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How to Sell a Gun in Minnesota
Selling a firearm in Minnesota is legal for most law-abiding adults, but the process must follow both federal law and Minnesota state regulations. This guide covers what private sellers need to know to sell legally and responsibly.
- legal
- safe
- bill of sale
How to Sell a Gun in Minnesota — Quick Overview
- Who Can Sell: Most law-abiding adults who legally own a firearm may sell it in Minnesota
- Private Sales: Require a background check through a licensed FFL dealer
- Background Check: Required for all transfers — must go through a licensed FFL dealer
- Waiting Period: 30 days for handguns and assault weapons from dealers — waived for Permit to Carry or Permit to Purchase holders, and not applicable to private sellers
- Prohibited Transfers: Cannot sell to anyone under 18 or any person prohibited under federal law
- License Required: Only if you regularly sell for profit (federal FFL required)
- Gun Registration: Not required — no need to report private sales to the state
- Bill of Sale: Not legally required but strongly recommended — protects the seller from future liability
Table of Contents
Who Can Legally Sell a Gun in Minnesota
Age Requirements for Selling a Gun in Minnesota
Selling a Gun Through a Licensed Dealer in Minnesota
How to Sell a Gun Privately in Minnesota
Step-by-Step Guide to Selling a Gun
Why Many Sellers Use GunTransfer
Waiting Periods and Registration in Minnesota
Minnesota Gun Laws Every Seller Should Understand
FAQ About Selling a Gun in Minnesota
Who Runs the Background Check in Minnesota
Who Can Legally Sell a Gun in Minnesota
Under federal law and Minnesota law, most adults who legally own a firearm may sell it privately. However, the seller bears responsibility for not transferring to a prohibited person.
To legally sell a firearm, a person generally must:
- Be legally eligible to possess firearms under federal law
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Not be engaged in the business of dealing firearms without a federal FFL
- Sell only to buyers who are eligible to receive firearms
Federal law prohibits certain individuals from possessing or transferring firearms. A seller who knowingly transfers to a prohibited person commits a serious federal crime.
A seller must not transfer a firearm to persons who:
- Have been convicted of a felony
- Have been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor
- Are subject to a qualifying restraining or protective order
- Are unlawful users of or addicted to controlled substances
- Have been adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution
- Are under 18 years of age
- Are illegal aliens or have renounced U.S. citizenship
Knowingly selling to a prohibited person is a serious federal crime — punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. Always verify the buyer’s eligibility.
Understanding these requirements is the essential first step before selling any firearm in Minnesota. GunTransfer performs a background check on all buyers and generates a bill of sale that protects the seller.
Age Requirements for Selling a Gun in Minnesota
21
years old minimum to sell or trade handguns at a dealer
18
18
18
Selling a Gun Through a Licensed Dealer in Minnesota
Typical process when selling through a dealer:
Selling through a dealer means you are not responsible for vetting the buyer — the FFL handles all required background checks. It is the simplest way to ensure a fully compliant transfer in Minnesota.
How to Sell a Gun Privately in Minnesota
While private firearm sales are permitted in Minnesota, all private transfers must go through a licensed FFL dealer for a background check. Direct person-to-person transfers without a dealer are illegal in Minnesota.
Private firearm sales are common when:
- Selling a used firearm to another gun owner
- Selling inherited firearms
- Selling to a friend, family member, or collector
Both buyers and sellers remain responsible for complying with federal firearm laws. The seller must not knowingly transfer to a prohibited person. GunTransfer performs a background check on the buyer and documents the transfer with a legally sound bill of sale.
Although Minnesota requires the transfer to go through a licensed FFL dealer, many sellers use GunTransfer to create a clear record that ownership has transferred — protecting them from future liability.
MINNESOTA GUN SALE QUICK REFERENCE
| SALE TYPE | BACKGROUND CHECK | WAITING PERIOD | KEY NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed Dealer (w/ Transferee Permit) | Required — covered by permit | 7 days (PTC exempt) | 21+ handguns. Transferee Permit or Permit to Carry required. |
| Private Handgun Sale | Required — via Transferee Permit | None | Buyer must have valid Transferee Permit. |
| Private Long Gun Sale | Not Required | None | Standard long guns may transfer privately without a permit. |
| Permit to Carry Holders | NICS Exempt | No wait | Valid Permit to Carry bypasses both NICS and the 30-day wait. |
| Online Purchase | Required at receiving FFL | 7 days (PTC exempt) | Ships to Minnesota FFL. Permit required. |
Step-by-Step
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Sell a Gun in Minnesota
The process for legally selling a firearm in Minnesota generally includes the following steps.
1
Confirm your eligibility to sell
Make sure you are legally permitted to possess and transfer firearms under federal and Minnesota law.
2
Assess the firearm’s value
Research fair market value using online guides or get a local dealer appraisal.
3
Find a qualified buyer
Locate a buyer through personal contacts or local channels. Both parties must meet at a licensed FFL dealer to complete the transfer.
4
Verify buyer identity and age
Request a valid government-issued photo ID. Confirm the buyer is at least 18 years old. The FFL dealer will verify identity as part of the background check process.
5
Document the transfer with a bill of sale
Use GunTransfer to generate a bill of sale recording both parties, the firearm description, serial number, sale price, and date. GunTransfer also performs a background check on the buyer.
6
File your copy
Store your signed GunTransfer bill of sale securely — it is your permanent proof that the firearm left your possession on a specific date, critical if it is ever questioned.
We handle the legal part for you.
You know the rules now — here’s the easy part. A real background check on the buyer, a signed bill of sale, and permanent records, done from your phone in about 10 minutes. Flat $50.
Why Many Sellers Use GunTransfer
Private firearm sales are permitted in Minnesota, but without documentation there is no proof that ownership transferred — leaving the original owner potentially connected to any future incident involving the firearm.
Document the firearm’s serial number and full description
Record the exact date ownership transferred away from you
Protect yourself from future liability if the gun is later misused
Demonstrate responsible, law-abiding gun ownership
For sellers, a documented GunTransfer bill of sale is proof the firearm left your hands on a specific date — which can be critical if the gun is later lost, stolen, or involved in an incident. GunTransfer makes this documentation simple for every private sale in Minnesota.
Waiting Periods and Registration in Minnesota
Minnesota requires a waiting period of 30 days for handguns and assault weapons from dealers — waived for Permit to Carry or Permit to Purchase holders, and not applicable to private sellers for firearm sales. The buyer cannot take possession until this period has elapsed after the sale is approved.
Minnesota also does not require firearm registration for private citizens. Sellers are not required to report a private sale to the state.
Use the waiting period to complete all required documentation through GunTransfer.
Minnesota Gun Laws Every Seller Should Understand
Although Minnesota has relatively permissive private sale laws, sellers should understand these important regulations before completing any transfer:
- You cannot sell to any prohibited person under federal law — doing so is a serious federal crime regardless of whether a background check was conducted
- You cannot sell to anyone under 18 years of age
- ALL private transfers must go through a licensed FFL dealer for a background check
- Selling a stolen firearm is a crime under both state and federal law
- If you regularly sell firearms for profit, you must obtain a federal FFL — unlicensed dealing is a federal felony
Frequently Asked
Questions
Do I need a license to sell a gun in Minnesota?
No. Private sales do not require a federal firearms license.
Do private gun sales in Minnesota require a background check?
Is a bill of sale required when selling a gun in Minnesota?
What happens if I sell without going through an FFL in Minnesota?
Who Runs the Background Check in Minnesota
Sell through a licensed dealer in Minnesota and that dealer contacts the FBI directly. ATF's Permanent Brady State Lists place Minnesota among the states where the FBI conducts the National Instant Criminal Background Check System check on every firearm transaction, rather than routing it through a state agency first. At the counter that means one submission from the dealer and one answer back — proceed, delayed or denied — with no state agency anywhere in the loop.
No permit issued by Minnesota shortcuts that check. The Minnesota row on ATF's Permanent Brady Permit Chart reads None, and that is the whole answer to the question buyers ask most often: a carry permit issued by Minnesota, however recently, does not exempt its holder from the check at a dealer. The exemption in 18 U.S.C. § 922(t)(3)(A) only operates where the issuing state's permit appears on that chart. Budget for the check on every sale rather than hoping a permit will carry the day, and tell your buyer the same before he drives to meet you.
If the answer comes back denied, the appeal goes to the FBI rather than to the dealer or to Minnesota. The dealer can hand the buyer the transaction number the appeal needs, and the FBI runs the process from there. It takes as long as it takes, and the firearm stays where it is in the meantime — which is worth knowing before you have spent an afternoon agreeing a price.
Verified October 2026
Explore All GUN Laws across the country
50 State Guides
How to Sell a Gun by State → How to Buy a Gun by State → Gun Transfer Laws by State → Background Check Laws by State → Private Gun Sale Laws by State → Gun Waiting Period Laws by State → Gun Inheritance Laws by State →Minnesota Guides
How to Buy a Gun in Minnesota → Gun Transfer Laws in Minnesota → Private Gun Sale Laws in Minnesota → Background Check Laws in Minnesota → Waiting Period Laws in Minnesota → Gun Inheritance Laws in Minnesota →Ready to Transfer ?
Minnesota Firearm Sale Resources: ATF — Identifying Prohibited Persons | ATF — Brady Law & 3-Day Default Rule | FBI NICS | Giffords — Minnesota Gun Laws | ATF State Laws & Ordinances
A handshake isn’t a transfer.
Make it legal.
In Minnesota, the seller carries the federal liability. One undocumented sale to the wrong person is the difference between a clean record and 18 U.S.C. § 922(d). For \$50, you get proof you did it right.
- Real background check on the buyerMulti-source federal, state & county criminal + sex-offender records.
- Official bill of sale, signed by both partiesElectronic. Documented to hold up in court.
- Lifetime digital records in your Gun VaultPull them 5, 10, 20 years from now.
- Done from your phone in ~10 minutesNo gun-shop visit required in Minnesota.
I sold a pistol to someone I met online and didn’t sleep well about it. Did the whole thing from my couch in ten minutes.— Nathan M., verified seller
Secure checkout · No FFL markup · No range fees · Flat $50 every time.
About this guide
- Published by
- Gun Transfer, which has handled private firearm transfers since 2016. Written and maintained in-house.
- Sources
- Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 921–931), the ATF’s published rules and guidance, and the statutes of the state this page covers. Primary sources are linked throughout the text above so you can check any of it yourself.
- Last reviewed
- . Firearm law changes often, and a page that was right in April can be wrong by August.
- Found something wrong?
- Tell us and we will check it: info@guntransfer.com or 855-750-5500.
This is general information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm and no attorney has reviewed this page. Firearm law varies by state and by situation, and the consequences of getting it wrong fall on you — so verify anything you are relying on against your state’s current statute, or ask a lawyer licensed there.
