Depending on your location, the amount of Class 3 dealers may be limited. The closest one to me is almost 40 minutes away! That being said, some people prefer to buy their NFA items online. If the dealer you buy from is out of state, it must be transferred to a class 3 dealer in your state. This will require you to pay an NFA transfer fee to your local class 3 dealer. The fee will vary depending on the dealer. They range anywhere from $40-$125.

When dealers sell online, they are required to transfer the item to another Class 3 dealer. This requires approval from the ATF and the wait time to transfer between dealers is usually 2-4 weeks. Once your local dealer receives the item, they will provide a form 4 or form 1 for you to send in with the rest of your NFA paperwork. They will keep your item in a safe until the waiting game is over. Once your stamp is approved and sent back to your Class 3 dealer, they will call you to pick it up. You will need to complete a standard ATF Form 4473 before actually taking possession of the item. Read more about NFA background checks with a form 1.

Why buy online? Currently, if you buy from a dealer in another state, you are not required to pay sales tax. I addition you will save anywhere between 10%-25% off retail. The difference between the two is usually more than the NFA transfer fee. In the end, you should save money. The only downside, you add 2-4 weeks to the total wait time due the dealer to dealer transfer. If you do enough research you will be able to find great deals on suppressors and other NFA items. If you have a Class 3 dealer in your area with a decent transfer fee it makes buying NFA stuff that much easier. Here is a hint, check out Silencershop.

You may also want to read about the advantages of buying guns online.