FIREARMS LAW ADMINISTERED BY THE POSTAL SERVICE
TITLE 18, UNITED STATES CODE, CHAPTER 83
§ 1715. Firearms as nonmailable;
regulations.
Pistols, revolvers, and other firearms
capable of being concealed on the person
are nonmailable and shall not be
deposited in or carried by the mails or
delivered by any officer or employee of
the Postal Service. Such articles may
be conveyed in the mails, under such
regulations as the Postal Service shall
prescribe, for use in connection with
their official duty, to officers of the
Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard,
Marine Corps, or Organized Reserve
Corps; to officers of the National Guard
or Militia of a State, Territory, Commonwealth,
Possession, or District; to
officers of the United States or of a
State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession,
or District whose official duty is
to serve warrants of arrest or commitments;
to employees of the Postal Service;
to officers and employees of
enforcement agencies of the United
States; and to watchmen engaged in
guarding the property of the United
States, a State, Territory, Commonwealth,
Possession, or District. Such
articles also may be conveyed in the
mails to manufacturers of firearms or
bona fide dealers therein in customary
trade shipments, including such articles
for repairs or replacement of parts, from
one to the other, under such regulations
as the Postal Service shall prescribe.
Whoever knowingly deposits for
mailing or delivery, or knowingly causes
to be delivered by mail according to the
direction thereon, or at any place to
which it is directed to be delivered by
the person to whom it is addressed,
any pistol, revolver, or firearm declared
nonmailable by this section, shall be
fined under this title or imprisoned not
more than two years, or both
(B7) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm
through the U.S. Postal Service?
A nonlicensee may not transfer a
firearm to a nonlicensed resident of
another State. A nonlicensee may
mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of
his or her own State or to a licensee
in any State. The Postal Service recommends
that long guns be sent by
registered mail and that no marking of
any kind which would indicate the
nature of the contents be placed on
the outside of any parcel containing
firearms. Handguns are not mailable.
A common or contract carrier must be
used to ship a handgun.
[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5) and
922 (a)(2)(A)]
(B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm
by common or contract carrier?
A nonlicensee may ship a firearm
by a common or contract carrier to a
resident of his or her own State or to
a licensee in any State. A common or
contract carrier must be used to ship
a handgun. In addition, Federal law
requires that the carrier be notified
that the shipment contains a firearm
and prohibits common or contract
carriers from requiring or causing any
label to be placed on any package
indicating that it contains a firearm.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3),
922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and
478.30]
(B9) May a nonlicensee ship firearms
interstate for his or her use in
hunting or other lawful activity?
Yes. A person may ship a firearm
to himself or herself in care of another
person in the State where he or she
intends to hunt or engage in any other
lawful activity. The package should
be addressed to the owner. Persons
other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of
the firearm
