Handing Over A Firearm
18 Pa.C.S. 6111 — a handgun sale between unlicensed people happens at a dealer or the county sheriff's office
Where it happens. A person who is not a licensed importer, manufacturer or dealer and wants to sell or transfer a firearm to another unlicensed person does so only at the place of business of a licensed importer, manufacturer or dealer, or at the county sheriff's office, which follows the section's procedure as if it were the seller.
Which firearms. That rule applies only to pistols or revolvers with a barrel length of less than 15 inches, shotguns with a barrel length of less than 18 inches, rifles with a barrel length of less than 16 inches, and firearms with an overall length of less than 26 inches.
Family. The rule does not apply to transfers between spouses, between parent and child, or between grandparent and grandchild.
A defense. Complying with the section is a defense to any criminal complaint or other claim under the chapter arising from the transfer.
Federal law adds its own rules on transfers, including to people who live in another state, which are not on this page. Whether a particular sale, loan or gift is lawful is a question for a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- 18 Pa.C.S. 6111 — Sale or transfer of firearms
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Pennsylvania attorney.