Pennsylvania Firearm Bill of Sale - 18 Pa. C.S. § 6111 Form

No — and this is Pennsylvania's most important private sale rule. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6111, every handgun transfer between private individuals must be processed through either a licensed FFL dealer or the county sheriff's office. Both seller and buyer must appear together in person. The dealer completes a PICS background check, an ATF Form 4473, and the Pennsylvania-specific SP 4-113 Firearm Sales Record. The PICS check fee is just $2.00 — one of the lowest in the country. A direct handgun handoff is a criminal offense regardless of whether both parties are Pennsylvania residents.

The SP 4-113 Pennsylvania Firearm Sales Record is a state-specific form required for every handgun transfer in Pennsylvania — in addition to the federal ATF Form 4473. The dealer completes the SP 4-113 and reports the transfer to the Pennsylvania State Police. This creates a state-level record of every handgun sale. Long gun transfers do not require the SP 4-113. Your private Bill of Sale is separate from both forms and documents details the state forms do not capture — such as the agreed price and the firearm's condition at the time of transfer.

Yes — long gun private sales between Pennsylvania residents are permitted without FFL dealer involvement under Pennsylvania law. No background check is required by the state for long gun private transfers. However, federal prohibited person rules under 18 U.S.C. § 922 still apply — you must not sell to anyone you know or reasonably suspect is prohibited. A signed Bill of Sale is your only documentation of a private long gun transfer and serves as your good-faith defense if questions arise later.

Pennsylvania operates its own Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS), managed by the Pennsylvania State Police Firearms Division. Unlike states that contact the FBI's NICS directly, Pennsylvania routes all background checks through PICS, which searches both state and federal databases simultaneously — including Pennsylvania-specific criminal history, Protection From Abuse (PFA) orders, and mental health records under the Mental Health Procedures Act. PICS can catch state-level disqualifications that a direct federal NICS check might miss. The PICS check fee is $2.00 per transaction, set by statute since 1998.

The minimum age for any firearm purchase in Pennsylvania is 18 — for both handguns and long guns. For handguns processed through an FFL, dealers additionally follow the federal requirement of 21 for handgun sales. For private long gun sales, the state minimum of 18 applies. Selling any firearm to anyone under 18 in Pennsylvania is a criminal offense under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6111. Always verify the buyer's Pennsylvania Driver's License or State ID.

No — Pennsylvania does not impose a statutory waiting period. Once the PICS background check is approved for handgun transfers, the dealer can release the firearm immediately. For long gun private sales, the transfer is complete once the Bill of Sale is signed and payment exchanged. If PICS returns a delayed or pended status, the dealer must wait for resolution — but this is not a fixed waiting period, just processing time.

Pennsylvania has broader prohibited person categories than most states. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6105, prohibited persons include convicted felons, those convicted of certain violent misdemeanors, individuals adjudicated as mentally incompetent or involuntarily committed under §302, §303, or §304 of the Mental Health Procedures Act, and anyone with three or more DUI convictions within a five-year period — a Pennsylvania-specific rule stricter than federal law. Always ask the buyer to certify compliance with all these categories on the Bill of Sale.

Pennsylvania currently prohibits a state firearm registry under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6111, but the Pennsylvania State Police maintain a handgun Sales Database of all SP 4-113 records — which functions similarly for handguns. Long gun private sales create no state record. However, HB 1891, a firearm registration bill, passed the House Judiciary Committee on a 14-12 party-line vote in November 2024 and is headed to the House floor. If enacted, it would create Pennsylvania's first comprehensive firearm registry. Monitor this closely.

Yes. Pennsylvania's License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) is required for concealed carry and for carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle. The LTCF costs $19.00 total — $18 to the county sheriff plus $1 to the Pennsylvania State Police Firearms License Validation System. It is valid for 5 years and is shall-issue. An LTCF holder can purchase from an FFL dealer using the license as an alternative to a full PICS check in some circumstances. Pennsylvania does not have Constitutional Carry — a license is still required for concealed carry as of 2026.

Yes. Under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6120, no municipality — including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, or Allentown — can enact firearms regulations stricter than state law. Philadelphia has repeatedly attempted local gun ordinances over the years, all of which were struck down under this preemption statute. The rules are completely uniform across all 67 Pennsylvania counties.

No. Federal law under 18 U.S.C. § 922 prohibits private person-to-person firearm transfers across state lines. Pennsylvania borders six states — New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio — and selling directly to a resident of any of them without FFL involvement is a federal felony. The buyer must be a Pennsylvania resident, verified by a current Pennsylvania Driver's License or State ID.