How to Sell a Gun in Maine

Maine Key Points:

• Private gun sales at gun shows and resulting from ads in TV, radio, writing, or the Web must go through background checks in Maine.
• The waiting period for gun sales in Maine is 72 hours.
• Neither owner licensing nor gun registration is required in Maine.
• You can quickly sell your gun and get a quote right now with Cash for Arms.

Step 1: Go Over the Maine Gun Laws for Sellers

Maine’s gun laws for sellers mandate checks on a lot of gun sales now. There are still exceptions, however, as you’ll see below.

Are Private Gun Sales Legal in Maine?

Private gun sales are legal in Maine. However, they have to be processed by a federally licensed gun dealer if either of these is true:

• They’re made at a gun show.
• They’re the result of an advertisement in writing, television, radio, or the Internet.

So, a gun sale that’s the result of a conversation between private parties won’t need to go through a federally licensed dealer.

The opposite is true if a sale is the result of something like an online listing. In that case, the sale must be processed by a licensed dealer. That’s because it arose due to an ad on the Internet.

The same goes for any gun sale at a gun show. A licensed gun dealer has to facilitate those transactions too, as per Me. Stat., 15 § 395.

Are Background Checks Necessary for Gun Sales in Maine?

Background checks are only necessary for these gun sales in Maine:

• Gun sales for licensed gun dealers (also called Federal Firearms Licensees or FFLs)
• Gun sales made at gun shows
• Private gun sales that come about due to an advertisement in writing, on TV or radio, or online

Other types of gun sales don’t need background checks in the state.

Are There Bulk Purchase Limits on Guns in Maine?

There are no bulk purchase limits on guns in Maine, so a buyer can buy as many guns as they like at once.

Is There a Waiting Period for Gun Sales in Maine?

There’s a waiting period of 72 hours for gun sales in Maine. There are exceptions, like when it’s a transfer between family members or a background check isn’t required.

Do You Need to Register a Gun to Sell It in Maine?

You don’t need to register a gun to sell it in Maine.

At What Age Can You Buy a Gun in Maine?

You can buy a long gun at 18 and a handgun at 21 in Maine from these sellers:

• A seller at a gun show
• An FFL or licensed gun dealer
• A private seller whom you found through an online, TV, radio, or written advertisement

Otherwise, you can buy a long gun at 16 and a handgun at 18 in Maine from a private seller.

Do You Need a License to Buy Guns in Maine?

You don’t need a license to buy guns in Maine.

Who Can’t Legally Buy Guns in Maine?

These people can’t legally buy guns in Maine:

• People convicted of felonies
• People adjudicated insane or incompetent to stand trial for a crime
• People committed involuntarily to a hospital by a court ruling that they present “a likelihood of serious harm”
• People subject to court orders for harassment, stalking, or threatening domestic partners or a partner’s child
• People convicted of crimes where the prosecutor had to prove the offense was committed with a dangerous weapon
• People convicted of domestic violence assault, stalking, threatening, and similar crimes (but they prohibition expires 5 years after they finish their sentences)
• Unlawful users or addicts to controlled substances except for medical marijuana
• People discharged from the US Armed Forces in dishonorable conditions
• People who’ve renounced the US citizenship
• People in the US under a non-immigrant visa
• Fugitives from justice
• Illegal aliens

Can People Prohibited from Buying Guns in Maine Regain the Right to Buy Guns?

Some people prohibited from buying guns in Maine can regain the right to buy guns. These include convicted felons.

To regain their firearm rights, they just need to wait 5 years after they’ve finished their sentences. Then, they need to apply to the Maine Commissioner of Public Safety.

The application is technically for a permit to own a firearm. In Maine, however, it’s called a “permit to carry a firearm.” If granted, the permit restores firearms rights for 4 years.

Does Maine Have Preemption for Gun Laws?

Maine has an express preemption statute for gun laws.

Private gun sellers should thus consider the state and federal laws for their transactions. The few exceptions where local agencies are allowed to enact their own ordinances in Maine aren’t related to gun sales.

Step 2: Prepare for the Sale

Preparation is a key step if you want your sale to go as smoothly as possible. Luckily, it doesn’t involve much work!

Ready your gun, its details, and its value

Cleaning your gun is a must for prep no matter where you end up selling it. If you sell it online, you need it clean for your listing photos. If you sell it in person, you need it presentable for the buyer appraisal.

• Follow the usual safety routine. Be sure the gun’s unloaded, then clean it with care.
• After that, take down the gun’s details. That includes the make, model, and more.
• Finally, learn what you can safely expect to get for your gun. Look up successful auctions for guns like yours and see what people are paying for them.  If you don’t want to have to do the research yourself, get a free appraisal from Cash for Arms!

Decide where you want to sell the gun

There are several places to sell a gun in Maine. You’ll learn the steps for each one later, but you have to pick one first.

Here’s what you need to know about each option:

• Selling it to Cash for Arms - Fast sales you can do from home, top prices, and different payment options. You’ll have to wait for the gun to reach us before you get paid, however.
• Selling it to private buyers - Good if you’re after the highest prices and can expend the often-heavy effort to get them. You may also need to go through an FFL, depending on how you get your buyer. We’ll give you the steps for both that and the non-FFL sale later.
• Selling it to local gun stores - Advisable if you’re after the fastest cash payment possible. The drawback is that they offer lower sale prices than the two previous options.
• Selling it to local pawn shops - Another option for fast cash payment. The problem is that you’ll get the lowest sale price with this one out of all options.

Step 3: Make the Sale

Depending on what you decided about where to sell your gun in Maine, follow the steps for your choice below.

Steps to Sell a Gun to Cash for Arms

• Send us photos and details of the gun online.
• Wait around an hour for our offer and accept it.
• Send the gun to us using our prepaid shipping labels.
• Collect your payment the same day we confirm the guns.

If you're looking to sell a large amount of guns, Cash for Arms also offers liquidation services in Maine for large gun collections.

Steps to Sell a Gun to a Private Buyer (Through an FFL)

• Advertise your gun online, on TV, on the radio, or in print/writing. You can also look for interested buyers at gun shows.
• Screen your buyers to make sure they’re allowed to buy guns in Maine.
• Decide on the price and other terms of the sale with your buyer.
• Meet your buyer at a nearby FFL so the shop can process the sale.
• Wait for the background check on your buyer to finish.
• Get your payment as the buyer gets the gun.

Steps to Sell a Gun to a Private Buyer (Without an FFL)

• Look for buyers through word-of-mouth and outside of gun shows.
• Screen your buyers to make sure they’re allowed to buy guns in Maine.
• Decide on the price and other terms of the sale with your buyer.
• Meet your buyer at a safe, public location to carry out the sale.

Steps to Sell a Gun to a Local Gun Shop

• Call your local gun shops and let them know about your used gun for sale.
• Drive with the gun to the shops that say they’re interested in buying the firearm.
• Gather as many offers as you can from different shops.
• Sell the gun to the shop with the highest sale price.

Steps to Sell a Gun to a Local Pawn Shop

• Call your local pawn shops and let them know about your used gun for sale.
• Drive with the gun to the shops that say they’re interested in buying the firearm.
• Gather as many offers as you can from different pawn shops.
• Sell the gun to the pawn shop with the highest sale price.

Conclusion

This shows you that private parties still have ways to sell guns in Maine. If you’re looking for a way that offers as little friction as possible, consider selling to Cash for Arms.

We offer extensive support, a simple process, and great prices for gun sellers in the state. This option can spare you a lot of time and confusion because it can even be carried out from home.