the legal gun buyers you can choose from.
Gun Buyer Option 1: Cash for Arms
Sell to us if you want a quick sale and great prices when selling your gun in Austin. With our three-step process, you can get a great offer for your gun in as little as an hour.
Other reasons to use us are the safety of an FFL and extensive support from real people. Plus, you don’t even need to pay shipping or sale fees. We cover those for you!
What we recommend: Check out the reviews other gun owners have left us! You may even find other gun enthusiasts from Austin among them.
Gun Buyer Option 2: Private Individuals
Sell your gun privately in Austin if you don’t mind a wait after listing it for sale. It can take a while to get offers unless your gun’s “the hot new thang” right now. You may even have to put in work to advertise it yourself.
The upside? You have a chance to charge a lot when the stars align. It’s not guaranteed, but it can be very satisfying if it happens. Just be sure your buyer can own a gun when selling privately in Austin. Doing your due-diligence can save you legally.
What we recommend: Try putting your gun on the Texas Gun Talk classified forums. It’s one of the best-moderated places for local gun fans. So, you’re less likely to run into scam-buyers on it. Just remember that there’s a limit on the classifieds you can post.
Gun Buyer Option 3: Austin Gun Stores
Sell to one of these if you’d rather do the sale in person and want it done fast. It won’t be too profitable since gun stores don’t pay much for used guns. Still, it’s quick cash.
Your average gun store will pay about 50% to 70% of a used gun’s value. Some of the bigger stores (e.g. Central Texas Gun Works or The Range at Austin) may start around 60%. Still, it’s not guaranteed. This means you should be prepared to haggle!
What we recommend: Go to more than one gun store. You can haggle better with competing offers at the table.
Gun Buyer Option 4: Austin Pawn Shops
Sell to one of these if you have no other choice. Why? Because 9 times out of 10, pawn shops will make the lowest offers for used guns. Not only that, but not all pawn shops buy guns in Austin. In fact, very few do.
Pawn shop offers often start at just 40% of a gun’s market value. We’ve even seen cases of them starting lower. Only go with them if you want the cash in hand and the gun gone ASAP.
What we recommend: Same thing as with selling to gun stores. Even if your only options are pawn shops, offer the gun to more than one!
Conclusion
That’s all you need to know to sell a gun in Austin. If you want a really easy way to sell your gun, you should consider selling it to Cash for Arms.
That’s because it’s what we’re known for. We make selling easy, rewarding, and fast for private gun sellers. To get an offer for your gun, contact us now! You can also call us at (904) 977-5477.