HankB
Member
It's my understanding that FFL license holders are required to retain their 4473 forms for a period of 20 years; if they go out of business, their records go to the ATF.
I know a LOT of businesses have formal records retention policies which mandate records of certain types be destroyed after some period of time - often 3 years, depending on the type of record. This is because record keeping consumes time, space, and money. (And there are legal issues if the company is sued and has destroyed records in an arguably deliberate manner not plausibly covered by a formal retention policy.)
So I'm wondering if the same thing is practiced by FFLs? The BIG stores that sell a LOT of guns - Cabela's, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro Shops, etc. have certainly been in business for over 20 years, and a LOT of smaller places have been in business for decades as well.
SO . . . does anyone have any information on whether or not 4473 records are routinely kept for a time beyond what the law requires? Or do they get destroyed after the 20 year requirement expires?
I know a LOT of businesses have formal records retention policies which mandate records of certain types be destroyed after some period of time - often 3 years, depending on the type of record. This is because record keeping consumes time, space, and money. (And there are legal issues if the company is sued and has destroyed records in an arguably deliberate manner not plausibly covered by a formal retention policy.)
So I'm wondering if the same thing is practiced by FFLs? The BIG stores that sell a LOT of guns - Cabela's, Gander Mountain, Bass Pro Shops, etc. have certainly been in business for over 20 years, and a LOT of smaller places have been in business for decades as well.
SO . . . does anyone have any information on whether or not 4473 records are routinely kept for a time beyond what the law requires? Or do they get destroyed after the 20 year requirement expires?