Firearm Imports

Due to high volumes of Export/Imports at this time, respond times are delayed. Emails are responded to in the order they are received and phone calls are limited to current customers. Thank you and we appreciate your patience!

For Firearms Shipped into the USA from Foreign Countries

Thank you for choosing Simpson Ltd as your firearms importer. To help this process go as smoothly as possible, here are some general guidelines. To apply for your license, you can fill out our on-line PDF application form by clicking here or Download an Excel file of the Import Application. Or submit the following information, which is required:

Name, address and phone # of foreign seller.
Name, address and phone # of foreign shipper, if needed.
Name, address and phone # of U.S.A. end-user.
Name, address and phone # of U.S.A. FFL Dealer, if different than end-user.
Manufacturer & country of manufacture, Model, Type (RI = rifle, SG = Shotgun, PI = pistol, RE = Revolver, RI/SG = Combination or Drilling), Caliber, Barrel length in inches, Overall length in inches, New or Used and value in US Dollars for each firearm.
End use of firearms (ie. collection, resale, sport shooting, consignment sale, etc.)
Please include all parts included w/Shipment - No Silencers
Antiques - Please include Year of Manufacture

Surplus Military or Police Curio & Relic (SMPCR)

For any firearms that are categorized as Surplus Military or Police Curio & Relic (SMPCR) models, additional documentation is required. One of the requirements the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) has for this type of firearm is that it must have been in the country of exportation for at least the last five (5) years. You will need to provide a letter from someone in the country of exportation certifying they have been there for the last 5 years". This "5 Year Letter" must be an original document. We can provide a sample "5 Year Letter" upon request, or click here. We can generate a 5 Year Letter to send to your contact for their signature and have them mail it back to us. Do not submit this information unless we ask for it. We must receive the original or certified copy via mail. Silencers Not Importable - any we receive will be destroyed. No Ammo.

Process

After we receive these documents, we will apply for your license. For obscure firearms that are not in the database, the BATF may ask for you to provide quality pictures of the firearm(s) including overall sides, close up of markings and serial number, and specific model and caliber information. An approval can take 2-4 weeks to get back from the BATF, sometimes longer. The clearer the supporting documentation is, the quicker the application is processed. We cannot guarantee approval for every firearm you want to import. There are some guns that cannot be imported. This includes assault weapons, U.S. Military weapons and machine guns. Pistols with a barrel length of 3" or less are denied. The U.S. Department of State is constantly changing the list of "friendly" countries from which we can receive guns, which can affect approval. We cannot currently import firearms manufactured in China, Russia or any other embargoed country.

We will email you a copy of the approved import permit and give them instructions on packaging, addressing and documents to put on the parcel. Please make sure to follow the instructions closely to ensure safe arrival and the avoidance of storage costs.

Shipping

Many countries require Air Freight shipments for firearms, especially for larger quantities. Some countries allow Air Parcel Post for firearm shipments. If so, the shipping costs will probably be lower. Check with your local service first, and notify us if your firearms are to be shipped via Air Parcel Post. Some of the shipping details will be different. Note that the maximum amount of insurance available for Air Parcel Post is usually less than for air freight. There are also weight and dimension restrictions.

When your guns are shipped to us, please have them shipped in sturdy containers that can be opened by U.S. Customs, if needed, and resealed. Most parcels are not opened by Customs, unless our instructions have not been followed. Please note if the shipping instructions are not followed and we must receive the invoice and AWB - Storage charge will apply. We must give pre-approval before shipping.

What is it going to cost?

Our fee for processing your import license is $50 plus $75.00 for each firearm, with a minimum fee of $250.00 or 2% of the value whichever is larger. This includes the cost of Laser Engraving the import marks upon arrival. This fee needs to be received before we can submit your application. $100 is refundable in case of rejection from the BATF. All other fees are not refundable for any other reason you may not receive your firearms. If we need to re-crate your shipment for shipping to the U.S. end-user, there may be an additional costs. We accept cash, wire transfer, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. There is a 3% surcharge for credit card transactions, and a $25 fee for Wire transfers.

There are additional fees that we have little control over. They include all shipping costs from the foreign shipper to us, broker’s fees, storage fees, insurance, duty, etc. Some of these costs need to be paid by the shipper at the time of shipment. Please do not send them freight collect. When your shipment arrives in U.S. Customs, we must pay duty, customs broker fees and shipping to us. We will bill those actual costs to you (or charge a credit card, if you desire) along with the additional freight to get them from us to your U.S. FFL of choice. The broker’s fees are usually between $400-600. The duty is approximately 3.5% of the value of the shipment. An average total cost on the US side is generally $700-1200 depending on the total number of firearms or value. The firearms will be shipped after these fees have been paid. You will be liable for these fees, even if there is an error made by our agents or customs personnel.

Firearm Laser Engraving

U.S. law dictates that we place our "Import Mark" on all modern firearms (those manufactured after 1898) we import. The required information is our name, city and state, country of manufacture, caliber, model and serial number if not already on the firearm. This will be done as discreetly and professionally as possible. See below for examples.

Please Note:

Once we have an approved import permit, Simpson Ltd or our bonded Customs Broker must present the original Import Permit and all other paperwork to US Customs to clear the shipment. The owner or shipper cannot clear or hand carry the items through U.S. Customs. This is a Federal liability for us, and we will be forced to report infractions.

Thank you for letting us serve as your U.S. firearms importer. We will try our best to make this sometimes difficult process as smooth as possible.

Click Here for Online PDF Import Application

Click Here to download an Excel spreadsheet Import Application

Click Here for Sample 5 Year Letter