Highlights:
- Texas allows private gun sales.
- Texas doesn’t require private sellers to maintain gun sales records.
- The minimum age to buy guns in Texas is 18.
- Permits to purchase aren’t necessary for gun purchases in Texas.
- Cash for Arms offers a safe and legal way to sell guns in Texas to a buyer that pays high prices.
Step 1: Review the Local Laws for Sellers
As far as Texas laws go, this is how the key ones break down for private sales:
- Private Sales: ALLOWED - You can sell guns in Texas even if you’re not a Federal Firearms Licensee or FFL.
- Buyer Background Checks: UNNECESSARY - Private sellers in Texas don’t need to run background checks on their buyers. FFLs do, though.
- Minimum Age to Buy Guns: 18 - 18 is the minimum age to buy long guns and handguns from private sellers. For people buying from FFLs, the minimum age becomes 18 for long guns and 21 for handguns.
- Gun Purchase Limits: NONE - Texas doesn’t restrict bulk purchases.
- Gun Sale Records: UNNECESSARY - Private sellers aren’t required by law to keep records of their sales in Texas.
- Waiting Period for Gun Sales: NONE - Texas doesn’t have waiting periods for gun sales.
- Registration for Guns Sold: UNNECESSARY - Texas doesn’t even keep a gun registry.
- Gun Licenses and Purchase Permits: UNNECESSARY - People can buy both long guns and handguns without permits in this state.
- Gun Law Preemption: APPLICABLE - Local governments can’t regulate gun sales in the state, so simply refer to the laws at the state and federal level.
Step 2: Learn Your Gun’s Market Value
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Next, you should find out what prices you can expect your firearm to fetch in the current market.
To do this, you can try either (or even both!) of these things:
- Do your own research into its value.
- Have experts do the appraisal.
For the first option, we recommend checking listings and auctions on websites like GunBroker or Texas Gun Trader. Focus on the ones that have already sold so that you know what people are willing to pay.
For the second option, you can ask experts like those at Blue Book Publications, Inc. That has a price, though. If you’d like a free option, reach out to us instead. We do free online gun appraisals!
Step 3: Choose Your Preferred Buyer
There are 4 types of buyers you can sell guns to in Texas. We’ll show you what each one offers and how to sell successfully to each one.
Option 1: Cash for Arms
The good: Top market prices, the safety of selling to an FFL, an easy online sale, and a team known for great seller support.
The bad: A possible delay for payment if your courier takes time to reach us.
The process:
- Send details of your firearm via our website.
- Accept the offer we typically send in an hour.
- Ship the piece to us with our prepaid shipping labels.
- Collect your payment as a direct deposit, Zelle transfer, or even a mailed check.
If you have a large amount of guns you want to sell, check out liquidation options for Texas.
Option 2: Firearm Store
The good: In-person deals, the safety of selling to an FFL, and payment on the spot.
The bad: You won’t get a lot for your firearm.
The process:
- Call licensed stores in your area to see who may want to buy your gun. As a tip, you can find FFLs per state with this tool from the ATF.
- Unload the gun, clean it, and take it to the interested stores. If it’s a handgun, double-check that it’s unloaded before putting it in your car. It’s illegal to have an unconcealed and loaded handgun in a car in Texas.
- Let the stores appraise the item and give you their offers.
- Compare the offers and pick the best one.
Option 3: Texas Pawn Shop
The good: In-person deals, the safety of selling to an FFL, and payment on the spot.
The bad: You’ll get even less for your gun than you will with a gun store!
The process:
- Call pawn shops in your area to see which ones can and want to buy your piece.
- Unload the gun, clean it, and take it to the interested pawnbrokers.
- Let the pawnbrokers appraise it and give you their offers.
- Compare the offers and pick the best one.
Option 4: Private Party
The good: A chance to sell for very high prices and to set your own terms for the sale.
The bad: It can take a lot of work and time to find a buyer, and there are more risks to your own safety and legal liability as a seller.
The process:
- List your firearm. Online, try Texas Gun Trader and Texas Gun Talk. Offline, try local shooting clubs and ranges’ boards. You can also visit gun shows to find attendees who may be interested.
- Screen your buyer to ensure he’s from Texas (ask for state-issued ID), of age, and not on the prohibited list. These people aren’t allowed to buy guns in Texas:
- Anyone adjudicated mentally defective or committed to a mental institution
- Anyone addicted to or illegally using a controlled substance
- Anyone dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces
- Anyone convicted of certain domestic assault crimes
- Anyone planning to use the weapon for a criminal activity
- Anyone who’s renounced United States citizenship
- Anyone targeted by an active protective order
- A fugitive from justice
- A convicted felon
- An illegal alien
- Negotiate with your buyer until you get the price and terms you want.
- Meet with your buyer at a public place in broad daylight and finalize the sale.
Bonus: Pro-tips for Private Gun Sales in Texas
This is specifically for people who plan to sell to private buyers. Here, we’ve put together tips for dealing with a few common concerns they may have in Texas.
Pro-tip 1: Prepare Gun Documentation/History
Private buyers often want assurance that the firearm is “safe.” An easy way to deal with this is to get proof and clear details of its history ready.
Simply prepare documentation of your initial purchase of the gun, if possible. Otherwise, you should also get documentation ready of its ownership. In other words, be ready to explain how you came to own it!
Pro-tip 2: Offer Sale Documentation
More careful buyers often want to have a record of the transaction for protection. It’s easy enough to do this by making a bill of sale.
Try this one from Texas Gun Trader. You can also make your own if you want to modify it. What matters is that it includes these details:
- A description of the sold firearm, e.g. its make and model
- The sale price and date
- Your information
- The buyer’s information
It’s not necessary to notarize this. You and your buyer can just keep copies for peace of mind.
Pro-tip 3: Provide Post-Sale Support
This addresses a very common concern for private buyers. Many of them wonder what will happen if they discover issues with the gun post-sale.
If your buyer has that worry, consider offering a limited return period. You can also give him your contact information for post-sale questions or support.
Conclusion
That covers all you need to sell guns in Texas. As you see, it’s pretty straightforward. If you’d still like the most hassle-free option, though, think about selling to Cash for Arms.
That’s because we make “hassle-free” a key part of the experience for sellers. Our support team is always ready to answer questions, provide updates, and make your sale as easy as possible. All while giving you some of the best rates in the market!