P.O. Box and a 4473 form

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HOOfan_1

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I work at a library and we require patrons who want to take books out of the library to provide proof of a physical address. We do not accept P.O. Box. Most of the time the patrons argue with us and say "it is good enough for the DMV" or "that has been my legal mailing address for 30 years".

I would think that the 4473 requires a physical address as well. I am doing some googling and find people on other message boards stating that their FFL only ask them to write it down and do not require any sort of proof.

Can anyone shed some light on whether or not proof of a physical address is required when filling out a 4473?
 
Printed page 136, electronic page 137 of this document:
http://www.atf.gov/publications/download/p/atf-p-5300-4.pdf

ATF has received questions from licensees regarding purchasers who present a State-issued driver's license or other identification document that shows either an out-of-date residence address or a mailing address (such as a post office box) in lieu of a residence address. ATF has advised that these identification documents, standing alone, would not satisfy the requirements of the regulations implementing the Brady Act.
 
In Cali we can use a small wallet-sized card that the DMV recognizes as a "change of address", taped to the back of the CDL or CCW license. Some dealers require presentation of a utility bill or real estate tax bill from a county assessor showing a residential address. After the "change of address" card is examined, it usually gets left at home until next time. I recall that this was the case for sometime before the Brady Act.
 
In AZ they require proof of physical residence. If your DL has a PO box listed you need to show them a utility bill or voter registration card.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2
 
When we were full-timing in our RV (having sold our house) coming up with physical address was a bit of a pain. I finally got a "mail-drop" (Mail Boxes R Us) that had a street address and a box (Apartment) number. That seemed to work. While wintering in AZ that RV Park we were in provided me with a rent receipt that I used to get an AZ ID Card and that worked for any purchases I wanted at the LGS.
I understand that South Dakota will issue DL's and License Plates to RV'ers without you having to be domicile in the state. There are several "clubs" that are based there and will provide a physical address and offer forwarding services for mail. (At least they did 7 or 8 years ago) I think Texas also had something similar.
I currently still have problems with ordering from Amazon. I have a street address but my mail comes to a PO Box. Amazon's programs won't accept PO Boxes, so I live at 123 Main St., Apt 1843. Our local PO recognizes this and puts my mail orders from Amazon in my box # 1843....:p
 
No po boxes. My brother had to get a Va drivers license with a physical address in order to buy his pistol. He had a drivers lic with a po box and got turned down.
 
I bought most of my pistols at college while I had a mail box at the campus mailroom. Was good enough for the 4473.
 
In SC the DMV only puts a physical address on the license, but their database allows them to keep track of the fact that my mailing address is different. So my PO Box is their contact address.

I live in one of the last towns so tiny that the local post office doesn't deliver mail to the residences. You either get a PO Box or use "General Delivery" and check at the window. Like deadin, the post office recognizes most everyone's mail an just puts it in the box. It isn't like we don't all know each other.
 
At the FFLs I worked at in AZ, drivers licenses with PO box as an address was NOT accepted, and it still isn't at the FFL I deal with now - physical address only. I read the ATFE circular back many years ago that said, no PO boxes, physical address only on a DL/State ID. The only time we used utility bills was to verify address/length of stay for resident legal aliens, but that was prior to 9/11 - I didn't sell a gun to a lawful resident alien after that, and don't know if the laws have changed.
 
I bought most of my pistols at college while I had a mail box at the campus mailroom. Was good enough for the 4473.
Click to expand...

That is the same thing as boxes in an apartment building.
They almost always use boxes also.

They are NOT the same as a PO Box.

There IS a physical address associated with a dorm room or apartment address.

I purchased guns in college also '#XXX, Dorm name, College of What's Happening Now', is fine.

It IS a physical address.
And we had a mail-room operated by a bonded student.
 
I've had to append a hand-drawn map to my applications in the past, prior to our street numbering system taking effect.
 
Lee Roder's post concerns Rural Route (RFD) box numbers, not P.O. Box numbers. Unlike a P.O. Box, a rural route box is an address, and is recognized on all official documents and the 4473 form. Most states have been phasing out RR (RFD) box numbers for years and most folks even in rural areas today have street/road numbers as addresses.

But a P.O. Box is not an address for any purpose other than receiving mail. Nobody - ATF, FBI, your ex's lawyer - can find you by a P.O. Box number, which is why some people like to use them as an address. But one ATF agent asked a dealer who had put a P.O. Box on the 4473 form how someone listed as 6' 2" tall managed to live in a P.O. Box. (Who says ATF agents have no sense of humor?)

Jim
 
Jim K said:
But a P.O. Box is not an address for any purpose other than receiving mail. Nobody - ATF, FBI, your ex's lawyer - can find you by a P.O. Box number, which is why some people like to use them as an address

Jim
Click to expand...


While doing my google search, I saw someone wrote "If your residence catches on fire, are you going to tell the 911 dispatcher, send the fire truck to P.o> Box 453?"

I think I am going to use that one in the future at the library when someone says "if it is good enough for DMV, it is good enough for you" Thing is, I am pretty sure the DMV has your physical address no matter what you have as your mailing address. If you don't want to give us your physical address, fine...then you don't get to take our books out of this building.
 
What happens?......possible jail time or a fine.

W.E.G. Every Post Office has a unique street number.

Wonder what happens if you change your address on your drivers license from:
John Smith
P.O. Box 123
Chicago, IL 60609

to

John Smith
500 Main Street
#123
Chicago, IL 60609
Click to expand...
You would be committing a felony if you used that address on the Form 4473 Question 2 "Current Residence Address". While you may receive your mail at a post office box, it is not your residence address.


There is no requirement for the buyers drivers license to show his current residence address. If it doesn't, the buyer must provide additional government issued documents that show the current residence address......a combination of government issued documents may be used as long as they include a photo, birthdate and current residence address.
 
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What does it say on his passport?
Click to expand...

Never looked at a passport have you?

They do NOT have an address, just a line you care recommended to pencil in your address.

They prove citizenship, not residence.
 
I have had a box at the UPS store for about 12 years now on my DL, and had to change it to my residence when I got my CHL. Come to find out the 4473 had the same requirement....
 
brickeyee said:
Never looked at a passport have you?

They do NOT have an address, just a line you care recommended to pencil in your address.

They prove citizenship, not residence.
Click to expand...

Some other countries' passports have address. I think I signed a German up for a library card and her passport had an address. You are correct about American though...they have a line on which you can write it yourself, which is hardly proof of address.
 
HOOfan_1 said:
Some other countries' passports have address. I think I signed a German up for a library card and her passport had an address. You are correct about American though...they have a line on which you can write it yourself, which is hardly proof of address.
Click to expand...
Hmmm... a German passport with a US address on it? That's interesting. Like my Wyoming driver's license which has a Washington state address on it...
 
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